25 Years Ago – July 14, 1999
Allumettes Islanders clean up after storm: Residents of Allumettes Island are still cleaning up after one of this century’s fiercest storms struck the head and foot of the island last Monday.
Hundreds of trees snapped and were uprooted and several farm buildings collapsed as a heavy wind-driven rain storm blew in off the Ottawa River about 7 p.m., leaving many of the homes and cottages without electricity for the rest of the week. Hydro crews working to restore power suffered a setback when another windstorm hit the island Wednesday, knocking limbs onto power lines.
Mayor Denzil Spence in a statement released Monday called the storm a “disaster.”
“No one can recall an event of this magnitude in which millions of dollars of property damage was done and not one personal incident of hurt or death,” Spence said. “It was a miracle. Eye witnesses have said that they saw the wind funnels, there was no doubt in my mind that it was a tornado,” he stated.
McCann’s Chips celebrates 30 years serving fast food: Hang around long enough and you just might be declared a landmark. Like the Quyon Ferry and Gavan’s Hotel, McCann’s Chips on Clarendon Street in Quyon has become a landmark in its own right after serving countless customers and hundreds of thousands of pounds of french fries during the past 30 years.
Family and friends gathered at the chip stand on Saturday to celebrate the anniversary.
“My kids want me to quit, but this is part of my social life,” says proprietor and operator Mae McCann.
The popular chip stand opened in July 1969 after Mae’s late husband Ervin plunked down $1,100 for Donald “Duck” Trudeau’s panel-van-converted-to-chip-stand, which was parked on the same lot. In 1972, the McCann’s built a permanent stand and their six children: Brian, Dennis, Barry, Audrey, Sandra and Donald found summer employment close to home.
50 Years Ago – July 17, 1974
The Quyon Regatta weekend: Perfect weather, excellent water conditions and a large crowd all contributed to the success of the Quyon Regatta July 7.
The races were sponsored by the Quyon Lions Club and were conducted under the direction of the Canadian Boating Federation, the only event of its kind in the province of Quebec this year and certainly the only event of this nature ever to be seen in Pontiac.
With 29 craft competing for the $1,000 in prizes in five races of two heats each, the estimated 2,000 spectators were treated to ten highly exciting contests.
Doug Thompson of Bloomfield, On. was the big winner, taking first in the Grand Prix, attaining an estimated speed of 90 to 100 miles per hour. Karl Williams of Alexandria was another acer always near the top as was Max Kepler of Ottawa.
The regatta opened with a pre-race dance Saturday night and on Sunday morning breakfast was served on the beach from 8 until 11, getting competitors and early arriving spectators fortified for the hours that lay ahead.
At the conclusion of the races, a steak barbecue just outside the hall attracted a large number, followed by the presentation of awards inside.
Recreation and companionship for the aged – RCA happenings: Richard Armitage and Brenda Lucas were guests at the Shawville Rotary Club meeting on Monday and they spoke on the project for the workshop and especially on the need of an emergency exit for the planned workshop.
Richard Armitage, Dale Robinson and Joe Vibert started work on the workshop by making room for it in the basement. Richard and Dale also installed a fence around the garden.
Brenda Lucas and Lynne Robinson are trying to get the residents interested in various crafts.
A letter was sent to Lowell Greene outlining the plans and needs concerning crafts and the emergency exit. He relayed the message to the public on the air Wednesday and Thursday.
75 Years Ago – July 21, 1949
Local News: The most successful Daily Vacation Bible School came to a close with the final session on Friday morning. This was followed by an enjoyable picnic by the staff and school when about 150 boys and girls and leaders had lunch together on the church lawn.
The July meeting of the Shawville Women’s Institute was held at the summer home of Mrs. Morley Hodgins, Green Lake on Monday afternoon, with the president, Mrs. G.G. McDowell presiding. The program was in charge of Mrs. A.H. Horner, convener of Home Economics who read a paper entitled “Food can be a Drug”; a tooth-pick contest and a cooking quiz were held, winners of same being Mrs. Draper and Mrs. Jas. Gordon.
Elmside Women’s Institute held their July meeting at the home of Mrs. Garnet Wiggins Wednesday evening. The convener of Home Economics read an article on “First Class Dusting,” and “Welfare and Health” and “First Aid.”
The work of painting the several buildings on the Shawville fair grounds is in progress. All the iron roofs except the dining hall have been painted by a spraying outfit. It is planned to paint the walls of all other buildings by hand the same as was done thirteen years ago when the main building, dining hall and poultry buildings were all painted by brush painters who were willing to work for memberships at a rate then agreed.
100 Years Ago – July 10, 1924
Local News: The annual Union Sunday School picnic was held at Green lake on Dominion Day under most favourable auspices, a slight shower only occurring towards evening to cool the ardor of the celebrants. There was a large attendance of children and a goodly percentage of grown ups to look after the youngsters and take general supervision of the day’s program. Eats in abundance were provided and a variety of amusements participated in.
The Shawville baseball team, with a couple of junior players in action, trimmed the Frazer-Brace outfit at Calumet Falls on Dominion Day by a score of 7 to 4. The game was one of the best seen this year, according to those who witnessed it.
125 Years Ago – July 20, 1899
Local News: Mr. David Russell of Clarendon who was injured some days ago by an attack from a vicious bull is, we are glad to report, able to be around again.
Dr. Lyon has purchased the property of Mr. George Moore at Norway Bay, where a number of visitors are beginning to congregate for the summer.
Mr. John O’Donnell of Aylmer, issues a challenge for any amount, to any employee of the Upper Ottawa Improvement Co., for the log rolling championship of North Eastern Quebec.
Tuesday last was a day of continuous thunder showers accompanied by some hail, which in some places fell sufficiently heavy to cause considerable damage to crops. During one of these storms, the house of Mr. George Walsh, Clarendon suffered considerable damage from a stroke of lightning.
The bolt came down the chimney which being opposite a partition, conveyed the lightning to the latter, the plaster on both sides of which was knocked off. Mr. Walsh, who was at the time sitting in the dining room reading, felt the shock in his hands, but none of the other inmates of the house were affected.
Mr. George Birks, jr., who is clerk in his father’s drug store in Prescott and sleeps in the apartment over the shop was awakened about half past one o’clock and found standing over him a masked man holding a dark lantern and a revolver who demanded “his money or his life.”
Mr. Birks handed over what money he had on him, $13, and was then ordered to go downstairs and give up all that was to be found.
There was only $1.50 in the till which did not seem to satisfy the man, who wanted Mr. Birks to open the safe. Before making an attempt to grant the request, the drug clerk made an attempt to reach a bar of iron, but immediately received a shot in the fleshy part of his thigh and as he fell, a kick in the ribs before the visitor made his escape by the back door.
Dr. Young, who dressed the wound, says it is not at all serious, being merely a flesh wound. The man being heavily masked, Mr. Birks says it would be hard to identify him.
