Toronto
Toronto names 2 different subjects across the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. Each is set out below. 1 of them is described by more than one encyclopedia.
Toronto the capital of the province of Ontario
Described by 2 of the 6 encyclopedias.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
the capital of the province of Ontario. In size it is the second city of Canada. It is situated on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, about forty miles from the mouth of the Niagara. The harbor is large, deep, and is well protected by a low island. Toronto ranks next to Montreal as a commercial and railroad center. It is the leading Canadian lake port, and compares favorably with Buffalo, Cleveland, and Toledo. Toronto is a city of parks and well kept streets, of attractive houses and tasteful business blocks. The street car system is operated by means of electricity, generated by the Falls of Niagara. A number of imposing public buildings create an impression of intelligence and good management. Among these are the Parliament buildings (corresponding to a state capitol), the law courts, the city hall and court house, custom house, postoffice, and the educational offices and normal buildings, as well as the cathedrals of the Anglican and the Catholic churches. There are numerous theaters and other buildings of a semi-public character. The most noticeable group of buildings is that occupied by the University of Toronto. This institution has over 2,000 students. It corresponds to the state universities of the Northwest. It was opened in 1843. It has a reputation for high scholarship, and is the natural outcome of the system of thorough education for which the province of Ontario is noted. Toronto is a Huron word, signifying place of meeting. The seat of government was transferred from Fort Niagara to the site of the present city in 1793. General Simcoe, the commander's, first headquarters were established in a tent. The Canadian Pacific, the Grand Trunk, and other railways combine with the lake trade to make Toronto a city of commercial importance. In 1900 the city had $40,000,000 worth of imports and exports and the custom house collected $8,000,000 in duties. The population, as given for 1901, was 208,040. In 1909 it was estimated at 250,000. See Ottawa ; Ontario
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a city of Canada, the capital of the Province of Ontario. It is on the north shore of Lake Ontario, on an inlet called the Bay of Toronto. The city has a water frontier of about 10 miles from E. to W. and extends inland from N. to S. about 6 miles. The harbor is about 5 miles long and 1 mile wide. It has accommodations for the largest vessels passing through the Welland canal. All three trans-continental railroads of Canada pass through the city. Toronto has a total area of about 32 square miles. The city from its favorable location is unusually attractive. The business section contains many handsome office buildings, ranging from 12 to 20 stories in height. The notable buildings include the Provincial Legislative Building, the University of Toronto, City Hall and the governor's house. There are over 100,000 buildings in the city limits. The street system includes 531 miles of streets and 140 miles of lanes. In 1920 there were 88,254 registered pupils in public and private schools, and 15,034 in attendance at the high, technical and commercial schools. There are 32 colleges, 13 libraries, and 8 public hospitals. In industrial importance Toronto ranks second among the cities of Canada. The value of the products of the 125 industries in 1918 was $456,250,198. The assessed valuation in 1919 was $642,816,- 690. The bank clearings in the same year amounted to $4,251,644,303. The customs receipts in 1919 amounted to $32,956,819 The net debt of the city was $77,836,811, while the revenue was $25,502,586. Toronto is the greatest live stock market of Canada. The city was founded in 1749 as a French trading post, and was chosen as the provincial capital in 1792. It was incorporated as a city in 1834. Pop. (1910) 325,302; (1920) 499,278.
Toronto UNIVERSITY OF, an institution for higher education
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
UNIVERSITY OF, an institution for higher education, at Toronto, Canada; founded as King's College in 1827. It assumed its present title school, an in 1849. It has a medical agricultural college, a college of dentistry, pharmacy, music, practical science, veterinary science, ence, etc. There are about 5,000 students and about 400 instructors.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
Both accounts rank Toronto firmly second to Montreal — Aiton's in 1910 calls it "the second city of Canada" and Collier's repeats the ranking in 1921 with a population of 499,278. Toronto passed Montreal in the 1970s and is now Canada's largest city and financial centre, with about 2.8 million people in the city and 6.4 million in the metropolitan area; the modern city dates from the 1998 amalgamation of Metropolitan Toronto's six municipalities into one. The skyline of "handsome office buildings, ranging from 12 to 20 stories" has been overtaken by bank towers and by the CN Tower, completed in 1976 at 553 metres. Aiton's derivation of the name from a Huron word for "place of meeting" has largely given way to the Mohawk tkaronto, understood as "where there are trees standing in the water"; and the University of Toronto, described by Collier's as having about 5,000 students, was at that very moment the site of Banting and Best's isolation of insulin in 1921-22, and now enrols roughly 90,000.
Written for this edition, 2026.