Oct. 21, 1992
25 Years Ago
Pontiac Hospital holds official opening: The Pontiac Community Hospital held its grand opening of the new wing on Oct. 19. The ceremonies were held in the presence of many of the people who made the renovations possible, as well as dignitaries eager to praise the efforts of the community and the dedicated personnel at PCH.
Director General Gilles Lanteigne opened the ceremonies with a little history. “On Oct. 2, 1986, the construction of the new hospital was given the ok,” he said, “after four versions of the technical functional plans and six years, the work is done and at $3 million under budget.”
QPF open house gives mayors a taste of real-life police work: The Campbell’s Bay detachment of the Quebec Police Force went all out on Oct. 14 to make sure that local mayors would take home the QPF message, “This is your police station.”
In an unprecedented open house, the new commanding officer Sgt. Gaston Paquette, along with about 22 of his constables and officers, led the mayors or representatives of all the Pontiac municipalities through every inch of the station giving them an in-depth explanation of the functioning of the organization from the computer system to the policeman’s gear to policies and the vehicles used on the roads.
The mayors were also taken on radar patrol.
As regulation equipment, the QPF officers carry a .357 Magnum loaded with hollow-point bullets and a variety of other instruments of protection, including a 12-gauge shotgun, a flashlight that doubles as a nightstick, a knife and many other weapons.
Oct. 26, 1967
50 Years Ago
Pontiac Steer Club takes many honours at Sherbrooke Winter Fair: On Oct. 9, the boys and girls left for Sherbrooke with 26 steers and 9 heifers. Elwyn Lang and Cyrus Beck won the highest points in Calf Club judging over 5 other teams. For this they received the C.D. French Trophy.
In the open class judging, Gary Hodgins was first; John Kilgour and Bob Hanna tied for 4th place and Joan Coles for 5th.
Loretta christens the “Elisha Beeman”: Elisha Beeman hewed down the trees, cleared the stumps and picked the stones to make a homestead and plant the first crop on the property now occupied by the Consolidated Bathrust Pulp Mill.
Last Saturday, Sister Mary Louise, of St. Joseph’s Convent, Campbells Bay and granddaughter of Elisha Beeman, witnessed the christening of a boom boat at the Pontiac Mill. Miss Loretta Beeman and Miss Hilda Beeman of Ottawa were also on hand to break the champagne bottle over the boat’s prow, along with various company officials. Loretta and Hilda are daughters of the late Elisha Beeman II and former Elizabeth Toner.
Oct. 29, 1942
75 Years Ago
Local News: The secretary of Pontiac Lodge A.F. and A.M. and friends in town received word last week of the death of Mr. John Grant at Clinton, Ont.
Mr. Grant was a native of Scotland and for many years resided in Shawville being employed by the late Thomas Shore, proprietor of the Shawville Marble Works. After leaving here about fourteen years ago, he became owner of the Clinton Marble Works.
A well attended supper/banquet was held in the Sunday School room of St. Andrew’s Church, Bristol to honour the Farm and Home Beautification endeavour sponsored by the Women’s Institutes of Pontiac County and the Farmer’s Magazine, Toronto. Prizes of money and commercial articles were awarded as follows: S.W. MacKechnie, J. McCredie, J.R. McDowell, Mrs. W.D. Campbell, Secil Sly, L.A. Smart, H.H. Walsh, Claude Elliott, Harry Hodgins, Lee Hodgins, George Russell, and Miss Abbie Pritchard.
The same note of confidence in the growing strength of the United Nations struck by Mr. Churchill in his speech at Edinburgh was echoed a few hours later by President Roosevelt in his radio address, says the New York Times.
The Mosquito, according to British reports, fills a needy gap for all-out day and night bomber offensive. As well as it’s terrific speed, it is capable of flying long distances into enemy territory and fighting it’s way back to its base.
“We shall take Stalingrad, you may depend on that.” So said Adolph Hitler not long ago, Stalingrad still stands.
The Russians say they are digging in. North of Stalingrad, the Germans themselves are resorting to defensive trench fighting. Broad hints, which may or may not be true, come both from Berlin and Vichy that positional warfare is about to succeed the war of movement on the Russian front. If that is true, the Germans are breaking off their offensive two months earlier than they did last year.
Nov. 1, 1917
100 Years Ago
Local News: The Academy has been closed for a few days owing to one of the pupils (Lawrence Meldrum of Wyman) being attacked by diphtheria.
A recent casualty list includes the name of Pte. W.R. Dagg of Portage du Fort who was killed in action.
In conversation with Mr. John McCorriston of Bristol, THE EQUITY was informed that his son, Pte. McCorriston who was wounded in France some time ago, is fast recovering from his injuries.
One of their recent air raids on England cost the Germans four huge Zeppelin airships. This will doubtless finish the efforts of the big gas bags to strafe the old Mother Land.
A committee of ten members of the new Union Government has been appointed to deal with all matters connected with the prosecution of the war.
Party patronage, which was a source of annoyance to members of parliament generally, especially those supporting the government in office, has been abolished in all the departments at Ottawa so Sir Robert Borden announced in a statement given out last Wednesday. Henceforward, all appointments to the public service will be made on merit, through the Civil Service Commission, and all supplies needed will be procured through public tenders.
Oct. 27, 1892, 125 Years Ago
Local news: Missing from our files
