25 Years Ago – July 28, 1999
Sludge stench fouls moods of Wesley Road residents: A pile of sludge in Clarendon is creating a smell similar to that of dead carcasses and nearby residents have had enough.
“I’ve never smelled anything so bad and I’m 61 years old,” says Jack Harris, who lives about one kilometer from the 2,400-metric-tonne pile. “We drove to look at it, but the smell was so bad there was no way we could’ve gotten out of the van,” said Harris.
The sludge, biosolids from the Maclaren pulp mill in Thurso, has been piled in two fields on the 11th line since early June. Heat and humidity have caused the waste to ferment, producing the foul odor. Normally, the waste is spread on fields upon delivery, but the Ministry of Environment thought it would be ok in piles.
“We have authorized some projects to pile it first, then spread it,” says Daniel Dubuc, an environmental engineer with the ministry. “But, we see now it doesn’t work so well.”
The biosolids, used to increase organic matter, particularly in sandy soil, will be spread as soon as the oats crop is harvested, Dubuc says.
Stanworth benefit a hit despite nasty weather: It was a dark and stormy night, but the nasty weather didn’t deter about 170 people from passing through the River View Inn banquet hall in Norway Bay.
The hearty souls braved the lightning and heavy rain Saturday to attend the benefit party for Paul “The Painter” Stanworth, who fell from the roof of a two-story house in Shawville June 21 after he suffered a severe electrical shock. The benefit raised over $2,000 for the well-liked painter.
Stanworth was painting the roof when his ladder touched some hydro wires carrying 14,000 volts of electricity. Though he suffered first, second and third-degree burns to his arms and torso, Stanworth escaped with no broken bones.
“My body going limp and falling on grass probably helped,” Stanworth says.
After spending three weeks in bed, Stanworth is slowly restoring his energy level and is looking forward to a return to his routine.
“I’m moving slow,” he says. “I’m anxious to be back to work. I’m doing a little bit every day without pushing myself.”
River View Inn owner and benefit organizer Don McCredie says donations began coming in before the party began.
50 Years Ago – July 31, 1974
Yvon Plouffe wins feature race with Yankee Mirage at Driving Club farm: A large crowd, perfect weather and close finishes combined to make the annual Shawville Driving Club’s afternoon harness races the best ever.
The Connaught Park and CTA co-sponsored feature race was won by “Yankee Mirage” owned and driven by Yvon Plouffe of Angers, Que.
The winner was timed in 2.09 and 4, the last half in a speedy 1.02 and 4. Second by a length was “Keystone Goliath” owned by Dr. Frank Cowley, Ray Robin and Dr. Roly Armitage. “Goliath” was driven by Jean Paul Charron.
The president of the Canadian Trotting Association, Dr. R. Armitage, drove his son Donald’s “Belle Bluecrest” to a close third place finish. Roly is also a member and past president of Shawville Driving Club.
Wally Bretzlaff’s burned to the ground: Everybody in Ladysmith and for miles around was awakened very early Friday morning when an explosion occurred in the warehouse connected to Wallace Bretzlaff’s general store. The fire which followed destroyed the entire store, warehouse and dwelling of the Bretzlaff’s including four snowmobiles, tractor, jeep and automobile but five fire departments were able to contain the blaze and thus save the town.
Coming to help the local Thorne Fire Department were five fighters from Otter Lake, Campbell’s Bay, Shawville and The Hilton Mines.
The fire of unknown origin, destroyed the Four Seasons store and only several pieces of furniture and smaller articles were saved.
The building was built in about 1914 by Alfred Bretzlaff who operated it for a number of years. It was now owned and operated by Wally and Gerda Bretzlaff and had been recently modernized and enlarged and was Ladysmiths main shopping center.
75 Years Ago – Aug. 4, 1949
Missing from our files
100 Years Ago – July 24, 1924
Local News: The social at Starks Corners held on July 10th despite the unusually cold evening, was a very satisfactory affair. The number in attendance was large and the supper up to the high standard set by the ladies of this congregation.
Still nothing new to report so far as the fortunes of Shawville baseball team is concerned but the witnessing of a real good game of ball fell to the lot of those who attended the exhibition grounds on Friday evening last between the locals and the Frazer-Brace outfit who fell before the Shawville boys in a match at the Calumet on Dominion Day. This time the tables were reversed, the visitors winning out by the close score of 5-3 in the full 9 innings which indicates that pretty snappy ball was dished up throughout.
Montreal claims the credit for having exported more grain last year than any other port on the continent: over one hundred twenty million bushels.
In fulfillment of a request from the City of Ottawa, the city of Louvain is sending to Canada stones from the ruins of the Louvain Library and other historic buildings for use in a war memorial to Canadians who fell in France and Belgium.
Ad: Coming! Bert W.A. Johnston and Co.’s The Big Magic and Vaudeville Show will play in Wilson’s Hall, Shawville July 28 and 29. Company carries own orchestra.
Children 25 cents; Adults 50 cents. Everybody come!
Ad: Hot weather specials: men’s shirts with turn-down collars, in all the newest popular shades. Men’s all-wool bathing suits, first quality, in several different shades and combination colours. Big range to choose from and specially priced at $3.25 each.
Hot weather grey flannel trousers. The real thing for outing or dress wear, finished to your requirements at $5.00 per pair. Men’s wear/boy’s wear: J.B. Dover.
125 Years Ago – Aug. 3, 1899
Local News: Six of our village boys, namely A. Morrison, Reggie and Harold Hodgins, E. Lang, Alfie Knox and Alex Smith have gone into camp at Norway Bay this week. Some big fish stories may be looked for.
Work has commenced on the construction of the new road from Bryson towards Campbell’s Bay along the Ottawa river bank, Mr. R. McRitchie having broken ground last week with the aid of a “bee”. The new road has been long talked of, and will do a great deal to facilitate travel between the points mentioned, as two long, tedious hills will be avoided by its construction.
Take in the excursion to Wakefield on Monday next. A delightful trip for $1.10 from Shawville. regular train goes through to Wakefield and return.
“The Tattler,” a newsy little four page weekly paper is the latest arrival in the Ottawa Valley newspaper world and comes from Fort William, Que., a pretty summer resort on the Ottawa. Mr. Gordon Rogers, Miss Ida and Mabel Poupore of Ottawa are the editors and the headquarters are “Tattle Office,” Hotel Pontiac, Fort William, Que.
The Bourman Bros. of Arnprior, one of whom it will be remembered had charge of the Steamer Janet Craig for a summer or two, are believed to be among those who died from scurvy in the Yukon.
The steamer “J.L. Murphy” has been docked at Portage du Fort in consequence of insufficient work to keep the two steamers on Chats Lake engaged for the balance of the season.
Little Beulah Buchan, the six-year-old daughter of John Buchan, was drowned in an unused well on her father’s premises last Thursday.
The little one was playing about the yard when her father missed her about 4:30 and started out to look for her.
When the thought came to him that she might have fallen into the well, he proceeded to it, his worst fears were verified.
She had been in the water about thirty minutes and all attempts to revive her were fruitless. The well, being unused, is covered but it is surmised that the child forced off the lid and fell in.
This is the second fatality that has occurred in the family within a year. Last summer Fred, an older son, was killed in Bailey’s sawmill under distressing circumstances.
Mr. Robert Gordon of Westmeath, On. served in the Kentucky infantry during the American Civil War. The pension department at Washington has at last recognized his services and will give him two year’s back pay and $10 per month during the remainder of his life.
