Compiled by Bonnie Chevrier
Dec. 8, 1993
25 Years Ago
MRC gives $6,000 grant to Foundation for study linking Chutes to Bryson House: Pontiac MRC has authorized a grant of $6,000 to the Coulonge Chutes Foundation to help finance a study in conjunction with the Quebec Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
“They (the Foundation) have no money,” explained Pontiac Warden Bob Ladouceur, who also sits on the Foundation board. “They need this money to go get more.”
The Foundation is trying to get $24,000 from the government for a feasiblity study on the possibility of using the Bryson House in Mansfield as a heritage tourist centre. The centre would be linked to the nearby Chutes.
PPHS girls complete decade of championship: The girls volleyball team from Pontiac Protestant High School in Shawville has carried home the Pontiac Cup for the tenth year in a row.
The PPHS boys team was also victorious this year, defeating Sieur de Coulonge, John Paul II and St. Alphonsus to take the title.
The PPHS girls defeated Coulonge in three straight games with scores of 15-4, 15-4, and 15-9.
Dec. 19, 1968
50 Years Ago
Hugh Proudfoot’s yearling tops Toronto Standardbred sale: The annual Standardbred mixed horse sale was held again this year at Toronto’s CNE Horse Palace on Nov. 27. “Pontiac Sal”, a yearling consigned by Hugh Proudfoot of Fort Coulonge brought th highest price of the 160 head sold at $2,300.00.
Ad: Dean & Merritt: Pontiac’s home of fine furniture. We have clothes, hampers, trunks, bedding, small appliances, slippers, gifts for mom and dad in our drygoods department. We have all the fixin’s for your feast: turkeys 20 pounds and over 39 cents a pound. Dean and Merritt in Shawville.
Quyon Christmas musical evening: Sunday evening the musical artists of Quyon entertained their parents and friends at a short program. The highlight of the program were several numbers by a group of guitarists accompanied by Eleanor Foran at the piano. These were Stephen Kennedy, James Curley, Dorothy McColl, Clair Chevrier, Donna MacKechnie, Debbie Young, Robert Trudeau and Brian McCann.
The numbers were interspersed by Christmas carols sung by the performers and the audience. At the end, all joined in the singing of Silver Bells, Christmas in Killarney and The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Dec. 16, 1943
75 Years Ago
Local news: At the fourth blood donation clinic for the year held on Thursday in the Sunday School room of Shawville United Church, 73 donations of blood were received from the people of Shawville district, Campbell’s Bay, Fort Coulonge, Davidson and Waltham, some coming from as far as 50 miles to make the donations.
Mrs. Margaret McLeod was the technician in charge, assisted by Mrs. H. Zimmerman, blood grouping technician.
Another “man’s job” gives way to the ladies as women take over test pilot jobs for Grumman aircraft. They are making pre-combat tests of high-speed navy Hellcats and Avenger torpedo bombers.
The direct and indirect effects of the air assault on Germany: The destruction of German factory capacity, transport and communications can be read upon the reconnaissance photographs. The indirect efforts on German finance, resources, communications, productive efficiency and the whole fabric of the German military-social mechanism can be said with certainty to be very great.
Germany’s want of air power in Russia and in Italy is quite obvious and can be explained only on the grounds that she has been deprived of the capacity to produce the planes that she needs.
By every outward test, the German war potential has been seriously reduced. The Germans have lost the war at sea; they are so straightened that they have been able to make no more than token reprisals against Britain for the terrible air attacks which have shaken them so profoundly. But it is evident that a modern industrial organism is a much tougher structure than anyone had supposed.
Dec. 12, 1918
100 Years Ago
Local news: Premier Lloyd George, in a speech delivered last week, stated that enemy aliens would be expelled from Great Britain because of their having abused the privileges which they enjoyed. People as a rule, wondered why this was not done immediately after the war started.
To give employment to the thousands of men who have been engaged in the army and other occupations connected with Canada’s gigantic war effort, the government proposes resuming operations on the several large undertakings which were underway when the war started. One of the chief of these national enterprises is the new Welland Canal, which will employ four or five thousand men.
A very serious offense occurred on Saturday last. The rural mail box at Jas. Davis Hodgins’ gate was “touched” by a light-fingered individual and a parcel containing nine or ten dollars’ worth of goods was appropriated. Robbing His Majesty’s mails is a very serious, in fact, a penitentiary offense. In this case, the culprit is known but Mr. Hodgins, out of good nature, intends giving him a day or two to return the parcel before taking proceedings. This hint, it is hoped will be sufficient.
Dec. 14, 1893, 125 Years Ago
Local News: The regular session of the Magistrates Court was held in this village on Wednesday last, considerable business was disposed of.
Some days ago, Mr. William Shaw received a cut in one of his feet, which confined him to his room. On Saturday he got out of bed but only went a few steps when he fainted away. Restoratives were promptly administered and he came to, but only to go off in another faint. From this he was recovered in like manner but has been rather poorly since.
Messrs. Adam Hodgins, Adam Elliott and Samuel Dale left last week to clear the road for the drawing of supplies up the Coulonge this winter. Mr. Fred Hodgins will have a large number of teams on the road.
Ad: Christmas goods: The undersigned has received a large stock of Christmas goods which he is selling at the very lowest prices: toys, fancy goods and novelties, fancy tea and dinner sets, groceries, canned goods, confectionery and provisions. Alex N. Wilson.
Ad: The People’s Hardware and Supply Depot, Quyon: Stoves and stove furnishings, tinware of all kinds, axes, cross cut, hand and buck saws, ropes, chains, bolts, nails, fencing wire, percival ploughs and repairs, land scrapers and rollers, silverware, cutlery, paint and oil, glass and putty. Highest price paid for felts and hides. G.T. Mohr.
It becomes our painful duty this week to record the death of a young man, under circumstances which are truly sad indeed. About ten days ago, Herbert Hodgins, (son of the widow William Hodgins), a young man of 23, apparently in the full bloom and vigor of youth, was stricken down with a peculiar malady, resembling paralysis, which terminated fatally on Monday morning. A short time after he became ill, he fell into a state of unconsciousness from which he never rallied, although everything possible in the way of attention and medical skill was resorted to. Only two months ago, 11th Oct., he was joined in wedlock to Miss Alice, daughter of Mr. William Glenn and the young couple, it might be said, had just got settled down in the comforts and enjoyment of their own home when the ruthless visitor entered upon his mission of woe and left desolate the fireside which only so recently became aglow with joy.
