Mar. 1, 1995
25 Years Ago
Strong winds fan Bristol fire: A chimney fire is believed to be the cause of a house fire in the village of Bristol which took firefighters nearly 10 hours to contain last Friday.
Firefighters were no match for the . . .
winds, gusting at more than 60 km per hour, as volunteers tried to save the 150-year-old home.
Firefighters battled the blaze until 10 p.m. They were called back about an hour later when the house began smoking again. Although the house is still standing, the little that is left inside has been damaged by smoke and water.
Built in the mid 1800’s, the Smart home hold a lot of history. The house has donned many faces during its history, having seen use as a hotel, a store a bank and a manse.
Counterfeit money in area: Monopoly money it ain’t, but it isn’t real either.
Counterfeit $20 bills are circulating in Shawville according to Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Jean-Marc Lalonde. Six phony $20 bills were discovered Monday morning in the night deposit at the Bank of Montreal.
Four more fake bills were found at local stores and gas stations.
“We believe it was someone passing through (with counterfeit money) on Saturday,” Lalonde says.
Mar. 4, 1970
50 Years Ago
Snogoers and good cooks transform Ladysmith into a recreational wonderland: The major sport at the present season is snowgoing, as they call it there. Members in the Ladysmith Snogoers Club sport bright crests and observe safety laws which have provided them with an accident free enjoyment of winter.
At their instant carnival last Sunday, more than a hundred snowmobiles took part in the contests under the careful organization of Clarence Bretzlaff and his large committee of willing workers.
Though skidooing is the big thing just now, the Thorne RA is not confined in any way. Whatever recreational activity is desired will be accommodated in the building which lends itself to many uses. For instance, a large worship service was held jointly by the Lutheran and Anglican congregations there last Sunday. Rev. Peter Monk and Rev. John Pearce conducted the service after which everyone enjoyed a Carnival breakfast of pancakes and local maple syrup for which Ladysmith is particularly famous.
From three o’clock until around midnight every Saturday and Sunday, the ladies serve food to all who drop in. Dinners are sold at 75 cents a plate and are hearty enough to placate the appetites of the outdoor sportsmen, some of whom come in from long skidoo trail rides fro Wolf Lake, Onslow and other distant places.
Norris Sparling decorated: Sergeant Norris Sparling, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Sparling of Campbell’s Bay has been awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration recognizing twelve years of meritorious service in the Armed Forces of Canada.
The award was presented by Colonel W.J. Buzza at Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, an integrated headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) where officers and enlisted men of the United States Air Force, German Air Force and the Canadian Armed Forces work together.
Mar. 8, 1945
75 Years Ago
Local News: Fort Coulonge wins Cahill Shield: Fort Coulonge triumphed over Campbell’s Bay Tuesday night on Campbell’s Bay ice by the score of 2 to 1 in the final game of the Pontiac Hockey League series. The score on the round was 7 to 6 for Fort Coulonge as both these teams played a 5-5 tie Feb. 24 at Fort Coulonge.
Some 600 fans from the district packed the rink for one of the finest games played in the Pontiac League this season. In the first period Lacourse of Campbell’s Bay tied Ladouceur’s goal for Fort Coulonge. The second recorded no score and Duke scored from Davis to give the game to Fort Coulonge in the third period.
The men appointed by the Shawville and Clarendon Municipal Councils and the Clarendon ministerial Association met at Rev. C. Randell to form plans for welcoming our returning service personnel.
Farmers will be delighted to know that many of the fine herds of cattle in Holland were rescued from drowning when the dikes were opened and the land flooded. Allied troops risked their own lives to get some of the prize cattle out of the danger zones.
Since the beginning of the war the Canadian Red Cross has packed and shipped some thirteen and a half million food parcels for Empire and Allied prisoners of war. From the repatriated comes the statement, reiterated many times: “If it hadn’t been for the Red Cross parcels, we’d have starved to death.”
With the war in its last stages and confusion and terror reigning in Germany, there is no doubt that the men in enemy camps must depend on the stores of food sent from Canada until they are free and repatriated.
Many of these men have spent five years behind barbed wire. They have come to depend upon Canadian Red Cross.
From Patrick W. Moynihan, Pilot Officer and Air Gunner wrote in his letter: “During my travels I have met many ex-prisoners of war. Many of the were not Canadian troops but of the British Forces.
“I was strolling along the deck of a certain ship when an Indian soldier stopped me, having noted “Canada” on my shoulders. I quote this soldier: “Please sir, will you thank the Canadian Red Cross and the people of Canada for their kind gifts. If those Red Cross parcels had not arrived, I doubt if I would have lived. You must have a wonderful country.”
Feb. 26, 1920
100 Years Ago
Local News: Owing to the prevalence of the “flu”, the Clarendon council has requested that the Radford Church be closed in conjunction with all other churches in the municipality until further notice.
The tradespeople and residents of Ladysmith and neighbourhood have now the advantage of banking facilities at home. Mr. W.F. Drum, manager of the merchants bank here having opened a subagency of the bank in that village on Wednesday last at the Ladysmith Hotel where quarters have been procured.
The Pontiac House now boasts of an independent lighting system, the same having been installed by Mr. Cy Hodgins a couple of weeks ago. So far the machine is working satisfactorily and furnishes good light.
Mr. P.B. Moyle who succeeded to the business of the Shawville Motor Co. here last summer, has become a property owner in town of more than ordinary significance, through the purchase during the past week of the large vacant lot adjoining the Pontiac House which for many years was owned by the last Andrew Hodgins. From what we hear, Mr. Moyle plans to erect a large building where in the proprietor will carry on his automobile business and the possible provision for a public hall in the second storey.
Feb. 28, 1895
125 Years Ago
Local News: Mr. R. W. Resseman has been appointed superintendent of the P.P.J. Railway and Mr. J.T. Prince resigned. The new official went over the line by special train on Saturday last.
The Wild Rose Temple gave one of the best musical and literary entertainments of the season and it was well patronized. The hall at Maple Ridge was very well filled. Rev. T.A. Nelson addressed the audience taking his topic, “Getting on in life.” Messrs. Richards and McDermott furnished an instrumental duet, violin and organ, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the young folks. Mr. A. Grant delivered a very appropriate address well spiced with humour. A quartette “Come Where the Lillies Bloom” was rendered with excelllent effect and well received. Then cam the dialogue of the evening, in character, “The Quack Doctor” which kept the audience in roars of laughter from beginning to end. The National Anthem was sung, the audience joining and the meeting closed, all apparently delighted with the entertainment.
The Ottawa River Navigation Co. is to replace the Prince of Wales with a fine new steel steamer. The vessel is 158 feet keel and 27 feet beam and is capable of carrying a very large crowd of excursionists. The hull is being built in Tate’s dry dock by Messrs. W.C. White of Ottawa and is nearing completion. She will be ready for service about June 1.
The record of the Prince of Wales is uniq ue. She began running in 1860 and ran uninterruptedly for thirty-five seasons. She never had a serious accident or breakdown, never a passenger injured of life lost. She carried on her first trip, H.R.H Prince of Wales and also carried Prince Arthur and Prince Alfred and several governors general and many notable personages. It is estimated that she has steamed 530,000 miles and has run the Lachine rapids 1,800 and for thirty years in succession was commanded by one mast, Capt. Wm. Shepherd.
