Oct. 28, 1992

25 Years Ago

PM one of 74 per cent who voted Yes in Pontiac: Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and his wife Mila were greeted by a small group of Luskville residents when they arrived to cast their referendum votes at the Notre Dame de la Joie polling station.
In Monday’s referendum, Pontiac had the double distinction of being one of the strongest ridings in the country for the yes vote as well as being the riding in which the Prime Minister voted. Because Mulroney registered his Harrington Lake estate as his domicile, his voting station fell in this lower Pontiac poll. Before a fusillade of flashbulbs, the Prime Minister deposited his ballot, firing his final shot in what may prove to be the last great battle of his political career.

Hortons launches camp in style: The Tim Horton Children’s Foundation held a grand-scale sod turning ceremony on Oct. 21 at the site of their future Pontiac Bay Camp in the Municipality of Pontiac.
The construction of the new summer camp for underprivilaged children will bring to four the number of camps that the foundation has built in Canada to provide less fortunate children with an unforgettable summer experience.
Tim Hortons spared no expense in celebrating the event. With an impressive line-up of dignitaries, plus a lavish spread of food and quality entertainment, the foundation officially began work on the Pontiac Bay Camp in high style.

Nov. 2, 1967

50 Years Ago

Banking in Canada is 150 years old: The Bank of Montreal’s first Shawville branch was established on Dec. 5, 1898 as an office of the Merchants of Bank of Canada.
The two banks amalgamated in 1922 but even in 1898 when they located in rented quarters on Main Street, banking in Canada was 81 years old. It was on Nov. 3, 1817 that the first office of any bank was opened in Canada by the Bank of Montreal in the old walled city of Montreal with a staff of seven and a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That was fifty years before confederation.
When it opened for business, the Bank of Montreal also provided Canada with its first real money having engraved the special printing plates in preparation for the opening.
Its present location on Main Street in Shawville has been occupied since 1918 and has undergone periodic modernization programs there during the past half century. In this year of 1967, when Canada celebrates her 100th birthday, the B of M is proud to be celebrating its 150th.
Conolly, Pirie, Russell three best pastures in Pontiac County test: The 1967 Pasture Competition in Pontiac County is completed. The final judging reveals that Hillis Conolley’s comes closest to the ideal set-up, according to W.R. Riley and N.C. Lawson, Extensive Department judges from Macdonald College.
Conolley’s pasture turned out over 3,000 pounds of milk per acre in the first 39 days of the season.
Edwin Pirie and son were judged second place. They are also using nitrogen fertilizer t keep an excellent ten-year-old stand of bromegrass going.
Judged third was Edgar Russell’s pasture. His system of grazing control is a four way division of his pasture using electric fence.

Nov. 5, 1942

75 Years Ago

Local News: During the past week, Sgt. Douglas Horner, R.C.A.F. received a telegram from headquarters at Mountain View, Ont. which stated that he had been awarded a commission with the rank of Pilot Officer. The promotion was made in recognition of the young airman’s brilliant record in the service, having led all his classes since enlisting about eight months ago.
Mr. and Mrs. James McMillan of Bristol have received a cable from the son, Tpr. John McMillan has recently arrived in England.
New ships bring Royal Navy to pre-war strength. Two important announcements were made by the British Admiralty last week: The new 35,000 ton battleships Anson and Howe are now at sea. The ships were the last two of the King George class to be completed and their 14-inch guns are said to have an effective range greater than the 15-inch guns of earlier ships. Britain’s battle fleet again numbers 15 capital ships as it did at the start of the war.
530 Axis submarines have been sunk or damaged since the start of the war. Even this figure does not represent a grand total, for it does not include losses inflicted by Russia, France or the complete damage done by our own navy, says the New York Times.
In the last week of September, only five merchant ships were sunk in the Atlantic. Our merchant shipping is now shielded by escort in convoy, by watchers in the air and by swarms of swift small craft which we simply did not have when the war started.

Nov. 8, 1917

100 Years Ago

Missing from our files

Nov. 3, 1892,

125 Years Ago

Local news: There was a little snow here Monday morning in Elmside.
An immense mica crystal was taken out of the Crystal Mica mine in Hull township last week. It was 5 ft in thickness, 48 inches in diameter and of first-class quality.
A serious accident happened at Bonnechere Point on Saturday by which Hyacinth Callier of Arnprior was nearly killed. He is employed as a culler at McLachlin Bros. mills and was working at a point at the timber slide. He got his feet caught in the ropes and was dragged over and his leg broken. Had it not been for a man nearby who cut the rope with his axe, Callier would most certainly have had his leg torn out.
The Quebec provincial board of health has decided to take proceedings against 60 municipalities in the province which have neglected to establish local boards of health and to comply with other by-laws of the provincial board.
Mr. T. McCord a noted sportsman of this vicinity, has succeeded in trapping three bears this fall.
At the barn of Mr. Thomas Elliott on Wednesday, W.J. Hodgins thrashed with their 12 horse power threshing mill, 3 bushels of wheat per minute and 5 bushel of oats per minute. They were timed by the watch held in hand by one of the men and two others watching it.
Little Willie Campbell was badly hurt last week by falling out of an express wagon.
Des Joachims boom, Fort William boom, Allumette boom and Mellon Channel boom have all closed down for the season. The tail of the drive ran through those booms quicker this year than usual. The sweep will continue on down to Shneaux boom where there are quite a number of logs now as the tail seemed to be the heaviest part of the drive. The tow boats on Chats Lake are busy and expect to be for some time.
A gang of 20 men came up by train on Tuesday from Chelsea. They were sent up by the Gilmour Lumber Co. to work on their Picanoc limit.
Mr. Joe Hesse, the reformed gambler, drunkard and prize fighter held a series of meetings in Almonte last week.
Halloween passed off very quietly in this village.