May 8,1996

25 Years Ago

Huge Fire at Charteris: Shawville Clarendon Fire Department were called out to the farm of Joe Leveris, north of Charteris. Several out buildings were ravaged by flames well before the firefighters arrived within minutes of receiving the call around 1 p.m.

The firefighters needed extra help with water supplies from . . .

the neighbouring fire departments of Thorne and Bristol. Crews worked into the evening to contain the fire.

189 ATV’s hit the Pontiac Trail: ATV enthusiasts came from as far away as Oshawa to take part in the Pontiac All-terrain Vehicle Club’s fourth annual rally on Sunday.

The rally drew the largest attendance yet, 250 people who drove 189 bikes through 80 kilometers of trails and back roads of the Pontiac.

“We had a great turnout,” says club vice-president Roy Pilon.

The day-long trek took participants from Campbell’s Bay to Leslie Park where they had lunch and then on to Fort Coulonge and back to Campbell’s Bay for a dinner and dance at the R.A. Hall.

May 12,1971

50 Years Ago

Police had a busy weekend: In order to cut the accident rate in Pontiac county, Corporal Yvon Fauchon has instituted a series of spot checks on the safety features of cars being used on the highway.

“There were 529 highway accidents in Pontiac in 1970,” he states, “and this is far too many. We are going to try to cut this number below 500 this year at least and much further if at all possible.”

A Saturday night raid on Moorehead Island Lodge and two hotels in Campbell’s Bay netted 49 underage drinkers, all of whom were taken to the police station. Those from Quebec were released to their parents without bail. One parent did not drive to the police station in the middle of the night to pick up his son, but asked the police to keep him until morning, which they did.

May 12 is Hospital Day: Hospital Day falls on May 12 this year and in many of the area hospitals the public is being invited to visit during that day.

Pontiac Community Hospital is really not large enough to allow for any mass visitations of the public. In the interest of the patients which the hospital is committed to serve, there will not be any open house invitation to the public but nevertheless the hospital board wishes to use this occasion to make the public aware of the hospital and some of its problems.

Though they only hold one day officially as Hospital Day, the hospital is at work 365 days each year. Equipment becomes obsolete and normally is replaced by government but in the past years financing has become more and more difficult.

May 9,1946

75 Years Ago

Local News: W.R. McDonald, M.P. for Pontiac county dies after lengthy illness: after a prolonged illness of several months, Mr. Wallace R. McDonald, Liberal member of parliament for Pontiac county since 1935 and member of the Quebec legislature form 1919 to 1934 died at his home in Chapeau on Thursday afternoon. He was in his 70th year.

In indifferent health for nearly a year, Mr. McDonald traveled day and night for weeks in his vast riding by automobile, plane and train prior to the general election of 1945. His friends say the extraordinary campaign exertions hastened his death.

The Rev. L.R. Mack, Moira, Ont. has been appointed to take the pastorate of the Wesleyan Methodist churches of Shawville and Campbell’s Bay. Mr. Mack has just recently been released from the chaplaincy of the Canadian army, serving two years in this capacity.

Among the latest repats arriving in town during the past week was Pte. Keith Howard of Shawville.

Frederick Schwartz, a well-known citizen of the Schwartz section of Thorne was killed when his team ran away and he was thrown heavily to the ground.

It seems that he and a neighbour, Robert Bretzlaff had taken Mr. Schwartz’s lively team to the woods for logs. They had drawn in one load and were returning with the empty wagon for another when the horses began to run down a steep hill. At the foot of the hill was a gate and a sharp turn and Mr. Bretzlaff fearing the wagon would not get through the gate, jumped from the wagon.

Mr. Bretzlaff and another neighbour, Mrs. Herman Bretzlaff ran to his help but he only rallied for a few minutes when he lapsed into unconsciousness and died within half an hour.

Dr. S.E. McDowell was called and pronounced him dead and found that his leg was broken and that he had suffered internal injuries when the heavy wheel of the wagon passed across his chest.

On the strength of a large petition presented at the May session of Shawville council on Monday night, it was unanimously decided to adopt Daylight Saving Time for the village.

Mr. G.A. McDougall, secretary-treasurer of Pontiac Community Hospital acknowledges with thanks the receipts of the benefit hockey game between Shawville Legionaires and Rockliffe R.C.A.F. The total amount was $532.

May 5,1921

100 Years Ago

Local News: Fire! Shawville suffers another serious conflagration. At one o’clock Wednesday morning, April 27, citizens were awakened from their slumbers by that dismaying cry which all have learned to dread so much “Fire! Fire!” and in a very few minutes people from all quarters were rushing in the direction of a glare of light that momentarily grew in volume as by this time the fire had made rapid headway, it not having been discovered early enough or get under control by the few men who first reached the scene.

For years citizens had been obsessed with a premonition that some day, sooner or later, the Russell House property would become a victim of the fire fiend and with it, goodness knew how much more of the village would be reduced to smoking ruins. It was, therefore, with a feeling of undisguised alarm that everyone realized the fateful day had at last arrived. At this stage the old hotel itself had not yet ignited, but the sheds and other wooden structures to the south east sides of it were a roaring mass of flame and it was at once manifest that every building in the neighbourhood was doomed.

Mr. E. McRae who had been sleeping in a room on the south side of the house gave the alarm from the window and in a very short time it was taken up by the church bells.

A few men were quick to liberate some horses that were in the Russell House stables and G.A. Howard’s horse barn adjoining.

The operator of the Central Rural Telephone system immediately spread the alarm throughout the whole outlying neighbourhood and the response was prompt and general. If ever the existence of the rural telephone and the auto was justifiable, it was then.

The aid of a small chemical fire engine helped alot and while the fire was at its worst within the zone, a great fight was waged to save Howard’s garage and office building as it was felt that failure at this point would mean the wiping out of the whole central portion of the village and perhaps more.

The battle was in keeping the fire from spreading to the wooden outbuildings in the rear and in saving W.A. Hodgins’ store which caught fire repeatedly, it being only a few feet distant from its doomed neighbour.

The “bucket brigade” did marvelous work despite the terrific heat that had to be endured and the difficulty in procuring water as by this time nearly all the wells in the neighbourhood were drained.

W.J. Hayes’ wooden building, occupied as residence, undertaking rooms and T. Tuck’s barber shop were lost. Suffering losses were: W.J. Stark (Russell House); E.R. McRae; Herbert Smith; G.A. Howard; J.A. Beckett; George Hynes; Misses Wilson (confectionery shop and residence); Robert Hobbs; R.H. Klock (drug store); Murrary Bros (tailor).

The government post office building got a severe scorching but apart from cracked windows, it suffered no material damage. The bank of Nova Scotia also suffered slight damage to the woodwork and windows.

Living quarters for the homeless were procured before the eventful day was over, some being accommodated by friends and relatives and others fortunately securing vacant premises.

May 7,1896

125 Years Ago

Local News: Colonel Lamont, United States Secretary of War is at present enjoying a week’s fishing at Thirty-One-Mile Lake up the Gatineau, the guest of Mr. J.C. Brennan of Ottawa.

The saw mill of our enterprising citizen Mr. James McLean has been running for some time in Bryson and is turning out considerable lumber.

Lord Aberdeen proposes to present to Gatineau Point Catholic Church a new bell weighing 1,000 pounds in appreciation of the service rendered Lady Aberdeen at the recent accident that nearly resulted in her death. Her Excellency had every kindness shown her by the pastor of the church, Rev. Father Champagne and was helped out of her predicament by members of the church.

A rumour was afloat on Monday that Dr. Gaboury would be withdrawn from the field and Hon. George Bryson, Jr., would step into his shoes as the Liberal standard-bearer. Such an even does not seem probable if any weight is to be attached to the statement of the doctor, that he is in the field to stay and will not be pushed aside on any consideration.