July 20, 1994
25 Years Ago
Pontiac Pride Jamboree showcases roots and branches of Pontiac music: The Pontiac Pride went a little more uptown this year but it never lost its down-home feel.
“We went with the roots of Pontiac,” explained organizer Lorne Daley backstage.
“We had lots of good comments on the quality of the entertainment,” says Laurie MacKechnie, a member of the Quyon Lions Club and chairman of the Pontiac Pride committee.
Every year, Sunday afternoon at the Pontiac Pride show includes a special tribute. This year in observance of International Year of the Family, organizers decided to celebrate a local family: Francis and Ada Daley.
After the tribute to the Daleys, there was another special presentation to Father Cain, who is leaving Quyon after 19 years. Gail Gavan sang a song she had composed in honour of Father Cain.
Luskville youth centre opens: Pontiac MP Robert Bertrand and MNA Robert Middlemiss showed up at the Luskville mall on July 16 to help Paul Piché and Joanne Backs, owners of Marché du Centre cut the ribbon to open their new youth centre.
The owners saw a need for a place for neighbourhood young people to spend their free time so they renovated a back room at the store and installed a pool table and a couple of video games.
Now that he has opened the centre, Mr. Piché has offered to let the young people name it and set the rules for operation.
“I’d like to see the kids put this one together themselves,” he says.
Pontiac municipal councillors Gary Trivett and Hélène Belisle were also present at the opening.
July 23, 1969
50 Years Ago
Missing from our files
July 27, 1944
75 Years Ago
Local news: A pleasant afternoon was spent at the home of Mrs. McLellan where the July meeting of the Wyman Women’s Institute was held with the president Miss A. Pritchard presiding, assisted by the secretary, Miss Edey.
The Self-Denial Fund is open until Nov. 1, the object being the Prisoners of War Fund while the collection of waste paper for war purposes is urgently requested.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. J. Black of Thorne have received official word that their son, Russell has been wounded in action in France.
During the second quarter of the year, Knox Red Cross Unit have held four meetings and nine soldiers’ boxes were packed with the following articles completed: 59 sewn articles, 9 knitted articles and 3 quilts.
The Cuthbertson cottage “Foxwarren” at Norway Bay was the scene of a happy reunion of many old friends of Bristol and Elmside when a number of local ladies gathered there for a picnic on July 13.
Swimming was enjoyed early in the afternoon and a letter was written by each present to a far-away friend who was unable to be present through illness.
Refreshments were served by the hostesses, Misses Christina, Mary and Amelia Cuthbertson and Mrs. Tett.
D-Day meant no shave for Pte. C.L. Jewell of New Glasgow, N.S. and he hasn’t shaved since. He has a regular Frenchman’s beard by now and is happy about it. Jewell is serving with a unit of the 3rd Canadian Division in Normandy.
Instead of forlornly standing by the roadside waving his thumb, a soldier sits comfortably in front of one of the stations erected near Statesville, N.C. for use of hitch-hiking G.I.’s. On the side of the building reads: “STOP – service men’s pick up station. “Give him a ride”. He’ll not have long to wait for tarheel motorists have learned to keep eyes peeled for these stations.
Ghost town in path of war: the only signs of life in deserted Montebourg, the bitterly contested French town finally won by Allies, are two goats who wandered through the littered streets after Allied shelling and German demolition squads reduced the town to skeleton buildings and charred rubble.
July 17, 1919
100 Years Ago
Local news: The hay harvest is well underway in this section and some farmers have already finished.
While a large number of our farmers report the grain crop to be very short in the straw this season, owing to continued dry, hot weather, there are some exceptions, one being Elwin Armstrong of Green Lake section who reports measuring some oats stocks standing 4 1/2 feet.
Last Thursday witnessed what is said to have been the choicest shipment of steers that ever left Shawville station for the Montreal market. There were some 45 head in the bunch and the average weight was estimated at 1300 to 1500 pounds. Mr. O.D. Sullivan, the well-known dealer was the shipper.
Wednesday, August 6, the date of the G.W.V.A. demonstration in Shawville will be observed as a half holiday by the stores and business places in town.
Several more Canadian soldiers belonging to this section returned home within the past few days. Among the number were: Chas. Judd, Greermount; J. Cuthbertson, Clarendon Front; Israel Hancock, Shawville.
In June report of No. 5 School, published last week, an injustice is done to Wallace Wilson whose percentage was wrongfully given as 32 instead of 82.
Notice: The undersigned desires to inform the public that he has started in the horse livery business as the Russell House stables and respectfully solicits a share of their patronage. Good service assured. Clarence L. Hodgins.
Tuesday was St. Swithen’s Day and it rained! As Dover would say, don’t forget the date. Now look out for that forty days’ moisture.
July 19, 1894
125 Years Ago
Local News: A young man named Dan McCuade employed at the Schneaux boom met with a painful accident a few days ago by being shot through the right hand by the accidental discharge of a revolver in the hands of Thomas Sutleff. The accident came about under rather curious circumstances.
It appears the men had been paid the wages due them a few days previous and Sutleff placed his wages in his bed-tick, also hiding a self-cocking .32 calibre revolver. On the evening of the accident, he had occasion to go to the tick to draw some of his pile when, to his surprise, it was not there. He and McCuade at once made a search through the tick for the money but with fruitless results.
During the search McCuade noticed the revolver and Sutleff made a remark, saying it was a wonder they did not take it too. Picking up the revolver to hand it to McCuade, he accidentally pulled the trigger with the above result.
Having completed jobs of painting at John G. Armstrong’s, Green Lake, and W.H. Lucas’, Caldwell, Mr. A.J. Jackson is now engaged at F. Murtagh’s residence, Campbell’s Bay.
The junior baseballers of this village suffered a very pronounced defeat at the hands of the Portage du Fort youths on Tuesday last.
A bad accident happened at Calumet slides on Saturday, the nature of which was as follows: a man named Cosgrove of Allumette Island and a French Canadian whose name we did not learn, were engaged running timber for Moore Bros. and whilst passing near the dangerous reef known as the “Roche Minie” the crib someway swung out of the proper channel and got wrecked in taking the pitch. Immediately before the accident, Cosgrove, who was at the stern oar, saw what was likely to happen and called to his mate at the bow to come and help him to swing the crib back. The Frenchman ran to Cosgrove and grasped the oar with him but somehow the oar did not catch the water and the end on the crib swung so quickly that it knocked Cosgrove down and he fell between the sticks of timber in the bottom of the crib. The result was that both legs were broken by the terrible jamming he received and it seems a miracle that he was rescued alive at all. His companion also had one leg badly bruised. Cosgrove was brought up to Bryson village as speedily as possible where Dr. Gaboury set his fractured limbs.
compiled by Bonnie Chevrier
