May 19, 1993
25 Years Ago
PCH tour celebrates Hospital Day: This week is “Hospital Week” and the Pontiac Community Hospital recognized May 16 as “Hospital Day”.
Mr. Jacques Boissonneault, Head of Medical Biology Services and coordinator of Hospital Day events welcomed visitors. He then introduced Gilles Lanteigne who stated that he was very glad to have the opportunity to show off the new facility to all Pontiac residents.
A prayer was offered by Father Bridge and Rev. S. Marples. The ceremonial ribbon cutting was attended by Sylvia Poisson Hodgins, Ina Kilgour, Gwen Hayes, Joyce Hodgins, Mr. Boissonneault and Mr. Lanteigne.
Quyon Legion Branch 231 honours charter members: Branch 231 of the Royal Canadian Legion located in Quyon, recently honoured the founding members of the club.
The club, which is now more than 160 members strong, was originally started by eleven veterans from the Quyon area.
Deceased charter members are: Jamie Amm, Ronald Bottrill, Gerald Huckabone, Emmanuel Moore, Emile Renaud, Martin Smith, Bruce Ayearst, John Fox and Percy Kingsbury. Charter members still surviving are: John Lebrun and Ronald Renaud.
Charter members honoured at the recent charter night celebrations included family representatives from each of the founding members with plaques of honour being presented to each founding member or his family.
May 23, 1968
50 Years Ago
Gary Russell breaks three records at Pontiac County Track Meet: The Pontiac County Track Meet was held Friday at the Shawville Fairgrounds. The day started off cool weatherwise but the athletes were hot and during the day fifteen new records were written into the record book along with ten new ones to be recorded for the new Bantam Division.
Several strong relay teams were put together and they alone accounted for six records. Gary Russell added his name three more times to the junior division honour roll as he set new marks in the high jump with a leap of five feet, one half inch and the softball and discus throw.
One of the most remarkable records was a jump of 4’ 8” by Marsha Steinke in the intermediate girls high jump.
In the new Bantam division, Joey Frazer of Onslow dominated the two running events with good times and tied with Ricky Young of the Yellow House for top individual honours in this class.
In the Bantam girls: 60 yd. dash, Sue Garrison, Carol Lang, Sharon Jean-Marie, Marie Miliken (Onslow) and Donna MacKechnie (Onslow).
Piano recital at Fort Coulonge: Piano pupils of Miss Anne Fumerton presented their annual recital at her residence on May 17 with a large number of parents and friends attending. The program included solos, duets and trios played by Sharon Bertrand, Janet Mousseau, Heather Woito, Doreen Miron, Francine Francoeur, Maureen Lacroix, Kim Graveline and Denise Sicard.
All pupils were complimented on their fine showing. Appreciation and thanks was extended to the teacher and pupils by Mrs. Ira Whelan and Mrs. May Amyotte. Mrs. Fumerton in turn thanked the ladies and welcomed all.
May 27, 1943
75 Years Ago
Local News: Mr. O’Connor of Ottawa who has been running a picture show in Theatre Hall on different nights of each week for the past month, announces that he will continue with a showing of high class films each Wednesday night.
The Bingo Party held at Shawville Theatre on Friday night and sponsored by the Women’s Institute was highly successful. There was a good attendance and some players won very worthwhile prizes.
Proceeds, which exceeded expectations, will provide gift boxes for soldiers and airmen from this district who are serving overseas.
At the moment that Prime Minister Churchill was arriving in Washington last week to see the President, the Berlin radio said that Mr. Churchill was “attending a huge conference” in the Middle East, perhaps with Mr. Roosevelt. The Axis is distrait. The last time the two leaders talked together was at Casablanca, says the New York Times.
Since then the Axis has been beaten to pieces in Africa. Times have changed since Mr. Churchill, then too, in Washington, received the news of the fall of Tobruk in June, 1942. Adversity doesn’t seem to affect Adolf Hitler the way it does Winston Churchill. Never was there a sprightlier, more eloquent statesman than Mr. Churchill during the months after Dunkerque. Never was there a sadder one than Herr Hitler at this moment.
May 30, 1918
100 Years Ago
Local News: Mr. J.L. Hodgins last week purchased a fine standard-bred trotting stallion sired by Larabie the Great.
Two million feet of lumber were destroyed by fire in the McLachlin Bros. lumber yard Tuesday, valued at one hundred thousand dollars. Fortunately the wind was blowing from a favourable direction, otherwise it is likely the loss would have been very heavy.
Cadet Frank Armstrong of the Royal Flying Corps has been spending a day or two with his relatives at Green Lake. Frank has not developed any wings as yet, although he has had the experience of soaring among the clouds.
The farmers of the neighbourhood seem to be taking kindly to the idea of having a creamery within easy reach, judging from the number of patrons which our enterprising friend Alex Brough has already secured. Things at the factory are going on satisfactorily and all will soon be in A-1 shape. The first churning of butter was put through on Thursday last, an event, it seems to us, of some importance in the town’s history.
The body of Neil McLellan, assistant government slide master here for 20 years, who was drowned last April at the Mill Bridge while at work was recovered at Quyon boom by the boom foreman. The body was found eight miles from the place where the drowning occurred. Interment is to be made in the Arnprior cemetery.
Ad: A big drive is on for stenographers. For the past year, the Civil Service Commission has been scouring the country for competent stenographers. On Feb. 16, every branch of the service was placed under the commission which means that the demands are now doubled. Gowling Business College in Ottawa make a specialty of preparing candidates for these examinations.
May 25, 1893
125 Years Ago
Local news: Some of the boys went down to Ottawa on Tuesday and Wednesday to spend the Queen’s birthday.
Mr. George Reid of Bristol Corners has started to run a ferry boat between Bristol wharf and Sand Point, connecting with trains going east every day (Sundays excepted).
Mr. Robt. Clarke of Ottawa, who recently purchased the grist mill here, came up on Wednesday evening to see the wreck caused by the flood. On Thursday he arranged to have the work of rebuilding the dam and filling the washout commenced at once.
William McCoy was blown to pieces in the mixing room of the Dominion Cartridge Company at Brownburg, Lachute.
On Friday night, Mr. John Connelly of the 7th line had his stable destroyed by fire with his team of horses. It seems he left the lantern hanging in the stable until he went to another building for something and during the time of his absence he surmises the horses knocked the lantern down as upon his return the interior of the stable was all ablaze. Mr. Connelly did his utmost to get the horses out of the burning building but they obstinately refused to move and at length he was obliged to abandon them to the flames. Much sympathy is expressed for Mr. Connelly and his team at this particularly busy time of year.
Mr. T. McCord captured a very large eagle a few days ago. It measured seven feet across the wings. Tom has been very successful this year in hunting, having killed 24 foxes, three bears and a number of mink.
The boys of the village are going in for baseball this year. A club is being organized.
