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Miscellany Toronto Photographs: Then and Now

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That sailboat on the left is very heavily laden. It's tied up for the winter but it has been used for storage.


Let's not forget how the central portion and dome of the old 999 Queen building (the Provincial Lunatic Asylum designed by John Howard) used to close the Ossington axis. To paraphrase Anne Michaels in Fugitive Pieces, another example of "the presence of absence". Couldn't find any pics of the old view down Ossington.


1910:
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The old 999 reminds so much of the Imperial War Museum in London UK, a re-purposed mental hospital.
 
Bear in mind that it was (The) Dundas (Highway) Street that originally started at the

Queen Street junction, Ossington only came later.


Regards,
J T
 
fire photo

There's so much detail in the shadows - I couldn't resist doing some retouching.
How about that cop and the men on top of the wall?
The cop's the only one wearing a 'hard hat.'
 

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UofT

I found this on an old usb key. I though this would be the perfect place to store it. Have a great weekend...

Check out how much that tree has grown.

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September 25 addition.


Hey Ed007Toronto, here's one for you.


King and Market. Then: July 25, 1927.

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Now: August 2009.

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Very interesting photos, Mustapha! According to the 1910 Goad Atlas below, it looks like the burnt-out building was at the NE corner of King and Francis, a narrow street that ran north from West Market Street (now the pedestrian walkway beside the St. Lawrence Hall).

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Not sure if the building ever got rebuilt but below is a photo of some of the buildings demolished to create St. James Park to the west, futher west, as well as an aerial of the block from the west:


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The Toronto Daily Star, Wednesday July 20, 1927, 5 o'clock edition:
BLAZE JUMPS STREET
FROM FURNITURE FIRM
STARTS WITH A BLAST


Thousands Jam Vicinity as Firemen Battle Big Blaze

IS SOON CONTROLLED

Whole Jarvis and King Street District Threatened as the Fire Gains Headway​

At 1.20 this afternoon the firemen with the high pressure system had the fire under control and confined to the Canada Furniture.
Flames bursting out following an explosion about 12.45 to-day in the Canada Furniture building, 144 King street east signalled one of the worst downtown fires in many years.
By one o’clock the whole building was absolutely gutted by fire and the buildings across the street on the south side of King caught fire from the intensive heat.
A general alarm was sounded. Police have taken control of the streets and are keeping the crowds back.
The fireman have been able to get the fires on the south side of the street somewhat under control.
The stores at the front of St. Lawrence were those which caught fire from the heat.
The whole of the Jarvis and King streets are threatened as the building is still blazing tremendously and the fire extends right back to Adelaide street.
The blaze is believed to have started in the roof and there is no hope of saving the building. Mr. Victor Ross of the Imperial Oil Company stated that the firemen were fighting hard to save the cathedral which is about 50 feet from the Canada Furniture Company.
“The flames were leaping across the street and have caught several stores next to the Furniture Company.†stated Mr. Ross.
Banks Catch Fire
At 1.10, The Russil Hardware premises were taking fire from the sparks falling. The banks on the corner of King and Market streets taking fire and on the firm of Nicholson Brock is near the scene. They just have completed the construction of a new fire-proof building, but have not moved in.
Sparks Cross Street
Suarks[sic] from the fire floated across King street and fell on the three-storey St. Lawrence market building. The building suffering worst from the blaze next to the furniture store is the branch of the Imperial bank of Canada which is in a cement building across a fifteen foot lane.
On the east side of the fiery furnace is the Carey’s shoe store, a building of long standing. Next to Carey’s is the large Bank of Commerce building at Jarvis and King.
The cause of teh[sic] rapid spread of the fire was that there were large quantities of benzine and gasoline in the building and the flames were so intense that the firemen could not enter the building.
Fear Walls May Fall
The high pressure squads at 1.10 p.m. are throwing tons of water into the building – on King street, Market lane and at the north. At the same time they are putting large quantities of water on the market and on the roofs of the surrounding building.
The main source of danger is from the walls of the furniture building, which firemen fear may fall out. This has hampered their work, but they are fighting it with all their resources in the endeavor to keep it within the walls of the furniture building.
The fire at first was centered in the Canada Furniture building, directly opposite the St. Lawrence Market. The complete building is blazing like a furnace. The firemen tried to confine the fire to that particular corner. The flames are shooting high into the air and dense volumes of black heavy smokek[sic] are pouring into the street.
It is thought that the fire brigade will be forced to pump water from the bay to increase the water supply demanded by the fire.
Many old established buildings are adjacent and in immediate danger.
 
Another fire, winter of 1898, Gowan's Kent and Company China Shop, north side of Front Street, east of Yonge (site of 33 Yonge):

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That's an easy one -- I'll take the Now picture.

Hope the owner in the Then shot had insurance.

Maybe it went on fire because it was insured.:(



I am quite surprised to see the sophisticated device to raise the hose in thecharioteer's 1898 picture.



Anna's Star article: the breathless, immediate nature of the writing simply makes you want to buy the next morning's edition.:)







September 26 addition.



Lost Chinese Restaurants night again. Kindly made available by Mrs. Chan, retired Sai Woo restaurant proprietress.



First two photos are respectively, this restaurant's original and later locations [Dundas West, mid block, S side, between Bay and Elizabeth]. Sai Woo was on the second floor in both locations.

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Not to turn this into the "fire" thread, but here are two pics from the Ontario Archives of a fire on Market Street on March 4, 1949, south of King, (now site of Market Square) as seen from both Market Street and King Street:

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Menus!

The Chinese restaurant menus are fantastic, but I keep coming across some mysterious ingredient called 'subgum'. Anyone know what it is?
 
Subgum (traditional: 什錦; simplified: 什锦; Cantonese: sapgam; pinyin: shí jǐn; literally "numerous and varied") is a type of Chinese dish in which one or more meats and/or seafood are mixed with vegetables, and sometimes also noodles, rice, or soup. It originates from Cantonese cuisine and is a commonly encountered dish on the menus of Chinese restaurants in North America.

A dish called "Subgum Noodle Warmein" (probably 什錦窩麵) was mentioned in print in the English language as early as 1917, in There's Pippins and Cheese to Come, by Charles S. Brooks, which was published in England.
 

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