Mar. 27,1996

25 Years Ago

Agri-Bus brings farm to kids: The first-ever Agri-Bus was unveiled at the Shawville fairgrounds last Thursday in front of about 40 farmers, educators and supporters.

The bus, actually a semi-trailer, will be a classroom on wheels, educating students on agriculture.

“This will unite the rural and urban communities,” said MAPAQ’s Vince McConnell before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“And this is very important because there are fewer farmers. People are losing touch with how food is actually produced.”

The Agri-Bus’ first official showing will be . . .

this week when it takes part in the Ottawa Valley Farm Show at Lansdowne Park.

Waltham UFO still unsolved mystery: “UFO Special” was the featured dish at the O.K. Corral in Waltham Friday. “It’s U.F.F. – unidentified fried food,” joked the waitress.

But for seven employees of the Waltham Dry Kilns lumberyard, whatever they saw in the sky March 19 was no joke.

“It was a UFO,” says employee Luc Fortin. “It doesn’t mean it came from another planet. It just means it was an unidentified flying object.”

Hector Brochu was the first to see the silver, star-shaped object about 45 centimeters in diameter fly through the air that Tuesday morning around 9:30 a.m.

CFB Petawawa says it didn’t come from them and Environment Canada has no explanation.

Mar. 31,1971

50 Years Ago

Vice principal appointed for Pontiac High School: The Protestant Regional School Board of the Ottawa Valley announces the appointment of Mr. David Conrod, B.A., B.Ed., as vice-principal of Pontiac Protestant High School.

Mr. Conrod received his B.A. in history from Dalhousie University at Halifax in 1961 and his B. Ed from the same university a year later.

Six-horse show harness: The only people we know of in Canada who manufacture six horse hitches are Gordon and Walter Smith of Shawville. At Smith’s Harness Shop on King Street they have just completed this all-chromed show harness which they will be offering for sale at the Belgian Breeders Association sale in April at Lindsay, Ont.

Each year when the Smiths arrive at this sale, they are surrounded by excited and curious prospective buyers.

Mar. 28,1946

75 Years Ago

Local News: The congregation of Shawville United Church held an enjoyable “Welcome Home” gathering in the Sunday school room of the church on Friday evening. The room was filled to capacity and about 40 of the returned or discharged members of the armed forces were present for the occasion. Of the 120 on the honour roll of the church, a dozen are from Zion congregation, some are still overseas and others having returned, are making their homes in other communities. Rev. A.F. Fokes was in the chair and opened the meeting with prayer. and an enjoyable musical programme was given. At the close of the meeting a minute of silence was observed.

While making his last trip before becoming cage boss, Guy Ladouceur of Campbell’s Bay, 34-year-old cage tender at new Calumet Mines Ltd., Calumet Island, was killed when struck in the neck by a piece of flying steel. Another occupant of the cage, Cecil Morin, Fort Coulonge, received a broken ankle.

Teachers wanted: two protestant school teachers for elementary schools in the township of Leslie for the 1946-47 term. Also six qualified teachers needed for the protestant schools of the township of Bristol are needed. Salary: $100 per month.

Discussion as to how we got through the frost holes or how we should have got through played its full share in the evening’s discussion at the farm forum. Since there were bad holes on the line both sides of the Horner home, everybody had a share in this conversation. However, according to the present reports, everybody got home.

Mar. 24,1921

100 Years Ago

Local News: Quite a number of people discarded runners for wheels early last week, the sleighing became so tough, but another snowfall on Thursday delayed the break up for a few days and made the going good. But with a heavy rain following again, stripped the earth of its fleecy mantle.

A very pleasant evening was spent at the home of Mr. T. Dale of Greermount taking the form of a surprise party. A large gathering met at the house with their baskets of good things for the table. Parlour games were enjoyed and everybody had lots of good fun. Refreshments were served by the ladies and a presentation was made to Mr. Dale and Miss Hazel Dale on account of their leaving Greermount.

To our Canadian currency is likely to be added shortly, a pure nickel 5-cent piece which will be about the size of the new one cent piece.

In the railway wreck near North Bay last week, we learn that Mr. Jas. R. Horner was one of the passengers who was injured. It is said the accident barely missed being much more serious than it was.

Notes from county council minutes: regular quarterly session held at Campbell’s Bay. Motion – Sloan and Poupore that $100 be voted this year to the 3 agricultural societies: No. 1 at Shawville, No. 2 at Chapeau and No. A-2 at Quyon $300 in all.

A communication from the Dept. of Municipal Affairs, Quebec re: the annexation of part of the township of church to the township of Dorion was read but no objection noted.

Councillor Labelle gave verbal notice that at next session a by-law will be introduced to fix an indemnity to the warden, members and delegates of this council for their travelling expenses and board.

Councillor Moodie filed a written request for copies of all transactions in connection with the arrest of one Charonn in Leslie by the sherriff and a full report of all receipt and expenditure in the matter.

Mar. 26,1896

125 Years Ago

Local News: Tucker and Hodge’s saw mill at Westmeath was burned down on Tuesday night. The loss is over $2,000 and we have not heard what the insurance was.

The storm of Thursday night and Friday was the means of completely dead locking the traffic on the P.P.J.R. on the last named day. The train coming east in the morning got as far as “Clarke’s Cut” about 7 miles west of here and there met with such terrible drifts that further progress was out of the question. The snow plough came up from Aylmer and succeeded in releasing the drift bound train which returned to Campbell’s Bay.

Returning from the carnival at Bristol Corners on Tuesday evening last week, the boys said it was great and from what we learn from all sources there seems no ground to doubt the accuracy of the statement. The turnout, especially of spectators was exceptionally large and was made up of young people from Quyon, Shawville, Sand Point, Braeside, in addition to a good assemblage from the surrounding neighbourhood. A hockey match was played between improvised teams of the Bristol boys and thoroughly enjoyed.

One hundred and fifty Ontario farmers and families started for the Northwest from Toronto Tuesday last.

The bill of the P.P.J.R. company asking for an extension of time passed through the committee stage on Tuesday last which means that Mr. Beemer has succeeded in carrying his point, despite the opposition that has been projected. The bill gives power to extend the railway from Waltham to Sault Ste. Marie and also to build a branch line in a north westerly direction from Waltham to a point in the province of Quebec as well s to extend the road to the city of Ottawa. The bill also has power to build bridges of the Ottawa River at Alllumette Island.

When the morning train going east reached Shawville, it had on board the first contingent or advance guard of the local Liberal element. Its number was below twenty persons. An hour or two later, about fifty additional Liberals had found their way into the village from the surrounding neighbourhood. About half past one o’clock the day’s proceedings began in Hodgins’ hall. Mr. Murray made a fairly interesting speech in which he vehemently declared his most uncompromising hostility to the national policy condemning it purely and simply as a humbug.