Aug. 12, 1992

25 Years Ago

Seventeenth annual Steam and Gas Show weathers wet weekend: The rainy weather that has plagued every weekend event this summer took its toll on the 1992 Pontiac Steam and Gas Show.
This year’s show was combined with the music of Don McCredie’s River View North Jamboree and was held on McCredie’s site just outside of Norway Bay.
With the help of Dr. Grant Rogers, organizers had cut and stooked a supply of grain, hoping to have it threshed by steam power but Saturday’s downpours made the grain too wet to thresh, even on Sunday.

There were three steam engines on the site this year, plus more tractors than at previous shows.
Tornado at Sheen: A tornado touched down between Sheenboro and Fort William Monday night causing an estimated $300,000 damage to property and vehicles and knocking the power out.
“It was quite serious,” said Andrew Perrault. “We had to cut our way home from a council meeting in Sheenboro because there were so many trees across the road.
“The guys were out until three o’clock in the morning cutting trees out of the road,” said Kathy Montgomery of Sheenboro.
Apparently the twister bounced around instead of clearing a clean path.

Aug. 17, 1967

50 Years Ago

Premier Stanfield in Pontiac County: Nova Scotia Premier Robert Stanfield visited Pontiac County on his way from Pembroke to Ottawa on Tuesday by crossing over on the Allumette Island bridge, stopping for coffee at Saunders Half Way House in Bryson and returning by the Portage du Fort bridge.
At Bryson Mr. Stanfield and his five car entourage were joined for refreshments by Glen Saunders, his son-in-law John Grund, Edgar Allard, Tom Burrows and Vezina Herrault of Mansfield.
Keen competition in annual rodeo: Western riders from Montreal, Westport, Athens, Gatineau, Stittsville, Fitzroy Harbour, Brockville, Carlsbad Springs, East Templeton, Ramsayville and the Shawville area took part in the Centennial Rodeo held at the Diamond T Ranch by the Shawville Pony and Saddle Club on Sunday.
Preparation of the rodeo ring has been a project of some of the Pony Club parents, particularly Phil Thompson, Ken Cruikshank, Earl Bean, Roly McDougall, Neil Hodgins, Ken Belsher, Clive Smart and Claude Young with assistance of others including Harry Cole and young Fred Dale.
Western Horse Association members and many other keen riders demonstrated bare back bronc riding in the first event after the grand entry which in itself was a rare spectacle for the fans, showing all the competitors on their horses in the ring at one time, carrying flags and banners of their various organizations.

Aug. 20, 1942

75 Years Ago

Local News: Shawville Fair which is taking place Sept. 17,18, and 19 will receive its regular provincial grant and has been promised a special grant of $200 for certain purposes. The officers of the fair are very grateful for the promise of these grants and are looking forward to another successful fair.
A special mobile recruiting unit of the Canadian Air Force will be at Hynes’ Hall in Shawville on Thursday. Young men are needed for air crew and all skilled trades and the Women’s Division needs young ladies in all trades but particularly clerks and as dental assistants.
Shawville High School and all rural schools in the townships of Clarendon will reopen on Sept. 1.
Where will the red army make its last stand to stop Nazis? Joseph Stalin called on the Red Army for a desperate stand against the advancing Wehrmacht, says the New York Times. He gave notice to his 190,000,000 countrymen that their nation had never faced a graver moment, not even in a past that has been scourged by invaders.
In manpower, the Russians have a great advantage over the Axis and their satellites. The Russian armies can retreat and resist over a distance of several thousand miles. Russia can put into the field trained armies of 10,000,000 and 20,000,000 soldiers without affecting its war industry or agriculture.
Germany wants to cut off the oil from the powerful Russian war machine and put out of combat those tanks and airplanes upon which everything depends now and which already have dealt most severe blows at the enemy.

Aug. 23, 1917

100 Years Ago

Local News: Tuesday night last witnessed one of the most terrific thunderstorms that has visited this section for many years. The evidences that a storm was brewing were apparent all evening but it was nearly nine o’clock before the first raindrops began to patter upon the roofs of the houses. Only the fringe of this installment touched Shawville. It swept around the western sky towards north and working east developed much intensity in that quarter. The lightning flashes were almost incessant and blinding in their vividness. There was a terrific electrical bombardment which came on about midnight. The western horizon became suddenly aglare with a dull red light which was unmistakable and it soon became evident that some farmer’s buildings were being rapidly demolished by fire as one result of the storm’s fury. The next morning it became known that James McDowell had lost a large barn full of hay. From other portions of the district reports have been coming in of the storm’s effects. Mr. J.A. Telford of Moorehead section had a couple of cows killed.
Pte. Bennie Smith, who has recently arrived from England was invalided to
England several months ago, suffering from a disease designated as “trench feet”, which is brought on by long contact with the water and mud which the soldiers have to endure when the trenches happen to be in low-lying country. Some of our Canadian troops, in fact the majority of the infantry had to put up with this condition of things for months.

Aug. 25, 1892

125 Years Ago

Local news: Dr. A.G. Purvis of Portage du Fort, an old resident of the place and a gentleman well known throughout the county, died at his residence on Wednesday morning. During the spring, the deceased passed through a very grave illness but it was thought the danger was over till a short time preceding his death.
Messrs. Jas. Hodgins and Son are having their elevator at the railway station underpinned with stone.
Huntington, Que. has a woman name Mrs. McNair whose age is stated to be 110 years. She is hale and hearty.
A number of Arnprior people have been spending a couple of weeks camping at Sand Bay, Clarendon Front.
Mr. Thomas Lunam, agent for Gillies Bros. came up by train on Thursday last with a gang of 30 men for the firms’ shanties on the Coulonge, which have been in operation for some weeks past.
Miss Amelia, aged 23 years, daughter of Mr. John Hedley of Torbolton, died a few days ago from taking a glass of ice water while she was in an overheated condition. She lived about 6 hours after taking the water, during which time all that medical skill could do was performed in endeavouring to save her life.
Last April, a cow belonging to Thomas Dempster gave birth to a calf. In due course the calf was weaned and is still living and thriving. After a few weeks the cow failed in her flow of milk, so much so that she was turned out. Last week the cow gave birth to another calf. Mr. Dempster maintains that, unnatural as it may appear, the cow produced one calf in April and another one in July.