25 Years Ago – Mar. 3, 1999

Blaze destroys garage and contents: A fire believed to have been caused by a spark destroyed a garage and its contents in Clarendon Feb. 23.

“That’s my living, my lifetime pickups,” owner Leo Harris says of the Wesley Road building and his equipment. The self-employed man lost a vehicle he was working on, and various equipment worth more than $50,000. He had no insurance.

Harris suspects a spark shot out from a spark plug that ignited some gas.

“The flames must have shot 40 feet up through the roof,” said Harris.

“The firefighters were quite prompt, I was really impressed,” he said. “They were here in about 10 minutes and saved the house.”

SQ cracks down on drivers of tractor-trailers: in 1998, six fatal accidents occurred on Pontiac’s roads, two of which involved tractor-trailers. Statistics for the Outaouais tell a similar story.

“You can see there is a problem,” says Const. Mark Ippersiel, spokesman for the Hull Sureté du Quebec.

For that reason, the Pontiac MRC-SQ are joining their Outaouais colleagues for a region-wide blitz aimed at drivers of heavy vehicles. Last Monday, officers began adopting a zero tolerance for drivers of tractor-trailers who are speeding, following too close or passing illegally.

“We’re not saying drivers of tractor-trailers are bad drivers,” Const. Ippersiel explains, “but they can’t avoid accidents like drivers of cars or pickup trucks can,” he says.

50 Years Ago – Mar. 6, 1974

Arena to be named for the late J.A. Kilgour: The arena in Shawville will henceforth be named the “J. Arthur Kilgour Memorial Center” by a decision of the Shawville Fair Board at their meeting last Thursday evening in Shawville.

The suggestion came from Hillis Connolly and was moved and seconded by Lee Hodgins and Harold Wilson and unanimously approved by all present.

Bryson Snowmobile Club Marathon earned $1,282: Bryson Snowmobile Club held its first marathon on Feb. 17. There were 23 machines that entered the 100 miles. Out of the 23 machines, only two broke down. The club has raised $1,282 through sponsors of the club members.

The Oasis Restaurant held a free bean supper for all the boys and men that had gone on the 100 miles.

75 Years Ago – Mar. 2, 1949

Local News: Shawville arena never saw such a tense moment as that which came 15 seconds before the close of the overtime period in the final game on Saturday night. That was the moment that “Red” Dale came down the ice with the puck, waited outside the goal for a fraction of a moment until he coaxed goalie Romain to come out after it and then suddenly shot the puck rather high and dropped it into the net. The sudden relief for the Shawville fans sent them wild. With the games tied, the scores tied, the final game tied and ten minutes overtime coming, the fans who packed the rink were on their tiptoes. Then “Red” Dale, the Shawville emergency man, did his stuff and the game was over. The crowd went wild.

A very successful tea was held by the ladies of Shawville Curling Club last Wednesday afternoon at the Club House.

The ladies of this club apparently keep up with the very latest styles because of their curling costumes, with the exception of one who we might call a true adherent to the short skirts, all had that ‘new look’. One costume in particular was very striking, that of the lady in the long ballerina white skirt. While we imagine it might hamper the curling a little, it certainly looked very graceful gliding up and down the ice.

An announcement: We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Frederick Alexander Rogers as managing editor of THE EQUITY, Pontiac County’s newspaper will continue to be published by the estate of J.A.Cowan.

An acknowledgment: we wish to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks to Rev. A.F. Fokes who has carried on the work of editing THE EQUITY since the death of the late W.G. Cowan.

100 Years Ago – Feb. 28, 1924

Local News: The worst snow storm and blizzard for many years, and one which seems to have swept over a large portion of Eastern Canada and the United States, was that of Wednesday last. Traffic throughout the country was seriously affected and many trains were canceled on account of the blockade. The eastbound evening train on the Pontiac line was among the number so canceled, something that has not occurred on account of storm in over 20 years.

Watch for posters for full particulars of a telephone demonstration consisting of five films of moving pictures to be given in Shawville, showing the working and various uses of the telephone.

The subject of our town’s main street suggest that the council should seriously discuss what can be done to improve the roadway. It is thought that a good coat of real gravel is the remedy for spring, and steps should be taken to procure this gravel before the snow goes and have it ready to apply as soon as conditions are favourable.

125 Years Ago – Mar. 2, 1899

Local News: Shawville has had another providential escape from extinction by the devouring element. When the fire was first noticed by the neighbours living in the immediate vicinity, it was so far advanced as to render it impossible to do anything at all in the way of removing many of the contents of the doomed structure. The building occupied by E. Holstein and Doc. Mulligan was reduced to ashes and nothing was saved.

Mrs. Holstein and her little boy who were the sole occupants of their side of the building in which the fire started, both bear evidences of the narrow call they experienced, the former having her face severely burned and the latter his hair singed.

The fire was first observed about three o’clock in the morning, an hour when the village was securely locked in slumber’s embrace, consequently some minutes elapsed before a sufficient number reached the scene to render effective service in the work of protecting the adjoining buildings.

Although the wind was away from Elliott’s Factory which stands directly across the street, it was not long til the verandah was seen to ignite from the excessive heat and many thought this structure, too, was doomed to destruction. But just about this time a “bucket brigade” not without some difficulty, got a line of pails established on the rear side of the roof and thereafter a steady supply of water was maintained until the great heat had subsided and the danger was happily averted.

While the efforts to save Elliott’s Factory were in progress, another force of willing hands were engaged in the equally hard task of saving George Hynes’ furniture shop and store room located in the rear and somewhat to the left of the burning building. Eventually the building was saved without any damage worth speaking of.

Nothing of any consequence was saved from the burnt building. Dr. Mulligan lost all his medicines, instruments, books and household effects upon which there was no insurance.

Lagrippe is very prevalent in this section at present.

A sleigh load from Greermount spent Saturday evening at the “Mill”, Long Lake.

Quite a number of teams from this section have gone up to Crow River with loads for the Gillies’ Bros.