25 Years Ago – Nov. 11, 1998
Last Truckers and Lumberjacks’ supper: In one corner of the room, former patients of the Ottawa Heart Institute thanked Dr. Wilbert Keon for saving their lives; in another corner, regular attendants of the Truckers and Lumberjacks Heart Dinner thanked Bertha Nephin for organizing the event for the last 10 years, raising close to $100,000 for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
Nephin and Dr. Keon were the woman and man of the hour as a decade of annual Trucker and Lumberjacks’ dinners came to a close in Chapeau’s Harrington Hall Saturday night.
As in past years, the popular supper was again sold out Saturday night. About 220 people filled the hall to capacity, enjoying a succulent roast beef and tasty ham dinner.
After 10 years, chief organizer Nephin is calling it quits.
“When we started, we said we’d do it for 10 years,” Nephin recalled. Never one to leave a job halfway done, Nephin and her team of volunteers did just that. But in today’s hectic lifestyle it’s harder and harder to find volunteers, Nephin says.
Fiddle jamboree in tune with crowd: Clarendon’s Eric Campbell puts a spin on the “bigger is better” axiom.
Describing the 9th annual Fiddle Jamboree organized by himself along with his wife Evelyn and daughter Vera Lynn, Eric says, “it can’t get any bigger, it can only get better.”
Held in the dance hall at Pine Lodge Saturday, about 150 people and 45 entertainers crowded the venue for a night of music and story-telling. Fiddle players, step-dancers, guitar players and pianists hit the stage to entertain the crowd and themselves.
Among the local performers were the Bryson Legionnaires, Virginia Schwartz, Gaetan Poirier and Dan Dolighan.
50 Years Ago – Nov. 21, 1973
Fort Coulonge Farmerettes attend annual convention: A convention of the Association of Farmerette Clubs of the Province of Quebec took place in November at Katimavik, “via Perkins”.
Thirty Circles de Fermieres Clubs took advantage of the animation and information sessions that were give at Katmavik. All sessions started at 4 p.m. and finished the next day at 4 p.m. so that every member that assisted took pleasure by being informed on all committees regarding rules, regulations, etc.
On the last day, there was a special reunion of all presidents, secretaries and orientation.
Those who assisted the sessions from Fort Coulonge were Mrs. Leo Leclair, Mrs. Bertha Drouin and Mrs. Bernadette Normand.
Otter Lake Recreation box social for broomball: The R.A. box social which was held on Saturday night at the Dew Drop Inn was a success. Eleven ladies brought boxes which totaled to $117. This is to help the girls broomball team.
A good time was had by all. The girls that are on the broomball team are Jennifer Quaile, Kim Johnston, Pamela Hahn, Dianne Gravelle, Velma Lafleur, Florette Lafleur, Ann Lafleur, Angela Senack, Suzanne Miljour, Gisele Miljour, Collette Racine, Jacqueline Cartier, all from Otter Lake.
Ad: Christmas is not just black and white…its rosy red Santas, its green Christmas trees, its silver bells..its golden reindeer. Christmas is colours..this year why not see them all on an Admiral colour tv. Griffin’s Furniture and Appliances – Bryson.
75 Years Ago – Dec. 2, 1948
Local News: The community was shocked to learn on Wednesday morning that William George Cowan, editor of THE EQUITY for the past 17 years, had died at his home on King Street. He had only been confined to his bed from Saturday. He was 55 years of age. He suffered a heart seizure and in spite of all that medical treatment could do, he passed away.
He was born and raised in the village of Shawville and spent all of his life here. He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John A. Cowan. In his youth he began his newspaper life by helping in the office and plant of THE EQUITY, which his father had founded in the year 1883. For the next few weeks and until the Cowan family have had time to review the situation, the paper will be published each week with the help of several friends of the family. During this month or until plans have been completed for the future guidance of THE EQUITY by the Cowan family, Rev. A.F. Fokes will look after the editorial work of the paper.
Since the passing of the editor, many friends have been enquiring about the future of the paper. The concensus of opinion is that the paper, which has meant so much to the community since it was founded 66 years ago, should be continued. It has stood during these years as a faithful purveyor of locals news, presented under high standards and free from sensationalism and gossip.
Just as people were going to church on Sunday morning, the fire alarm sounded, that the Stave Factory of the International Cooperage Co., was in flames. The fire department and many citizens responded and found the main mill and the furnace room, which are largely of wood construction covered with tin, a mass of flames. The heavy rains of the last few days, the tin covered building and the hard work of the firemen, prevented the flames from spreading to the thousands of bundles of staves in the yard or to the office and other nearby buildings. The cause of the fire is unknown and caretaker Woodrow Fraser said that everything was in good order when he left the building.
100 Years Ago – Nov. 22, 1923
Local News: The continued wet and damp weather of the past week rather made a mess of our “oil-tan” Main Street. Citizens complained that a goodly proportion of the sticky mixture was transferred from the road-bed to the floors of their homes and business places, by the feet of pedestrians, who had occasion to wade through it.
Parties who have been looking into the matter closely, predict that Canada will become the greatest fur producing country in the world.
It is estimated by those who pretend to know that the huge sum of sixty millions of dollars was spent by tourists in this province during the season just closed. The good roads and exceptionally fine scenery are given as contributory causes for the abnormal influx of visitors who invaded the province.
Three buffalo from the great Canadian herd in Buffalo Park, Wainwright, Alberta, will shortly be added to the nucleus of a collection of wild animals of the world being formed by the city of Auckland, New Zealand.
125 Years Ago – Nov. 24, 1898
Local News: Portage du Fort bridge down: Mr. Jos. Dolan of Portage du Fort, while here last Tuesday, received a telephone message stating that the main span of the Portage du Fort interprovincial bridge which has been condemned for some time, had suddenly collapsed; broke off at the piers and tumbled into the river. Several parties had crossed the dangerous structure in the morning, but fortunately, no one was on it at the time of the fall.
The first train on the Pembroke Southern Railway pulled into town on Monday evening of last week.
Mr. A.R. Smiley is erecting a rear extension to his building which is intended for a blacksmith shop.
Mr. Jas. McArthur has disposed of his interest in the Shawville livery to Mr. Alf. Draper, who has been an employee of the business for some time past.
Fifteen healthy, able-bodied young, unmarried men are wanted as recruits at Tete de Pont Barracks, Kingston, Ont. for “A” Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery. Applications therefore may be made to Mr. Robert A. Klock, and full particulars may be received from him.
Mr. Frank Gallagher of St. Lawrence Co., New York state, left here on Monday morning with his last shipment of cattle, about 90 head in number, after having the animals inspected by Vet. Surgeon Mulligan. This shipment makes about 175 head of cattle that have been purchased by Mr. Gallagher, during the present season, besides 300 calves and about 600 sheep and lambs. The animals were all shipped at the P.P.J. Station here and, taken with the extensive shipments that have been made by other dealers, constitutes an unusually large business in livestock.
Customers will please remember that Thursday next, Nov. 24th, being Thanksgiving Day and general holiday throughout the Dominion, the stores in Shawville will be closed.
