Feb. 5, 1997

25 Years Ago

Fire destroys stables: Firefighters were called to a fire on the Quyon fairgrounds around 3 pm on Sunday. A 10-stall race horse stable at the east end of the fairgrounds was completely destroyed. Cause of the fire is still being investigated by the MRC des Collines Police.

Fair board member Jack Graham says the board is “disappointed that this would happen,” but that it will not severely hamper plans for the 1997 fair. Since harness racing was discontinued at the fair, the building had been used mostly for storage. At the time of the fire it contained snow fence and used tires. Graham guesses the stable was 60 to 70 years old.

Retired QPF officer offers to set up 911: Retired QPF officer Marcel Gosselin would like to . . .

set up a county-wide 911 system in Pontiac.

Gosselin made a pitch to the mayors at the Jan. 27 MRC meeting, saying that all Telebec subscribers could be hooked into a local system by December.

Bell has said it would be ready to offer its subscribers 911 service by May of 1998.

Municipalities that don’t wish to use the service can opt out. “It doesn’t have to be unanimous,” Gosselin assured the mayors.

Feb. 9, 1972

50 Years Ago

Car flipped trying to avoid collision: Information has come to us this week on the accident in which a car driven by a Bristol man overturned on Highway 8 last week.

The man was headed east on Highway 8 near Shawville and passing over a rise in the road, found a small car traveling slowly and with no tail lights, right in front of him.

At the same time there was a car heading west in the westbound lane. He tried to stop his car but due to the slippery condition of the road, (it was snowing at the time), he would have been unable to stop before hitting the car he was overtaking.

He therefore moved onto the shoulder of the road where his right hand wheel caught on the icy crust. In attempting to correct the situation, the car flipped and came to rest upside down in the ditch, traveling only four feet in the process. Neither the driver nor either of his two passengers was injured in the upset.

Potato cheques mailed: The first cheques for potato farmers are now being processed in Ottawa, Agriculture Minister H.A. Olson announced.

The cheques are the initial payment under the Agricultural Stabilization Board’s offer to purchase potatoes for $1.50 a hundred weight.

Prices have already started to recover in parts of the maritimes, particularly New Brunswick where prices were the lowest when the program was announced.

Under the program, the board is offering to purchase up to 1,333 hundred weight per farmer for $1.50 per hundred weight, Canada no. 1 grade in bags.

Farmers receive half the purchase price as soon as their application form is processed and the other half will be forwarded at the end of the program.

Feb. 20, 1947

75 Years Ago

Local news: The home and tea room of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Stark on Victoria Avenue was considerably damaged on Thursday afternoon when fire broke out on the second floor of the building. Mrs. Stark who was on the ground floor heard something fall upstairs and on investigation found the rooms in flames. She immediately gave the fire alarm and quick response on the part of local firefighters prevented the building from being a total loss. The exact cause of the fire is not known, as there was no fire or pipes in the part of the house where fire seemed to have started.

Bryson knocked out Shawville Legionnaires in the second game of the semi-finals at Shawville arena on Tuesday night when they won by a score of 4 to 2. Shawville Legionnaires defeated Campbell’s Bay on Friday night by a score of 6 to 5.

The moving picture film “On Which we Build”, a second film in colour released to commemorate the centennial of the passing of the Quebec Education Act of 1846 is being shown in Wilson’s Hall.

Between 50,000 and 60,000 immigrants are due in Canada via the port of Quebec during the next season, it was learned recently from a reliable source.

Housewives can forget their ration books when they go out Monday to try to buy maple sugar or maple syrup which gives zest to porridge and pancakes at breakfast. The price board announced that all maple products will be removed from rationed preserves and no longer will be subject to ration regulations.

Ad: Spring will be busting out in hats: Straws will be colourful this year, say 1947 presentations of the New York millinery industry. Some of the styles, a pixie-crowned creation of rough natural straw laced with black velvet and tipped with feather flowers, also an open crowned bonnet trimmed with black and white striped taffeta.

Feb. 2, 1922

100 Years Ago

Local news: We understand that Mr. P.E. Smiley has disposed of his boot and shoe business in town to Messrs. George Eades and Cyril Dale, two young men of the community who being widely known and well-thought-of, should make a success of the business.

Another business change in town is the purchase of Ford McMillan’s meat shop by Clifton Woodley. Mr. McMillan left town on Monday for Finch, Ont. where he will take over the meat business conducted for some years by his uncle.

A note from Mr. Isaac McLellan of Foxwarren says so far they were having a fine winter weather out there, only 6 or 8 inches of snow, just enough for good sleighing. Isaac adds that the “Bristol colony are all fine.”

The fifth league match featured at Campbell’s Bay on Monday night added another to Shawville’s unbroken string of victories, the score standing 4-2 in favour of the visitors. The home team was weakened by the absence of C. Bolain, W. Bennett and H.A. McInis of Portage du Fort.

Shawville Junior hockey team went down to defeat at Campbell’s Bay on Wednesday evening before a team in that town which had something over the visitors in age and vigour.

The youngsters succeeded in netting one goal only, while their opponents ran in a string of five but the Shawville sextet expect to square up matters when the Bay come down here for the return match. Leo Gauthier acted as referee in a satisfactory manner.

Feb. 4,1897

125 Years Ago

Local News: A jolly sleigh-load of Portage du Fort boys and girls attended the rink here on Thursday evening last.

Messrs. W.G. LeRoy of Bryson and P. McNallly of Campbell’s Bay were in town on Monday on telephone business. We understand they arranged with Mr. G.F. Hodgins to retain the central exchange office until March 1, by which time arrangements will be made for its removal to other quarters.

The principal merchant of this town have entered into an agreement to close their stores every evening except Saturday at the hour of eight o’clock. This move is made in order to give the employees time for some much needed recreation. By keeping this well in mind, our outlying readers may save themselves the trouble of making trips to the village in the expectation of doing business at an hour when the places they are accustomed to deal at will be closed up.

The board of directors of Agricultural Society No. 1 held a meeting here on Saturday at which the proposed extension of the society’s ground formed the chief matter for consideration. Since the additional piece of land in rear of the old grounds has been secured from Mr. Jas. L. Shaw, it has become evident to most of the directors that an appreciable improvement could be made in the shape of the grounds, by acquiring a still further strip of land along the west side of the plot, thus increasing it in width and at the same time making it more proportionate. It is proposed that a row of village lots be sold off the front part of the grounds, or exchanged with Mr. Shaw in lieu of the additional strip of land required for widening them. The society intend having their enlarged premises in readiness for next exhibition. Go on gentlemen, you are doing well.