Apr. 15,1998 25 Years Ago
Stark’s Corner’s United Church celebrates 100th: The Stark’s Corners United Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
The anniversary committee has scheduled a “Strawberry Social” on June 27, a congregational reunion picnic on July 26 and an anniversary service and dinner. On Sunday, the church held a sunrise service at the Austin United Church and a pancake breakfast at Stark’s Corners Church Hall.
The church began as a Presbyterian Church in 1898 with Rev. W.G. James Back accepting a yearly salary of $600. The original building was built in 1899.
The Stark’s United Church began operation in 1925 with Rev. W.B. McCallum serving as pastor. The longest serving pastor was Dr. Fokes who served from 1931 to 1958.
Spring meltdown flooding minimal: The Ottawa River water level rose early this year but is not causing widespread flooding in Pontiac County.
CBC Television on the weekend reported that the Ottawa River would rise one meter, reaching its peak yesterday. However, this report was wrong, as Geoff Nix, Ottawa River Regulation Secretariat.
“Flooding occurred mainly in Quyon and Portage and the level in Lake Coulonge went up six centimeters on the weekend. We expect the Ottawa River to peak in the next 24 hours,” he said.
Apr. 18, 1973 50 Years Ago
Pontiac schools participated in Education Weeks: It was Education Week in the province of Quebec and all schools of the Pontiac School Board participated in special activities.
Special time was allocated each day by the class teachers for discussions, or special activities The Quebec Department of Education this year chose for its main theme “The Quebecer and his Culture”, but special emphasis was given tot he local area to acquaint the student population with the many and diversified talents and skills to be found among local residents.
One day of the week was devoted to the exchange of teachers between the different schools in each sector. This was a valuable experience for the teachers.
For the pupil it was a welcome change in pace and face and helped them to realize and appreciate the extra work and special attention they received from their own classroom teacher.
Happy birthday “Mr. Pontiac”: Friday the thirteenth was just another birthday in the life of Mr. Pontiac, a one hundred and ten year old citizen of Fort Coulonge. Caesar Paul, born before Canada was a nation, has lived all his life in Pontiac.
His parents were Algonquin Indians living near Jims lake where his father was a logger. Early in life, around the year 1875, Caesar Paul learned to tend trap-lines with his father and from then on he was a guide and trapper for about ninety-five years.
Leading a simple, active life, Mr. Paul uses herbs to cure small troubles and has never been seriously sick in his life. He lives now with the family of Loyola Graveline, one of the many grandchildren.
Apr. 29, 1948 75 Years Ago
Local news: The annual Rally of Pontiac Farm Forums held at Pine Lodge, Bristol on Wednesday night was attended by the greatest number in the history of the Forum.
Fire rangers Jack Ross, Henry and Leo Doherty left Monday night for their respective posts in the upper Ottawa forest regions.
Mr. Ross, who has served the Forest Protective Association in the capacity of tower observer, dispatcher and official game warden for the past 21 years, will be in the Kipewa district and Messrs. Doherty in the Mattawa district.
At a meeting of the Pontiac Liberal Association held at Campbell’s Bay last week, E.C. Lawn, Liberal member for Pontiac in the Quebec Legislature since 1935, was given an acclamation as Liberal candidate in the next provincial elections. About 100 delegates were present from various points int he county and apart from naming a candidate for the Quebec elections, predicted as a certainty this summer, they also chose delegates to the National Liberal convention.
At Queens Theological College, Kingston, the chapel was filled to capacity for the annual conferring of Testamurs and awards to the graduating class and undergraduates. The class was addressed by Rev. A.F. Fokes of Shawville who urged upon the young men preparing to enter the ministry to take time for God and take time for others. Those present from Shawville included Mr. and Mrs. John A. Dean and Mr. Ernest Dean.
Apr. 19,1923 100 Years Ago
Local new: Never was a fire fought more successfully with the odds against the fighters than that which seriously threatened to rob the village of its fine school building on Wednesday night last. The reflection of a fire in the Principal’s room on the east side of the building was observed by some girls who were coming up Main Street towards S.E. Hodgin’s store. They rushed into the store and told of this and Mr. Hodgins, who had been out in his yard and also noticed the reflection, immediately rang up Central Tel. Exchange from whence the alarm was broadcasted in a moment or two, through the ringing of the Methodist Church bell. People living in the west end of town heard the bell, and all seemed to sense that the fire was somewhere in the east end and headed in that direction. People living in the east end were soon on the spot and a few young men who were around town were the first to gain entrance to the Academy by forcing the door of the main entrance. The place was in darkness and so full of smoke that the boys at first had to beat a retreat to get breath. Lanterns were brought into use as quickly as they could be procured and meanwhile the principal’s room on the second floor where the fire was located was reached and the situation sized up. With an abundance of water near at hand and the aid of fire extinguishers, it did not take long to subdue the flames in the principal’s room but somehow and in some way unaccountable the fire had got a foothold in the woodwork above the metal ceiling and was making headway. The only way that it could be got at was by punching a hole upward or getting at it through the attic. The fire made such progress that tongues of flame began to shoot through the roof. A good many felt their hearts sink when they saw this and some even abandoned hope of saving the fine building but the boys doing the fighting carried on with unyielding determination to beat out the destroyer. Although some delays were occasioned in securing the material, the corporation chemical engines did excellent work while they were in operation. By 10:30 the fire was effectually stamped out and citizens sought their homes with a sigh of relief. With the quenching of the last spark began almost immediately the cleaning up of the school, the several rooms except the principal’s being undamaged save for the quantity of water which flooded the floors. The School Board undertook this task in order that school work might proceed without interruption and further damage from water be avoided.
There was a fair attendance of citizens at the meeting in Hynes’ Hall Monday night called by the mayor to discuss the subject of commemorating in some suitable form the 100th anniversary of the settlement of Clarendon and the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of Shawville as a separate municipality, which co-incidentally occurred this year.
Apr. 21,1898 125 Years Ago
Local news: Farming operations are pretty generally underway throughout the county now.
Grand display of 200 pieces of fireworks after the concert on the 26th inst. near the town hall on Calumet Island.
Discoveries of gold and silver ore are reported to have been made on he property of Mrs. George Black, Thorne and excellent samples of white amber and mica have recently been found din Cawood. Mining is evidently to be the coming industry in Pontiac.
Douglas village is about to be connected with the outside world by telephone.
Miss Alice Caldwell desires to intimate to the ladies of Shawville and vicinity that she has opened dressmaking rooms in Mrs. (widow) Hobbs’ house, Main Street.
Since the infirmities of Queen Victoria made it necessary for her to use a walking stick, she has been the recipient of many canes. Her friends and relatives and subjects have seized upon every possible occasion to present her with a new cane. Queen Victoria has leaned more heavily on her stick of late years, using it to cross the room even, instead of only on long walks about Windsor Castle, and after a long, tiresome ceremony. She has only used one cane, it is one of historic value, having been presented to King Charles II by one of his merry court.
A new method of using coal oil for fuel has been exhibited in Montreal for the past few weeks. The appliance is not costly and can be attached to any kind of stove or furnace. Sufficient heat for cooking purposes in a large kitchen range can be supplied at a cost of one cent per hour for coal oil.
A man confined in Jolliette jail awaiting his execution had plan perfected for his escape from prison last week, when they divulged by a fellow convict just in time to prevent the probably murder of the assistant jailor and his wife. It was the man’s intention to brain the official, when the latter entered his cell, with a hammer which he managed to get possession of and then treat his wife in like manner on reaching the foot of the stairs. The prisoner will now be kept under close surveillance by a special constable.
