(quaint Montreal article continued ...)
The truth of the matter is that it isn't a church at all, although it used to be St. Michael's church around the beginning of the century. The new St. Michael's stands at the corner of St. Viateur and St. Urbain streets and is rated one of the most artistic churches on the North American continent.
But the old St. Michael's was turned into a school, aligned with Mount St. Michael's across the street. Some years later it became a cake shop in which pastry was cooked. The parish limits were later altered and the school across the street became St. Agnes School.
Now they are using the little church as a school again, but for special men's classes in conjunction with an educational programme.
"Quaint?" Uh-huh.
Report No. 6...Lachine Park is Different
Usually parks are not fussy about who sits in them but LaSalle Park, the new relief project at Lachine is different. One's education and morals are considered before admittance is granted.
New signs have been placed around the park during the last week which read: "Persons of good education and morals are invited in this park...La Cite de Lachine.
There is a reason behind everything and it is gleaned that the because of the amazing signs is simply that several shady individuals have been sneaking around in the dark of night stealing the bronze plaques off the monumental features around the park.
This riled the good City Fathers to such a degree that they made the sign extra sarcastic.
Lasalle, the explorer of the Mississippi founded Lachine back in 1669 but it is doubtful that he saw anything more "quaint"...ie. fanciful which means, "Unreal", "odd" ...that grace the trees of the park which proudly bears this name in this modern day and age.
Report No. 7...Cops Wear Winter Jackets
Now and again the old story pops into print about Americans landing in Montreal in the middle of summer with skis and fur coats...apparently they had been going to the movies too often.
Well, believe it or not, there are actually public officers in Montreal who wear winter clothes all summer. . . yes even with the thermometers registered up in the 80s in the sun!
They are the poor constables on the beat and directing traffic on the street corners, for those heaven woolen jackets, buttoned up to their lobster-red necks are actually made for winter wear!
One can wear the jackets for about two hours in the sun, a cop told me, and then you begin to wilt away and hear bells ringing.
The odd part about it is that the City provides the lads with nice, light summer helmets and gives the motorcycle cops -- who have the breeziest jobs in town -- nice light shirts to wear in the summer.
Odd? Yes and therefore "fanciful!" ...which in turn means, "Quaint."
Report No. 8...Outremont's Kind Cops
Usually when you want to catch somebody doing something you keep it a secret. That is considered especially true of police investigations when sleuths shadow offenders for hours and even resort to phoney whiskers.
But not the Outremont cops -- they're kind-hearted and warn would-be offenders that they lie in wait for 'em.
Take for example, the usual signs appearing around the city of Outremont, saying: "Speed traps ahead."
The idea was a good one and according to chief Dulude, speeding dropped 90 per cent because of the sign.
As the motorists become used to the signs, however, they grew cynical and speeders are beginning to appear again - especially during the racing season when autos surge through bound for the tracks. The cops are now putting out patrols to catch doubting Thomases, but the speeding is still down 80 per cent as compared with the pres-sign ear.
"Quaint?"...well, maybe.
Report No. 9...Hydrant You'll Trip Over
These are hot days and the nights are sultry. Perhaps you seek a cooling walk in really rustic atmosphere - roamin' to the gloamin', as it were, with maybe a lassie by your side?
Well, it might be suggested that you take a Cartierville street car to the end of the line and then stroll from there across the Cartierville bridge and along the sidewalk leadign to L'Abord de Plouffe.
Before you can say Jack Robinson more than three or four times, you'll find yourself in the community which bears that name... but watch your step in case the shades of night are falling!
Believe it or not, protruding from the exact centre of the sidewalk and rising about two feet above it, is a water hydrant.
Just why it is there will always remain a mystery, but an ancient resident nearby seems inclined to believe that it represents a dispute between the street paving and water works departments. Anyway, they built the sidewalk around the hydrant or plunked the hydrant right into the sidewalk. it's there to trip over, just the same
What would you call it, "Quaint?" "Quaint" means whimsical and "whimsical" means "oddly constructed as if due to some whim?"
Enoughs enough and at this point in the investigation the Committee of Two held a meeting at which it was duly moved and seconded to let the whole business drop. There were no dissenters.
Which in turn, is quaint old Committee custom.
The truth of the matter is that it isn't a church at all, although it used to be St. Michael's church around the beginning of the century. The new St. Michael's stands at the corner of St. Viateur and St. Urbain streets and is rated one of the most artistic churches on the North American continent.
But the old St. Michael's was turned into a school, aligned with Mount St. Michael's across the street. Some years later it became a cake shop in which pastry was cooked. The parish limits were later altered and the school across the street became St. Agnes School.
Now they are using the little church as a school again, but for special men's classes in conjunction with an educational programme.
"Quaint?" Uh-huh.
Report No. 6...Lachine Park is Different
Usually parks are not fussy about who sits in them but LaSalle Park, the new relief project at Lachine is different. One's education and morals are considered before admittance is granted.
New signs have been placed around the park during the last week which read: "Persons of good education and morals are invited in this park...La Cite de Lachine.
There is a reason behind everything and it is gleaned that the because of the amazing signs is simply that several shady individuals have been sneaking around in the dark of night stealing the bronze plaques off the monumental features around the park.
This riled the good City Fathers to such a degree that they made the sign extra sarcastic.
Lasalle, the explorer of the Mississippi founded Lachine back in 1669 but it is doubtful that he saw anything more "quaint"...ie. fanciful which means, "Unreal", "odd" ...that grace the trees of the park which proudly bears this name in this modern day and age.
Report No. 7...Cops Wear Winter Jackets
Now and again the old story pops into print about Americans landing in Montreal in the middle of summer with skis and fur coats...apparently they had been going to the movies too often.
Well, believe it or not, there are actually public officers in Montreal who wear winter clothes all summer. . . yes even with the thermometers registered up in the 80s in the sun!
They are the poor constables on the beat and directing traffic on the street corners, for those heaven woolen jackets, buttoned up to their lobster-red necks are actually made for winter wear!
One can wear the jackets for about two hours in the sun, a cop told me, and then you begin to wilt away and hear bells ringing.
The odd part about it is that the City provides the lads with nice, light summer helmets and gives the motorcycle cops -- who have the breeziest jobs in town -- nice light shirts to wear in the summer.
Odd? Yes and therefore "fanciful!" ...which in turn means, "Quaint."
Report No. 8...Outremont's Kind Cops
Usually when you want to catch somebody doing something you keep it a secret. That is considered especially true of police investigations when sleuths shadow offenders for hours and even resort to phoney whiskers.
But not the Outremont cops -- they're kind-hearted and warn would-be offenders that they lie in wait for 'em.
Take for example, the usual signs appearing around the city of Outremont, saying: "Speed traps ahead."
The idea was a good one and according to chief Dulude, speeding dropped 90 per cent because of the sign.
As the motorists become used to the signs, however, they grew cynical and speeders are beginning to appear again - especially during the racing season when autos surge through bound for the tracks. The cops are now putting out patrols to catch doubting Thomases, but the speeding is still down 80 per cent as compared with the pres-sign ear.
"Quaint?"...well, maybe.
Report No. 9...Hydrant You'll Trip Over
These are hot days and the nights are sultry. Perhaps you seek a cooling walk in really rustic atmosphere - roamin' to the gloamin', as it were, with maybe a lassie by your side?
Well, it might be suggested that you take a Cartierville street car to the end of the line and then stroll from there across the Cartierville bridge and along the sidewalk leadign to L'Abord de Plouffe.
Before you can say Jack Robinson more than three or four times, you'll find yourself in the community which bears that name... but watch your step in case the shades of night are falling!
Believe it or not, protruding from the exact centre of the sidewalk and rising about two feet above it, is a water hydrant.
Just why it is there will always remain a mystery, but an ancient resident nearby seems inclined to believe that it represents a dispute between the street paving and water works departments. Anyway, they built the sidewalk around the hydrant or plunked the hydrant right into the sidewalk. it's there to trip over, just the same
What would you call it, "Quaint?" "Quaint" means whimsical and "whimsical" means "oddly constructed as if due to some whim?"
Enoughs enough and at this point in the investigation the Committee of Two held a meeting at which it was duly moved and seconded to let the whole business drop. There were no dissenters.
Which in turn, is quaint old Committee custom.
Hi Kristian --- Great info on the state in 1938 of two disappeared Mile End landmarks, the train station and old St. Michael's church. (Is the missing street name "Boucher"?) But what about A.W. O'Brien's sidekick, cameraman Sam Preval? Could we get to see the pictures? By the way, the new St. Michael's, the one O'Brien calls "one of the most artistic churches on the North American continent" is still there, looking pretty much like it did in 1938, and is open to the public this summer for free guided or unguided visits from now until Sept. 1st, 2007, Tues. thru Sat., 9:30 to 6.
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