Oct. 5, 1995
25 Years Ago
Potential Fireball: The Shawville Clarendon Fire Department was on the scene quickly at this truck fire Wednesday. The brakes of the trailer which was loaded with new cars, locked, unknowingly to the driver. Shawville resident Rick Atkinson was driving behind. . .
the truck in Portage when he noticed smoke coming from the rear of the trailer.
Atkinson tried to alert the driver but couldn’t get his attention until they had reached Shawville Chrysler on Hwy. 148 of which time flames were shooting out. Only one car on the trailer was slightly damaged before the local fire department arrived and doused the fire.
Collines opts for MRC cops: As early as next spring, residents of Pontiac Municipality may have their own MRC police.
When this change comes about the Quyon and Luskville areas, including Hwy 148 will be patrolled by police working for the MRC des Collines.
The QPF will continue to answer calls relating to major crime, but the Collines cops will provide the first line crime fighting services in that area, including patrolling Hwy. 148.
Oct. 7, 1970
50 Years Ago
Ladysmith hosts large crowd at first Antique Car Rally in Pontiac: The Antique Car Rally at Ladysmith drew about seven hundred people, five hundred of whom enjoyed the great cooking of the Ladysmith ladies.
The president of the Thorne Community Recreation Association, sponsors of the rally, Mr. Clarence Bretzlaff, was worried that some of those who came would have been disappointed because of the small turnout of antique cars.
The oldest and best car on the premises was judged to be the 1928 Ford Touring Sedan belonging to Denis Thrun of Ladysmith. The first prize for driving skill among the antique car owners went to Peter Storen of Kazabazua.
All the cars from out of town made the voyage under their own steam and one more car of ancient vintage was on exhibition driving a sawing machine as part of Fred Krose’s contribution tot he day.
Post office under construction: Michael Schmidt and Tim Murray paused from their bike ride to watch the progress being made on the new Shawville post office being built by Russell Judd on Victoria Avenue. Lorney Rooney and his back hoe crew are in charge of hooking up the sewer lines to the new building.
The new post office will contain a lunch room, two bathrooms, a cleaning supply room, furnace room, mail room and vault all on the one floor.
The supply and placing of the lock boxes will be done by the Department of Public Works of Canada so theirs is the responsibility for placing these boxes at a convenient height for the paying customers. The new post office is due to open November 21.
Oct. 11, 1945
75 Years Ago
Local News: Shawville Calf Club was represented at the Central Canada Junior Agriculture Fair held last weekend at Kemptville by Lorna, Laurie and Douglas MacKechnie of Wyman and Bill Horner of Charteris. At Kemptville the order was somewhat changed with Douglas MacKechnie winning Reserve Champion with his calf and Laurie McKechnie, Bill Horner and Lorna MacKechnie following closely in a class of forty seven Ayrshire calves.
Mr. J. Tolhurst and Miss Boyce of the High School staff; Miss Mayfred Horner of Elmside School and Miss Laura Woodley of No. 4 school, Clarendon, attended the Provincial School Teachers’ Convention in Montreal last week.
“If Canadians expect to get a fair share of those products in which Canada is in short supply, (sugar, oils, fats) they must be prepared to make their contribution of those foods they have in abundance,” said Dr. G.S.H. Barton, Deputy Minister of Agriculture recently.
This means that Canadians put into a world pool the beef shipments they make to Europe on a trade basis for the commodities Canada needs: sugar, fats and oils for soaps and various industrial purposes, textile materials, grocery items and many other supplies.
Ad: Teachers wanted: two Protestant teachers having passed Grade 10 will be considered. Duties to commence at once.
Owing to the extra demands for forest products, special emphasis has been placed on the appeal of the Minister of Labour for 50,000 additional men to reinforce those now engaged in operations in the woods. Every man on the farms who can be spared after the harvest has been finished is required and men in the cities are to be canvassed.
Sept. 30, 1920
100 Years Ago
Local News: Shawville Fair: Fine weather brings out good crowd, fine showing of horses and cattle but falling off in other departments; fatal aeroplane accident mars last day’s program.
The weather was all that could be desired and the attendance both show days by reason of that fact, was most encouraging. The aerial accident, in which one of our citizens lost his life and particulars of which are given in another item in this issue, had a depressing, if not demoralizing effect upon the remaining features of the fair.
People were shocked and some were so unnerved that they could bring themselves to take but little interest in what was being enacted around them. Many people had left the grounds before the finish.
The aeroplane arrived from Hull on Tuesday morning and effected a landing in a field a little east of the exhibition grounds. The plane was piloted by Capt. Jack Drummond, an experienced aviator who had served several years on the air force which operated in France during the war.
Capt. Drummond began taking up passengers for 10 minute flights over the village and surrounding country and so, during the day, nine citizens enjoyed the novel experience of a ride through the air.
On Wednesday morning the first flight took place around 11 o’clock and two other successful flights were made, and a fourth destined to be the last, was undertaken with E.G. Amy as passenger.
Just before the plunge, the machine had sailed over the grounds in a north westerly direction and hundreds of eyes were upon it, as hovering apparently for a moment directly over Centre Street, it began the fatal spiral dive, or “nose dip” as this particular air-stunt is called.
After the first few twirls, the machine seemed to tumble down as it were, and as it approached the earth, spectators were horrified to observe that it did not recover itself, but before they got time to express their fears, the smash came.
The spot where the plane fell is diagonally across the road from the elevator, a few yards north of the railway tracks. C.P.R. Agent Tucker witnessed the fall from the station platform and was first to reach the wreck.
Before reaching the ground, the plane encountered the wires of the Otter Lake telephone line, which while breaking the fall to some extent, upset the machine and changed its direction.
A hurried examination of the victims showed that both were badly injured, the terrible condition of Mr. Amy leading to the conclusion that he could not last very long, and thus it happened as he passed away about 7 hours later at the home of his brother-in-law Mr. H.S. Barnett, without having regained consciousness.
Capt. Drummond was taken to the Pontiac House and afforded all possible care and attention til the following morning when he was taken to the Rideau Street Hospital by his brother.
Capt. Drummond told his partner Mr. Eckhart that the accident was due to losing control of the plane through the breaking of the rudder bar, a piece of wood which controls the rudder and is operated by the feet.
Oct. 3,1895
125 Years Ago
Local News: Mr. John Young of Bristol had a mare die last week at the remarkable age of 41 years.
About 11 o’clock on Wednesday night last, Mr. W.H. Armstrong of the 5th line Clarendon had his dwelling house with a considerable portion of the contents destroyed by fire which originated in the cook house adjoining.
A party of sportsmen passed up by train on Friday evening, en route for Coulonge. They took stage at Campbell’s Bay.
The Chapeau exhibition held on Wednesday of last week, is reported to have been the most successful in the history of the society.
There was a very pleasing harvest service last Sunday evening at St. George’s. The church was beautifully decorated and the worship earnest and hearty to an encouraging degree.
An Ottawa paper warns the public against plugged $20 gold pieces which are in circulation.
