OTTAWA, a city of Ontario, Canada, the capital of the Dominion, and the county-seat of Carleton co. It is on the right bank of the Ottawa river at the junction of the Rideau. It is on the Canadian Pacific, the Canadian North ern, the Grand Trunk, and the Ottawa and New York railroads. There is steamship communication by the Ottawa river with Montreal and by the Rideau Canal with Lake Ontario. The Ottawa river rushes over several cataracts and falls near the city. The city has an area of 5,295 acres or approximately 8 square miles. The Ottawa river and its tributaries furnish an abundance of water power which is employed by the industries of the city. It is estimated that within 50 miles there is available. 1,000,000 hydraulic horse power.
The city is attractively situated in the midst of picturesque and beautiful scen ery. It is essentially a city of homes. It is in the center of one of the most attractive agricultural belts in Ontario and is also the center of an extensive lumber region. The river is spanned by several large bridges and the Rideau Canal divides the city into the Upper Town or western portion and the Lower Town or eastern portion, the former be ing distinguished by its predominantly English and the latter by its predomi nantly French population.
The streets are wide and attractively laid out at right angles. The most nota ble buildings are those of the Dominion Parliament. The Parliament buildings
were burned in 1916 but their rebuilding was at once begun and in 1921 the main structure was almost completed. Other notable buildings include the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Nobre Dame, Christ Church, city hall, Rideau Hall, the residence of the governor-general, several large hospitals, the Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition building, pub lic library, and the National Victoria Museum. Ottawa is an important edu cational center. There are 24 public schools and over 30 separate schools, in cluding a model and normal school. It is the seat of Ottawa University and has in addition many business colleges, women's colleges, convents, and private schools.
All the great Canadian banks have branches in Ottawa. The bank clear ings in 1918 amounted to $357,958,751. There is an exceptionally attractive park system. The largest park is Rock Cliffe, which contains 89 acres. The as sessed valuation of property in 1919 was $158,846,717. There are nearly 200 light plants, National banks, and several daily and weekly newspapers. It has manufactories of window glass, bottles, and lamp chimneys, drain-tile, sewer pipe, fire-brick, organs, carriages, flour, saddlery, pumps, harness, lumber, agri cultural implements, etc. Pop. (1910) 9,535; (1920) 10,816.