November 17, 1999

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Fire destroys 100-year-old Clarendon farm house: On Nov. 10, fire burned the home of Rolly and Beulah MacDougall ‘s 100-year-old house to the ground.

Rolly had only been out of his house on the 4th Concession for 15 or 20 minutes when it caught fire last Wednesday. When he returned at around 1 p.m., smoke was billowing out of the large brick house he and Beulah had called home for the last 23 years.

When he opened the door, the flames were so intense he ran to the barn to call 911. But heat had already melted the lines of the phone which was connected to the house. Rolly rushed back to his son’s to call from there.

Within minutes the Shawville Clarendon Fire Department was on the scene, as were many neighbours, to lend a hand. Other than two freezers full of meat removed from the garage, Rolly and Beulah lost everything.

Since Nov. 10, they have received no fewer than six offers of houses to move into immediately, many of then fully furnished, while they rebuild.

Donaldson elected PLA president: A large turnout of card-carrying Liberals at the Forest Inn elected Louise Donaldson as president of the Pontiac Liberal Association on Sunday.

After 216 ballots were counted, Donaldson of Thorne, emerged victorious over challenger Denis Courtemanche of Campbell’s Bay, to replace outgoing president Brian Middlemiss.