July 27, 1994
25 Years Ago
Calumet soldier off to Rwanda: Today, Sylvain LaSalle will leave a land of plenty and enter a world of hate. Rwanda.
The Calumet Island man boarded a jetliner destined for Kigali, the central-African country’s capital. Along with 300 other soldiers from a Kingston, Ont. based army unit, Master Corporal LaSalle is participating in an United Nations-led operation to lessen the suffering of Rwandans.
The communications hub for the United Nations mission, Sylvain’s regiment will be housed in the middle of a Kigali soccer stadium.
“I’m anxious to be able to do something to make things better over there. It’s a challenge I look forward to,” says LaSalle.
Storm keeps crews busy: The sudden storm that hit the Ottawa Valley last Thursday kept local firefighters busy following its trail of destruction.
At about 2:40 p.m., Quyon firefighters were called to the farm of Paul Chatillon on the Pontiac side of the Bristol Town Line. Lightning had struck a barn there.
The firefighters dispatched 10 men and three vehicles.
On their way to the scene, the Quyon firefighters radioed for back-up but both Luskville and Bristol departments were already occupied with power lines that had been knocked down in the storm.
The fire, which seemed to have originated in the southeast corner of the structure, burned it to the ground but not before the men pulled a hay baler and an all-terrain vehicle out of the barn.
Back at the fire hall by about 6:30, Chief Ladouceur was still cleaning his boots when another call came in. A hay bale on the Steele Line had been struck by lightning.
It took a couple of hours and about 800 gallons of water before the men could call an end to their day.
July 30, 1969
50 Years Ago
New track record set at Shawville Driving Club Farm: Saturday started out overcast and rainy but by 2 p.m. it was all sunshine as a large crowd of race fans were on hand to see Melina Hanover, a three-year-old chestnut filly owned by Dr. Roland Armitage and very well driven by Jim McCormick sweep the elimination and final cashes of the feature stake event at Shawville Driving Club Farms annual harness horse races.
Lucky Duck, owned by D.I. McNeil of Ottawa and riven by André St. Amour won one feature elimination dash setting a new track record of 2.11 and finished the second to Melina Hanover in the final.
Looking ahead in the Junior Farmer program: Junior farmers from Pontiac won two of the three competitions for the Regional Junior Agricultural Merit Competition held at the Experimental Farm in Ottawa.
Jerry Barber won the general competition for boys and Joan Lang was the top girl in the one class held for girls.
Lewellyn Hodgins is the club leader of the Steer Feeding Club and Wally Barber, Laird Hamilton, Shirley Barber, and Mary Hamilton are club leaders for the Shawville Calf Club with Dalton Hodgins helping out.
Aug. 3, 1944
75 Years Ago
Local news: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Campbell of Clarendon received official word last week that their son, Pte. Neilson Campbell had been killed in action in France on July 21.
At the official nominations held at Campbell’s Bay on Tuesday afternoon, three candidates filed nominations papers for the Quebec Election on Aug. 8. The candidates were G.A. Howard of Shawville, Union Nationale; E.C. Lawn of Campbell’s Bay, Liberal; and Edgar Mulligan of Quyon, Co-operative Commonwealth Federation.
Sportsmen will welcome the announcement made by the Wartime Prices and Trade Board telling that a limited amount of small arms ammunition will be made available for sportsmen after Sept. 1.
The induction was held in Radford United Church on Friday evening of REv. P.L. LeBel, B.A., to be the minister of the Clarendon Pastoral Charge which included the churches of Norman, Radford, Yarm, Bristol and Wesley.
Ad: Morie Yellowknife Gold Mines Limited: an unusually attractive Yellowknife purchase at 18 cents per share.
In Normandy, in Italy, wherever they may be, Canadian forces overseas get mail from home quicker because of the big Lancaster transports operated by Trans-Canada Airlines in the Canadian government’s trans-Atlantic service. And from the fronts, mail comes quicker to the folk at home.
July 24, 1919
100 Years Ago
Local news: A heavy thunderstorm passed over the country north and east of Shawville on Tuesday night last. In the neighbourhood of Ladysmith several barns were blown down and heavy rain fell. A good many trees were blown down along the road between Charteris and Ladysmith.
Ross Schwartz, son of Mr. Irvine Schwartz had both bones of his right leg fractured above the instep through an accident while playing on a road grader.
Pte. Willie Hobbs, M.M., son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hobbs was among the homecoming soldiers last week, arriving here on Thursday evening. Of all the boys who left this section and were spared to return, Willie sustained the most serious wounds. He spent many months in a hospital in England before his condition was regarded fit to undertake the voyage back to Canada and it is likely to be some time yet before he is anything like his old self, although he seems to be quite satisfied with the progress he is making.
Retiring Sale: every article in the store is a bargain. One only new process, 3-burner oil cook store – regular $26.00, sale price $21.50. Two only lawn mowers regular $9.00, sale price $7.50. J.H. Shaw.
For the past two or three weeks, it has been pretty generally known that negotiations were in progress between Mr. J.H. Shaw and Mr. Duncan Campbell for the purchase by the latter of the property of the former, consisting of his fine residence and adjoining lot on the corner of Main and Centre streets.
THE EQUITY is informed that this deal has been put through and perhaps of greater interest, has already disposed of the store property to the Bank of Nova Scotia.
Sgt. Hiram Smiley who returned from overseas some days ago, and has been helping to save the hay crop at his father’s home near Wyman, drifted into town on Saturday night and therefore hit upon a good time to meet many old acquaintances amongst the host of people who were here from all quarters. Hiram went overseas in March, 1916 with the 73rd Highlanders of Montreal.
July 26, 1894
125 Years Ago
Local News: All over the township of Clarendon, farmers are erecting buildings such as barns, sheds, etc. for the storage of the hay crop. Rye and barley have been harvested in some part of the township. The rye crop is excellent.
The hottest spell of the season terminated on Friday afternoon by a very heavy thunderstorm. Rain fell in torrents and several very heavy claps of thunder were heard here. At Bryson and other parts of the county some hailstones bell but so far as we have heard, not sufficient to seriously damage the crops. The heavy rain and wind which accompanied it, however, flattened down the heavy grain in some places so that it will scarcely rise again.
The Shawville football club have received an invitation to play a friendly game with the Westmeath team at a picnic to be held there in August.
A member of the Geological Survey staff with two assistants has been prospecting in the neighbourhood of Quyon for some days. They removed their camping outfit to Wilsons’ Lake, Onslow on Monday.
In addition to the several railway subsidies mentioned in our last issue, Mr. Bryson has secured a grant of $1,200 towards repairing the Portage du Fort bridge.
The injuries received by Mr. Richard Hodgins of North Clarendon some weeks ago by being caught in the belt of a single mill culminated in his death on Monday evening last about 7 o’clock. After the operation of amputating the leg above the knee his condition appeared to improve and his case seemed hopeful; but latterly blood poisoning set in and this, as it invariably does in such cases, proved fatal.
A Mr. Bolan of Leslie had the misfortune a few days ago of losing a horse by drowning.
It seems he drove the team with a wagon into the lake, known as Stephen’s Lake to drink and also to wet the wheels of his wagon when through thoughtlessness, he drove the animals in too far and the bottom being very muddy, they commenced to sink, the wagon also going down.
Mr. Bolan jumped out of the wagon and swam to shore and started for the house of Mr. Stephens for help. On return one of the horses was drowned and the other almost exhausted, but they succeeded in rescuing it.
compiled by Bonnie Chevrier
