Feb. 12, 1997
25 Years Ago
Otter Lake gets perfect weather for winter carnival: Big crowds and beautiful weather made this year’s winter carnival in Otter Lake a great success, says Recreation Association President Ambrose Gauthier.
In addition to the good food and beverages, a variety of outdoor activities were enjoyed by both children and adults.
At Friday night’s pageant, Johanna Racine and Steve Zacharias were chosen Queen and King of the carnival.
A ball hockey tournament organized by Jerry Lafleur kept spectators on their toes, while free . . .
dog sled rides attracted many others. Paul Coté’s team beat out the home-town Happy Campers to win the mixed division of the tournament.
In the log-sawing competition, Michel Ladouceur of Wolf Lake won in the buck-saw division; Yannick and Sylvain Ladouceur won in the children’s cross-cut event.
Chez Madeline’s Restaurant’s “Bushwhackers” won the prize for the most original float in Sunday’s parade.
Blitz winds 1997 Midget Tournament: The 1997 Pontiac National Midget Hockey Tournament featured tons of excellent hockey, hard hitting action and decent crowds all week long. It all came to the final showdown on Sunday night between the surprising “CC” Mariniers D’Aylmer and the “AA” Bourassa Blitz of the Montreal area. In all, 30 games were played before the division winners squared off Sunday afternoon.
The tournament has good crowds from the local area all week long. The games drew heavily during the Pontiac Draveurs, Cobden, Renfrew and Pembroke games, and with Aylmer in going all the way to the end, the crowds remained pretty steady all day Sunday.
Local fans got to see the Shawville and District Minor Hockey products shine in the games along side their teammates from Fort Coulonge and other points across the Pontiac.
Feb. 16, 1972
50 Years Ago
Fire destroys Smart building: six left homeless in flash flame Monday: Built in 1932, the white frame building on Main Street, Shawville, known for half a century as Smarts Meat Market, burned up beyond repair Monday noon.
Despite the efforts of the Shawville Volunteer Fie Department, there was no way to save the building but they did succeed in preventing the fire from spreading to Asa Smart’s building on one side and Rowats on the other.
Helen, Mrs. Bill Smart, was upstairs in her beautiful apartment with her three daughters, Phyllis 12, Shelley 9 and Stephanie 3. Their son Kirby 11, was out playing hockey. Helen thought she heard an explosion and when she turned, black smoke had filled the room and Stephanie was enveloped. It was unbelievable how fast everyone was completely blinded. Phyllis scooped up the baby and ran out in her bare feet into the snow and looked around for Shelly who had meanwhile disappeared into the black smoke. In panic, Mrs. Smart went to the door where she was removed from the burning building by firemen and not permitted to return. It was then discovered that Shelley had made her way outside and all were safe.
With nothing except light clothing and no shoes at all, the family was taken in by Mrs. Smart’s sister, Mrs. Lawrence Dagg and will move into the old brick Wellington Smart home across from Shawville Milling.
Mr. Dumouchel also lost all his barbering equipment in the blaze.
Bus ditched but nobody was hurt: On its usual morning trip to Ottawa, the Pontiac bus was considerably delayed Monday when it slid into a shallow ditch on a graded curve in the road below Shawville. Stranded cars on the roadside, sliding, skidding and minor accidents were the order of the day with slush covered ice on the highway but despite these atrocious driving conditions, nobody was hurt.
The tow truck from Quyon came tot he aid of the bus whose passengers remained in their seats quietly awaiting rescue.
Feb. 27, 1947
75 Years Ago
Local news: United Y.P.U. enjoy sleigh drive to Zion – a most enjoyable sleigh ride was held on Wednesday evening when the United Y.P.U. went in four sleighs to Zion for an enjoyable evening. The sleighs were drive by Rob. Hodgins, Irwin Hayes, D. Draper and Everett McDowell. Songs and contests were enjoyed, after which a bean supper was served by the Women’s Association of Zion Church, led by the president, Mrs. Harold Elliott.
The World’s Day of Prayer was observed with an appropriate service at Shawville Holiness Movement Church on Friday, Feb. 21. There was a good attendance and a number of ladies took part.
An appeal and challenge to the Commons to divide the county of Pontiac into three separate constituencies was issued in the House Friday night by Real Caouette, Union des Electeur-Social Credit member for Pontiac.
Shawville High School defeated Campbell’s Bay Juniors in Shawville on Monday by a score of 3 to 1. The game was fast and exciting in spots and both goal-tenders were called upon to make a number of excellent stops. Bev. Corrigan scored twice for Shawville and Dalton McKay once. Jimmie Martin tallied for the Bay.
Ad: Order now! To be assured of all the syrup-making equipment you require, no is the time to place your order. Dale’s Tin shop.
Ad: Radios – electric and battery sets; phonographs and record players. Come in and look them over. Shawville Electric, H.C. Connelly, proprietor, telephone 120.
Feb. 9,1922
100 Years Ago
Local news: Shawville hockey team are again in possession of the Cahill Shield (lost to Campbell’s Bay in 1916) as the result of the match played here on Friday. It was previously agreed upon by the league officials that if Shawville won this game, and thereby have five successive victories to their credit, the shield would be handed over and the league terminate by mutual consent.
Our townsman Robert A. Dale returned a few days ago form a trip he had accompanying Rev. Isaac Strowbridge on a missionary tour of the lumber camps in the Black River district and tells among other things of the surprise and delight where Mr. Alex Taylor has devoted some of his leisure time to the business of raising poultry and he has gone into it on a much larger scale and with a greater degree of success than any of our local poultry-raisers would ever dream of. Large shipments of eggs and dressed fowls are made regularly to market and a considerable quantity of eggs are also consumed in the camps of the company.
A terrible outbreak of foot and mouth disease has broken out among cattle in England and as a result animals are being slaughtered by hundreds daily.
Sir Ernest Shackleton the noted explorer who made three attempts without success to reach the south pole, died recently while in quest of the object which for some years had been his great aim and ambition in life.
The association of Quebec forest reports as follows: The previous fire season has been extremely hazardous in our section. The excessive dry weather and heavy winds which prevailed from the very beginning of the spring until late in the month of September made the situation the most terrible to anyone’s recollection. A total area of 50,597 acres of forest land owned by settlers and limit-holders have been devastated by fire during 1921. Settlers were the cause of the majority of the conflagrations and locomotives were also responsible for a great deal of destruction.
Feb. 11,1897
125 Years Ago
Local News: Quite a number of our young folk took in the Bristol carnival Thursday evening. They report a big crowd in attendance and a good time.
Mr. Chris Caldwell of the Pontiac House has recently imported an apparatus from New York which is attracting considerable attention. It is called the “Feather Light Power Horse Clipper” and from the trials that have been made with it so far, the machine does its work like a charm.
The first skating carnival of the season was held on the rink in Portage du Fort on Friday evening and was a most brilliant success in every particular. The rink was beautifully decorated and well illuminated, reflecting much credit on the manager, Mr. Fraser. The weather was all that could be desired and the attendance very large.
After ten-o’clock the elite of our village entertained friends from Bryson, Calumet, Shawville, Westmeath, Cobden, Renfrew, Arnprior and other places at the Rattray House where a most enjoyable time was spent. The spacious dining room was cleared and the many beautiful ladies and handsome gentlemen (about 100 in number) several wearing the brilliant costumes prepared for the carnival, tripped “the light fantastic toe” to the strains of excellent music. Refreshments were served and justice done to the many good things prepared for the occasion.
The E.B. Eddy Company have decided on an increase of eight per cent in the price of matches.
A regular term of the Magistrate’s Court was held on Saturday last, Judge St. Julien presiding. A motion for a rule to show cause why a defendant should not be imprisoned for failing to produce a horse under seizure, over which he had been appointed guardian on day of sale. Rule granted.
