Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2015 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of the Great Lakes Illustrated, In Two Volumes, Vol. II Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1899 [220-221] WILLIAM and ROBERT FREELAND. These brothers are the owners of that valuable property on the water front at the foot of Yonge street, known as "Milloy's Wharf," or as it is put officially in the surveys and other documents, "Yonge Street Wharf." Both of these gentlemen rightly pride them- selves on their holdings, which include some of the finest wharves in Canada, where the best of the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence river steamboats make their landings. PETER FREELAND, the father of these gentlemen, came to New York City, in 1819, from Glasgow, Scotland; but not being pleased with his location, he moved to Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, at that time called Lower Canada. There the son WILLIAM was born in 1831. Still dissatisfied with his location, MR. FREELAND continued to travel west- ward, coming to York (now Toronto), in 1832. In that year ROBERT was born, so that there is little disparity in the ages of the brothers. Shortly after his arrival in York, PETER FREELAND purchased, from the late JUDGE SHERWOOD and the late PETER McDOUGALL, the water lot and water front, which in after years were destined to become so valuable in the hands of his two enterprising sons, and which at that time, land and water included, covered an area of but one acre. During his lifetime the property acquired considerable value, and eventually it passed into the hands of his two sons at his death, which occurred in 1861. It continued to grow in value and size, through later additions by Crown grants and purchase, until it was 1,400 feet in depth; 400 feet of this, north of the Esplanade, was sold; on this portion there are extensive warehouses and the old Grand Trunk railway station. The wharf property extends 1,000 feet from the Esplanade to what is called the "New Windmill Line," or outer limit of the water lots, and has a width of 300 feet from Yonge street to Scott street. Including land and water, the area of the holdings south of the Esplanade is seven acres. There are 1,800 feet of wharf frontage for the mooring of vessels, and 40,000 square feet of ground floor in the warehouses. Some of the more important vessels which regularly land at the FREELAND wharves are the Chippewa, Corona and Chicora, of the Niagara Navigation Company; the Corsican, Caspian, Hamilton, Algerian, Spartan, Corinthian and several others of the Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co.; the Lake- side, of the St. Catharines Navigation Company, and the Greyhound, of the Oakville service, etc. Besides these there are a number of coal and other freight vessels which dis- charge their cargoes at the Scott street wharf, where there is an extensive coal yard, also part of the FREELAND pro- perty, for many years past leased to Messrs. P. Burns & Co. In one of the large warehouses on the Yonge street wharf an immense wholesale fruit business is carried on, to faci- litate the operations of which the Canadian Pacific railway has put in a first-class railroad siding, extending 400 feet down the wharf, for the loading and unloading of fruit and other freight directly from the boats and cars. The large and increasing traffic in fruit has become a chief feature of the Yonge street wharf, enormous quantities coming in daily, in the season, from the Niagara peninsula, from New York State, the Grimsby district, the Oakville district, and Essex. Recently a new pier was extended by Messrs. FREELAND into the bay a distance of 400 feet, more particularly for the accommodation of the Niagara Navigation Company's steam- boats, and first-class waiting rooms and lavatories have been provided for the convenience of passengers. There is not any comparison between the present modernly constructed quay and the Yonge, street wharf, which was originally built in 1841 by a joint-stock company of Toronto merchants, and which the late PETER FREELAND and the present owners ex- tended from time to time. The Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company's Montreal steamers occupy the outer end of the old wharf, having been established here for the last thirty years; they also have the use of the large warehouse adjoining. This building is 165 feet long by 70 feet wide, with overhanging eaves 10 feet, loading platforms and yard in rear, and is most con- veniently arranged for the heavy freight business of this line. An ornamental entrance to the wharf, with towers, arches and gates, faces the foot of Yonge street. Further down the wharf is the general freight and passenger ticket office, a substantial two-story building, with tower. Gas, electric light and city water are laid on the premises, from the Esplanade to the end of the new pier. CAPT. DONALD MILLOY, one of the best known men in the wharfing business, has leased the FREELAND wharves for many years, hence the origin of the name "Milloy's Wharf." The FREELAND brothers were educated at Upper Canada College. They are not strong party men, though they favor Liberalism ===========================================================================