St. Catharines.

Lines read at the Welland House, St. Catharines, at a banquet given to the members in attendance at the Oddfellows' Grand Lodge.             St. Catharines famed for mineral waters             And for the beauty of her daughters,             For some do worship at the shrines             Of the fair St. Catharines.             St. Catharines your greatness you inherit             From the genius of a Merritt,             You still would be a village dreary             But for this canal from lake Erie.             For on its bosom there doth float             Full many a ship and steamboat,             Brings world's commerce to your doors             And many gifts on you it pours.             Among its many great rewards             It gives you dry docks and ship yards,             To drive your mills great water power             It doth give you as a dower.             Since we above lines did compose,             Through new canal vast stream it flows,             The lock gates at the hill at Thorold             Can not be equaled in the world.