Jan. 25, 1995

25 Years Ago

Ladouceur re-elected: Robert Ladouceur was returned as Warden of Pontiac by the vote of 14 out of 19 mayors present at the Jan. 23 MRC council meeting.

In a brief word of thanks after the . . .

secret ballot, Warden Ladouceur invited all the councillors to join him in working for the benefit of the county.

“There’s lots to do in 1995,” he said, pointing to the Coulonge Chutes, Pontiac Trail and Ottawa River as the “key to the Pontiac”.

Pontiacs deliver KO to Kings to end five-game slide: The Shawville Junior B Pontiacs needed a win quite badly and win they did over the Carleton Place Kings on Sunday night: Shawville 11; Kings 0.

The Pontiacs opened the game with a quick pair of goals about five minutes into the first period and didn’t have to look back one bit.

Shawville’s Lewes McGuire and Jeff Gibbons netted two short-handed markers towards the end of the tilt.

Shawville’s newest acquisition, goalie Steve Zavistake from the Renfrew Timberwolves, earned the shut-out for the juniors but was hardly tested throughout the game.

The Kings were given very few chances to pressure the Pontiac net and ended up getting out-shot by Shawville by a huge 51 to 28 margin.

Jan. 28, 1970

50 Years Ago

Dr. McDowell speaks on the ministry of healing: At St. Edward’s School auditorium, Bristol Mines, last Sunday evening one in the series of ecumenical services of the Quyon area was addressed by Dr. S.E. McDowell of Shawville.

Rev. Father Morris of St. Edward’s Catholic Church welcomed a large congregation to this friendly and informal gathering whose theme was the healing ministry of the church and support for the hospitals in Pontiac County.

Wyman Drag Race winners announced: Shannon Ross of Bristol Mines was the big winner of the Class A at the Drag Races staged at Overton’s Supertest in Wyman on Sunday.

Second place in Class A went to Austin Clark of Quyon.

The races were keenly contested among sporting members of the motorsled fraternity and trophies will be presented to the first place winners at a latter date.

The tropies are to be contributed by Bardahl Oil Company.

Class B winner was Willie Dods of Shawville with Keith Harris of Shawville in second place.

Class C winner was Willie Dods of Shawville with Don Campbell of Wyman in second place.

Class D winner was also Willie Dods of Shawville with Bob Scott of Ottawa in second place.

Feb. 1 1945

75 Years Ago

Local News: Two Pontiac soldiers among stretcher cases: among 11 stretcher cases arriving at Rideau Military Hospital Ottawa recently were Pte. A. Gay of Onslow Corners who has been overseas five years. His wife resides in England and is expected to arrive in Canada next month.

The other invalid soldier is Pte. G. Gorman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Gorman of Portage du Fort. Pte. Gorman took sick in Italy after being there nine months.

Flt. Lt. Gilbert Kilgour flies damaged plane to base: with three feet shot off his port aileron, Flt. Lt. Gilbert N. Kilgour, Shawville, 21-year-old Lane pilot flew his craft back from Koenigsberg. It was his second trip to the East Prussian city. His navigator was F.O.J.L. Templeton of Emmerson, Man.

The pair have made more than 25 trips against some hot German targets. Over Mannheim, they were coned by searchlights for five minutes and were special targets for predicted flack but Kilgour threaded his way through without being hit. They were over 11 hours in the air on the second Koenigsberg trip.

Some months ago a number of the women of the village of Portage du Fort met and formed a committee to send boxes and smokes to the boys from this village who are serving overseas.

At the present time they have 32 boys serving in the forces overseas and the committee have raised funds by having a dance and by house-to-house canvasses.

Everything expended on the war fronts means just that much less for the home front and the promise of 1945 is that combat expenditures will reach hitherto unimagined totals.

Casualties: running at the rate of 1,500,000 a year, are expected to increase as war’s tempo speeds up.

Ammunition: more than two tons of ammunition are fired every minute of every day at the Germans alone, with rate of fire increasing.

Tires: life-span of tires in combat is often measured in minutes.

Gasoline: Combat reserves, resulting in loss of gas dumps, ever increasing mechanized strength and growing air forces, including such gas eaters as B-29’s the huge new B-32s and other giants will use gas in unprecedented quantities.

Mechanized equipment: Tanks, trucks, jeeps, ducks, tank destroyers, motorized artillery and other equipment are highly expendable.

Planes: as enemy’s defences tighten up, plane replacements will be increased.

Jan. 22, 1920

100 Years Ago

Local News: G.A. Howard has secured the agency for Ford cars and tractors in this district and will make an announcement later on in that regard.

There was a farily good representation from this county at Ottawa’s big Winter Show held at the exhibition buildings last week and everyone was well satisfied with the character of the exhibition.

A note accompanying his renewal subscription from our old friend Peter Little of Dinsmore, Sask. says the drought was bad in his district last summer and feed in consequence is very scarce. But, he adds, the winter has been fine and warm during the past month and the stock are out on grass, same as summer.

The annual meeting of the Bristol Memorial Presbyterian Congregation was held on the afternoon of Tuesday in the basement of the new building at Bristol Corners, with a good attendance of those interested.

The report of the building committee was to the effect that the contractor’s work was practically finished and their work as a committtee accomplished.

The cold snap of the past week reached its most intense point on Friday morning when the mercury dropped to 28 below zero. At points further west in the county, the readings were lower. Waltham reporting a record of 40 below.

The Militia of Canada is to be reorganized, the first step towards which will be the disbandment of every militia unit existing to be followed by the immediate creation of a new force which, it is planned will be composed largely of men with overseas experience.

Jan. 24, 1895

125 Years Ago

Missing from our files

Compiled by Bonnie Chevrier