On Tuesday (Oct. 18th) morning, we were up betimes as Harry & Anne has [sic] to be into the city by 7:30, & Michael. The two first had breakfasted, but we had our breakfast along with Michael & he left at 20 to 8. After chatting till 9:30, Mr. Nolan, Sarah, & I left, bidding Mrs. Nolan good bye, for the Union Depot to take train due to leave at 10:45. Sarah stayed in the station. Mr. N. & I went out to view & on return found the train from Chicago 40 minutes late, so we went out again, & on return had to still wait. Eventually the train was one hour late in starting, 11:45, so we parted with Mr. Nolan, having enjoyed each other’s company very, very heartily, a real delightful man.
We crossed the River Detroit again, the cars being shunted onto the transport ferry as before described. I’ve got some good snaps & know they will be right, tho’ it had rained heavily all night & was still raining up till 9, the sun shone out at noon & just when I most wished for it. I was very much interested during the process of transit, & the conductor got me to walk up on to the upper deck of the boat, [7:97] so during transit I had a splendid view from side to side, & was kept busy aiming my Kodak. Then on arrival at ferry, Windsor, Canadian side, & I got down on the deck on which is rail track, & watched the process of steaming into the wharf, & saw them fix the connection, very simple, & the engine come & draw one section off, & then back in with first section to attach to last half & draw away, snaps of which I have. We were soon into Windsor Station & on our way to Simcoe. At Windsor, the time had to be set forward one hour, & it was now 1 o’clock. Soon after leaving Windsor Station, we saw Belle Isle Park very close, & had a very pretty view all its length. Then we skirted Lake St. Clair, & after leaving it, rain began to fall & continued heavily all the journey. We passed a large canning coy’s factory at Delhi, “Delhi Canning Coy.” on the roof, not high. We arrived at Simcoe Oct. 18th at 4:30, raining heavily, & had been wet here for nearly a week.[1] We took the ‘bus & was soon at Mr. Forster’s, who were pleased to see us back again. Here I was delighted to have a letter awaiting me from Albion, written at Brooklyn on the 7th & 8th, & post marked the 8th. I had only written him a p. card the day before at Detroit, telling him my movements, & that I hoped a letter would be waiting me. I had written him from La Fayette & told him not to write there after 4th Oct. I, not expecting to be so long with Matt & Simcoe folks, was not sure when we might return, hence my not receiving it earlier. So now I hasten on my journey & hope to see him in about 10 to 12 days. I wrote to him at once & caught the out going mail, & also a post card to you with it, & a letter to Capt. Morgan asking him to arrange that he may go home with me.
[7:98]
I am delighted he is once again on land, the darling boy, we will be pleased to meet. I fain would go straight on to N. York, but I feel I should see the places my tour includes, & a few days is neither here nor there on a journey like mine. By the way, I posted at Detroit on Monday my diary up to arriving there from Chicago, & some cards & a paper, & this morning I’ve posted a spool of Detroit views. Detroit is a wonderful city, commercially & socially, fine buildings, good clean sweet streets, fine paths, well lighted by electricity & these lights are at an elevation of some 120, 140, & some 190 feet high. These lights on top of skeleton towers constructed of piping, very seemly erections & spreads the light like rays from the moon. In fact, on my arrival at Detroit on the Friday night, I had looked up & thought it was bright moon light, & when I discovered its source, I was much astonished. Some of the views in souvenir shew these erections. Mr. Nolan has a nice garden & ground in front, grows behind, grapes, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, tomatoes, has poultry & now has a 2nd crop of grapes on his vines. Mr. Fetterley is also a gardener, but his special[i]ty is floral, & a very nice garden he has. Every house has some ground attached, nice grass at front (open) & flower or garden ground behind. Now I’ve put in a good time writing up this diary from page 89 & it’s up to date, & glad I am.
I leave, all being well, tomorrow morning at 8:05 for Toronto, & may break at Hamilton for a few hours & view that city. Mr. Forster has property there & a married daughter resides there. Fair today but dull.[2] [7:99] During the after portion of Tuesday night, we kept indoors. Charlotte, Sarah’s cousin, & Mr. M. Forster’s sister, was on a visit to see Julia, Matthew’s daughter, who is just wasting away, poor girl, & apparently has not long to live this side of the grave. She being conscious of it, we had to tell of our doings & incidents of our visit to La Fayette, Louisville, Chicago, & Detroit, & so the night went on.
Wednesday morning was fair tho’ dull, & I got out awhile, posted a spool home. I also received a parcel of the developed films & some prints which Herbert promised to forward. Time & want of sun did not permit his doing these before we left. A p. card also accompanied it, & to these I replied. He still has 2 spools to develop, & these he is to forward to N. York.
Sarah was anxious to take me to visit a friend of hers, Mrs. Weston, who lived in Tweedmouth when a girl she, & came out here in the Good Czar from Berwick. I have already referred to the incident. Mrs. Weston’s mother was aunt to the late James Sanderson’s wife, & I am to see Jimmy’s sons on my return. She is a canny body & was very pleased to see me from so near the place of her nativity. While in the locality, I visited again the Simcoe canning factory, & there saw tons of apples. They were now in the very height of the apple canning, & farmers were daily & hourly carting in the produce of their orchards. I never saw such a sight, & pumpkins, tons of these, all for canning. Scores of girls were peeling peaches, & such beautiful fruit. I got 4 given me (one I gave to Mr. Weston & one to Julia Forster). These were the last of the season for canning & they were very busy in the factory, every department at high pressure. I counted myself lucky to see such an industry, & being interested in the canned goods, & having stocked Simcoe apples, made it doubly attractive to me. I had popped in while Sarah had a crack [7:100] with Mr. Weston. Before we set out for Mrs. Weston’s, I photo’d the family, Sarah & her cousin in one group. I had hoped for sunshine & dared not put off longer, that being the last chance I should have, & anxious for a souvenir. I think it will come out right. I wrote up so much of my diary, 2 friends of the Forsters’ came in & so went the night.
I omitted to say that after breakfast at Nolans’, Detroit, on the Tuesday morning, the “Advertiser” was delivered. Mrs. Forster senr. sends it weekly from Darlington. I had the privilege of scanning it & was pleased to note that Lowick had chosen & ordained a brother of our Mr. Samuel Tow Law (“Aquilla & Precilla” you remember) & also that Bankhill had decided. On our way also from Detroit, a place called Delhi stands near the railway, & here is a large canning factory. Also I understand the Simcoe factory has 3 or 4 other branch canneries in the fruit districts. An enormous supply of canned fruits must be sent out from these places. Stack upon stack of cans stand in these factories, all ready to be labelled, & this process is done by a machine, which the Simcoe manager put into operation to let me see.
Well now, my visit to Sarah was drawing to a close as I was to leave at 8:03 the next (Thursday) morning. I had a very happy time & I venture to think it was mutual. Sarah was quite bright with having a cousin from the old country, & whom she had not seen for so many as 30 or more years, & hosts of people she introduced me to. So also did Matt at La Fayette & Louisville, & my impressions are pleasant, & I hope to remember the few bright days spent amongst them in a country I was delighted to visit, & count it a privilege. I hope some day they will make up their minds & pay a visit to the old country, so that I may return their kindness.[3]
[8:0]
Book No. 8.
Bought at Ottawa, Canada.
Oct 22/98.
25c.
[8:1]
[1] Inserted on facing page: “Arrival at Simcoe, Tuesday Oct. 18th, 98”.
[2] Inserted on facing page: “Photo’d (back of Mr. Forster’s store, Simcoe) Oct 19/98:
Mr. & Mrs. Forster.
Charlotte (Matthew’s sister).
Sarah – cousin.
Miss Dorothy Forster.
Miss Lotty Forster.
Miss Julia Forster.
Mrs Martin Smith & daughter.
Mary Nolan.”
[3] Inserted on facing page: “Finished this book Sunday Oct. 23/98 at 2:10 p.m. in the Queen’s Hotel, Montreal, Canada.”