June 2, 1993

25 Years Ago

Hydro Pontiac project underway: Nearly 100 guests were invited to the May 31 sod-turning ceremony put on by Kiewit Enterprises, the construction company in charge of building the Hydro Pontiac project at the Coulonge Chutes.
Since March, the company has been building access roads to the lower end of the canyon at the base of the Chutes. There they have also been digging a tunnel which will run for 600 metres through rock, to divert water from the river above the falls.
The water will fall 42 metres as it passes through the tunnel, turning two turbines in the powerhouse below and producing 16.2 megawatts of power.
The operation is expected to go online in a year from now. It will supply electricity to the Hydro Quebec system.
First annual Onslow Fun Fair: Onslow Elementary School in Quyon held its first Fun Fair on Friday, May 28 on the school grounds.
In spite of the miserable weather, Principal Nancy Alexander is pleased with the support it received. Proceeds are earmarked for various projects, such as planting shade trees at the back of the school and installing benches.
The Quyon Fire Department operated the BBQ, the Shawville and District Kinsmen offered their dunk tank.

June 6, 1968

50 Years Ago
Sod turning for new curling rink: On Wednesday June 12 at 1 p.m. at the site of the previous curling rink, the official sod turning of the new three sheet rink took place.
The club executive and the construction committee have been active and tenders will soon be called for the laying of the foundation and blocks.
Club members are expected to take it from there and do most of the work themselves.
Invitations will be sent to as many charter members as possible, local dignitaries and members are requested to attend this history making event.
Shawville Pony Club: Thirteen boys and girls took part in the trail ride last week which was led by Janice Young in the absence of Fred Dale. This week’s meeting will be at the pony club ring and will be under the direction of Neil Hodgins, vice-president of the club. The games will begin at ten thirty.

June 10, 1943

75 Years Ago
Local News: W.O. 2 Ebert Horner, Cpl. James Allan and Pte. James Richardson of Ottawa, spent the weekend with their friends and relatives in town and vicinity.
Miss Elaine Carson, student of Shawville High School who becomes a farmerette on Saturdays at her father’s farm in Austin section, came into this office on Tuesday with a white field mouse, which she killed while helping her father, Mr. Crawford Carson, at disc harrowing.
Two French policemen marched more than a dozen laughing, shouting, waving Axis soldiers through Tunis on the way to prison camp after their capture in Allied clean-up of Tunisia. The soldiers like it fine.
Allied planes moved 12,000 casualties from forward stations to base hospitals during the Tunisian campaign, saving them days of ground transportation.
An officer on Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s staff said sickness among United States and British troops has been low due to close cooperation between British and American medical units.
Keen-eyed veterans of the Royal Canadian Navy, some of whom have heard their shots rattle off the steel sides of enemy submarines on the Atlantic, will this year become crewmen of lake freighters for the first time in history.
Each of the lakers that finds its way through waters designated by the navy as a combat zone, will carry stern guns for protection against lurking U-boats and blue middied gunners who know how to handle them will be on duty 24 hours a day.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt and their military advisers were surveying future Allied plans. Hints of their decision were seen in the action on the fighting fronts in both the Eastern and Western theatres of war. In the East, American troops wrestled control of strategic Attu Island in the North Pacific from the Japanese.

June 6, 1918

100 Years Ago
Local News: Capt. F.C. Smyth who expected to go overseas last month met with disappointment in that respect, having been “kneed” out of the opportunity by the medical board. He has, therefore discarded the khaki and intends reverting to civilian pursuits.
A letter from Mr. Herbert Cuthbertson who went west a few weeks ago for the benefit of his health, having been recommended to seek outdoor employment, says that a heavy snow storm visited the section in which he is located on May 20.
Ad: Mr. George W. Pingle, the well-known piano and organ tuner will be in town soon for town and country work. Leave your order at THE EQUITY office or Pontiac House. High grade pianos and phonographs for sale at very reasonable prices.
During the past week, the Huns were reported to be using their long-range cannon to bombard the French towns far behind the lines and their aircraft to destroy the allied field hospitals in which many wounded are treated before they are sent to the rear. Two British hospitals and one American have undergone this fiendish ordeal with the result that many wounded soldiers, some of the nurses and other attendants have been done to death.

June 8, 1893

125 Years Ago
Local news: A grand Scottish gathering is announced to take place at Arnprior on Dominion Day.
At the May session of the village council two very weighty petitions, praying for the construction of sidewalks in two sections of the corporation were presented.
Two of our young men are talking about walking to Vancouver.
Saturday was the warmest day we have had for some time in Thornby.
Captain A.C. Davis of Quyon has his new ferry boat nearly ready for business. It is about 43 feet long by 22 feet wide and will be worked by horse power.
Mr. Paul McNally of Campbell’s Bay was in town on Monday on business in connection with the Pontiac Telephone Co., the poles for which are now up between this village and Bryson.
The mail bag which was lost off the Bryson stage on the 24th was found by Mr. John Clarke a few yards from the road not far from Mr. J. Paul’s. The bag was slit open and left with its contents.
Francis Gauthier died near St. Charles, Que., at the age of 114 years.
A “pea shell man” who accompanied the circus which visited Arnprior last week, is said to have fleeced the people out of a cool thousand dollars. The ease with which people allow themselves to be duped is truly astounding.
Cholera (not Asiatic) is raging around in Leslie at present. There are quite a number laid up.
The Pickanock drives have not reached their destination yet. We hope they will soon be through as we expect to have a jolly time when the young men get home.
It is reported that several marriages are to take place in this neighbourhood in the near future. We hope they may have as happy a time after the knot is tied as they have in preparing for the occasion.
A very sad accident occurred in Waltham which resulted in the death of the son of Mr. Watt. From what can be learned, it seems the little fellow was seated on a roller when the horses started suddenly, causing him to fall under the roller, which passed over him, killing him instantly. Deceased was a bright little boy of 13 years of age and gave promise of noble manhood.
A neighbour got a scare on the 24th when he was leisurely sitting enjoying a pipe of toback when he suddenly saw what he thought to be a sheet of flame rise from the roof of Mr. Newham’s store. He made all possible haste to the spot, shouting fire at the top of his voice, but when he arrived there, found that the cause was only fireworks that the boys had got out to celebrate the 24th. They had quite a demonstration and after the last ball had burnt out, the National Anthem was sung and all retreated from the field in good order.
Two young ladies in Waltham narrowly escaped being drowned on Sunday evening while in the act of crossing Black River on the logs. Young ladies, take a friend’s advice and be more prudent in the future, especially you who have been accustomed to walking on sidewalks only.
With today’s issue, THE EQUITY completed its tenth year of publication.