TO the stranger it is ever a question, “Where shall I stop when I get there?” What hotel will best entertain me?

After months of sojourn I feel that I can answer these questions, if you are seeking the best in the various places you may visit in the north while on business or pleasure trips.

Beginning at Temiskaming, at the foot of the lake, is the Bellevue; at Ville Marie, the Bay View; at Haileybury, the Mata-fcanick; at New Liskeard, the Canada; at Murray City (North Temiskaming), at the head of the lake, The King of the North; and at Englehart, on the T. and N.O., is the King Edward. It Is a pleasure to speak of them as hotels. One may safely say: c‘Here is where to stop when you get there.”

THE BELLEVUE HOTEL, LUMSDEN'S MILLS

Possibly the widest known hotel in New Ontario is the Bellevue, at the foot of Lake Temiskaming, at Lumsden’s Mills. Built by the late Alex. Lumsden, when he owned and ran the line of lake steamers, it has long been a popular summer resort for people from Canada and the United States. Being near to beautiful Lake Kippiwa, it is noted as a centre for fishing and hunting.

It is reached from the Canadian Pacific railway at Mattawa, by a 39-mile branch of that railway, which runs the distance along the east side of the Ottawa River. Under the management of Mr. Freeman I. Daniels, it is made both home and hotel. After Mr. Lumsden’s death, the Bellevue and the vast lumber interests of that successful man were taken up by his son John, who has become one of the most prominent business

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men in this upper country. He took up the lines wheer his father laid them down, and is carrying on the great business with an energy seldom seen in the sons of the rich. From the 200 square miles of timber limits on the Kippiwa and the Quinze Lake country, he is taking out vast quantities of lumber. He is known as “The J. R. Booth of the North.” He has recently gone into high-class farming and stock raising. I visited his stock farm on the west side of the lake, opposite the Bellevue, where may be seen some of the best horses and cattle in Northern Ontario, from whose Agricultural Fairs he carries away many premiums. He has also gone into mining, having acquired no less than six valuable mining claims in the Cobalt district, with an interest in 12 more. Some of these are in the immediate vicinity of the Temiskaming mines south of Cross Lake, and being in the same formation, must prove of great value.

THE BAY VIEW HOTEL, VILLE MARIE, QUE.

Down the Temiskaming Lake and 12 miles across from Haileybury, on the Quebec side, is one of the oldest and quaintest villages in this upper country. No one thinks of missing a visit to it, for if one do, one is asked so many times: “Have you been to Ville Marie?” that one must go once in self-defence, and after that as a habit. It is so different from all other places you have seen! There is here a “ natural ” grotto, built by the good fathers three or four years ago, to which many religious pilgrimages are taken from points around the lake. There is in Ville Marie a hotel which, for neat architectural beauty, surpasses all others. It is by the famous A. Durand. It is the Bay View kept by H. Landreville, known as “Henry the Strong Man,’ from his unusual strength of arm. It is claimed that even “ Big Pete,” whose giant strength is proverbial, cannot withstand him in “ arm bending,” and yet his manner in the entertainment of his guests is as gentle and courtly as possible. He makes them feel that it is a real pleasure to look after their every comfort..

THE MATABANICK, HAILEYBURY

Long years ago the Indians were wont to hold their annual meetings at some central point to make their plans for the coming year. They ever chose places not only for convenience, but for beauty of situation. These meeting places were called “Matabanick.” Where is now the charming town of Hailey-bury was a famous Indian gathering place. To it the red man came up the Temiskaming Lake from the south, down the lake from the north, across from Quebec to the east, and over the divide from the wilds of the Montreal river to the west.

When David Hammond built the first hotel in Haileybury, he wisely chose this beautiful name, and called it the Matabanick, and through three buildings, each growing larger, the Matabanick has ever proved a “ meeting place” for the traveller, the tourist and all who seek for the best in hotel convenience and home-like good cheer—“the comforts of an inn with the luxuries of the modem hotel.,,

Its situation is ideal, overlooking the broad Temiskaming, from which it may be seen far up and down and across.

In the spring of 1903, Mr. A. Ferland came up from Mat-tawa and purchased the original building, which was burned in 1905. Mr. Ferland sold the site to Messrs. F. Chaput and E. Edmonds, who at once erected a new house, and this in turn was swept away in the big fire of Aug., 1906. Mr. Ferland joined the two enterprising young men, and the present great building was started and opened September 28th, 1907. In beauty, convenience and situation it would be a credit to a city.

Mr. Chaput is from Chapeau, on Allumette Island, near Pembroke, from which he went to Sudbury, where at the American he got his hotel experience. Mr. Edmonds came from Toronto, from which'he went to Detroit, and later to Barrie and Sudbury, from which latter city he and Mr. Chaput came to Haileybury. Later.—Mr. Ferland and Mr. Edmonds have purchased Mr. Caput’s"interest, and’the^latter is now manager, and a good one he is—genial and obliging.

In New York City it is a comfort to say: “I stop at the Waldorf* Astoria.” In Toronto “The King Edward.” In Haileybury “I and my friends put up at the Matabanick.”

THE CANADA HOTEL, NEW USKEARD

One of the pleasant memories of my stay in New Ontario will ever be, what may well be called, my home life. It was only by chance that I found my way to J. A. Lawless’s Hotel, The Canada, in New Liskeard. From May to November it was my home. I might go into many parts in search of information, but ever returned to room 31 as a place of real rest. So many hotels are simply a stopping place. You come and go, forgetting and forgotten, when once you pass from the door. Not so with the Canada, for, from the time George Kennedy meets you at the station, with his jolly: “This way for the Canada!” to Vizena’s genial: “Come again!” you are a guest in its fullest sense.

J. A. Lawless, though reared on a North Renfrew farm, is a born hotel-keeper. At nineteen he was given his first license, and is the only man in Ontario who holds two hotel licenses— the National of Peterboro, and the Canada. Starting in Cobden he went first to Ottawa and afterward to Toronto, where he fitted out the first apartment house in that city—the St. George, which he left to manage the Lambton Golf Club House, and thence to the National, as above. Being largely engaged in mining in the Cobalt district, and being offered the Canada, he purchased it, and at once set about enlarging it to its present 91 rooms capacity—91 sleeping rooms with commodious office, great dining-room, baths, etc., making it a hotel that would be a credit to a city. But large as it is, his wide and growing circle of patrons will leave few vacancies.

The Canada was New Liskeard’s first hotel. “Big Pete” (I. Farah) once came here on a hunting trip, and seeing the need of a hotel, built and ran this house^up to the spring of 1907. It has ever been a popular stopping place, first with the hunters and landseekers, and later with the mining men, and now with the tourists and commercial men, among whom Mr. Lawless has so many genuine friends.

When one has spent months in and about a hotel, coming and going, one naturally carries away many names of those whow sat round the board day after day—names and faces of those one would remember always.

There was “Doc,” and “Jim,” and “Samson,”

With “the Broker,” “Bert,” and “Mac”;

“The Captain,” too, was round the board,

And “the Colonel” from Lahdah Lac;

“Sir Richard” from Old England,

And “Billy” from the Soo.

I was happy at the Canada—

That summer—wasn’t you?

(The King of the North will be found under head of Murray City.) . _

THE KING EDWARD, ENGLEHART

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have never seen so cosmopolitan a country as the mining district of New Ontario. Some interesting characters are among the number—men who have made a success of life—others were born failures, and will keep it up to the end. Among the former may be noted H. I. Kert, of the King Edward Hotel of Englehart, so widely and favorably known by reason of his courtesy and enterprise. He came from Poland, when a boy, to New York City, next to Montreal, then to Sudbury, and in 1890 went to Mattawa.

It was in Mattawa where his ability was first remarked and appreciated. He was for nine years a member of the School Board. He was two years a member of the Town Council. When he became a councilman the town was paying 9 per cent, for money. This he had reduced by one-half. So valuable were his services looked upon that his going away was the regret of all classes.

He left Mattawa to go with the T. and N. O. railway.