RESTIGOUCHE IN HISTORY
Published Wednesday July 2nd, 2008
Twenty-five years ago
(1983)
20,000 watch closing festival parade
A crowd estimated at close to 20,000 gathered under sunny skies Sunday to enjoy the Campbellton Salmon Festival parade as annual festivities were brought to a close.
The week-long festival attracted many visitors to the area and most events drew a large number of participants.
The festival commission chairman [sic] for this year was Mrs. R. E. Steeves.
The official opening was held at Theatre Restigouche on Tuesday of last week and this was followed by the annual pageant which saw Deanna MacDonald, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. Bennett MacDonald, named Salmon Festival queen. She was crowned by the 1982 queen, Anna Molley….During the pageant, Emery LeBlanc was named citizen of the year in Campbellton. LeBlanc, who is retired, has been involved in a number of local groups and is particularly interested in the history of the area.
On Wednesday evening, Santina D'Angelo, six-year-old daughter of Miss Sharon Hamilton, was named Little Miss Salmon Festival and was crowned by the 1982 queen, Tanya Letourneau.
Sunday's parade surpassed all previous parades as chairman Jim Jones noted that there were 124 entries. Parade marshall was former Campbellton sportscaster Peter Maher who is now the voice of the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League.
Council clears way for senior citizens' project
City council Monday morning gave first and second readings to amendments to the Municipal Plan bylaw which would permit the construction of a senior citizens' apartment complex on Miller Street.
The Campbellton Lions Club had earlier announced plans to build a 12-unit complex in the area. However, when tenders were received, the bids were too high and the club then decided to call tenders for a 19-unit complex which hopefully would lower the cost per unit.
A hearing will be held July 27 at 8 p.m. to hear any objections to the proposed amendments.
A spokesman for the Lions' Club said that the building is expected to cost in the area of $750,000 and it is hoped that construction can start in August.
He noted that the units will be able to accommodate senior citizens or physically handicapped people. The building would be constructed on land near the Campbellton Junior High School.
Forest fires still rage in county
Firefighters Monday were continuing to battle a forest fire which has destroyed about 1,600 acres in the southeast.
The fire began last Wednesday afternoon at Jacquet River Head and high winds Thursday and Friday spread the fire over a vast area. Two private camps were destroyed in the fire.
About 200 firefighters, with the aid of 12 water bombers, brought the blaze under control and efforts were continuing to extinguish the flames.
A spokesman for the natural resources department said the fire began at "about the 25 mile on the old IP road in an areas where wood was being cut," but that the cause of the blaze has not been determined.
At present, the IP woodlands division is continuing operations during the morning hours but close down during the afternoon and evenings.
Tide Head to open municipal building
The official opening of the municipal building in Tide Head will be held this coming Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Among those expected to be in attendance are Restigouche MP Maurice Harquail; Justice Minister Fernand Dube, Mayor James Adams, and Councillors Boyd Poley, Marcus Dickson, and Jack Archibald.
The building houses the village hall, council chamber, and the fire hall. Tide Head has two fire trucks.
Fifty years ago
(1958)
Sacred Heart Leagues held
Sunday evening, June 29, Memorial Gardens was the scene of a Holy Hour in honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Members from all Leagues of the Sacred Heart in the Vicariate of Campbellton were present, when His Excellency Camille A. LeBlanc, Bishop of Bathurst, presided over this most impressive ceremony.
Preceding the Holy Hour many distinguished guests addressed the huge rally of over 3,000 on the topic of salacious literature and its effect on society.
M. H. Piotte, the principal speaker, spoke of bad literature in general, of intoxicating beverages, and the effects each had on the younger generation.
Rt. Rev. Mgr. Numa Pichette, chaplain of the Leagues of the Sacred Heart in the diocese of Edmundston, and well-known as a public speaker, spoke in a most impressive manner of the danger of bad literature in the home. He declared that if parents would be more careful in what they read, our teenagers would be less inclined toward this worldly menace.
"We are spending", said Mgr. Pichette, "millions of dollars for the education of our children; are these sacrifices going to be in vain?"
He emphasized the fact that all members of the League should be devoted Christians, remembering always the salvation of the soul which is the most important factor in any man's life.
He stated that there was [sic] 54 publishers of this "trash" - as he put it; 9,000 distributing agencies, and 10,000,000 such magazines published each week.
Other dignitaries who were also on the platform during the ceremony were Very Rev. P. W. Brideau, Pastor of Our Lady of the Snows, Campbellton; Rev. J. A. Godbout, Pastor of St. John the Baptist, Dalhousie; Rev. Fernand Ouellette, Pastor of Dundee; Rev. Leon Gagnon, Pastor of Balmoral; M. H. Piotte, guest speaker; Ozarius Doucet and Hector Poirier, representatives of the Leagues of the Sacred Heart in Bathurst.
To close the ceremony, Bishop LeBlanc spoke during the Holy Hour. He asked the people to be Soldiers of Christ; to pray so that this menace of bad literature would soon be gone from our country and the whole world.
Those who were present for this event, could not but feel that they, too, had a part to play in fighting this menace; and they also realized that the time is now, for they cannot let it take an advance on their Christian life.
Police investigate PEI man's death
Quebec Provincial Police are continuing their investigation this week both here and in nearby Quebec into the death last week of John Joseph Murnachan, 52, of Charlottetown. The body of the middle-aged man was found in the Matapedia River last Thursday, but so far no theory has been advanced as to what might have been the cause of death. A coroner's jury, empanelled at Matapedia, viewed the body and then adjourned pending completion of the police investigation.
The drowning victim's body was identified by his brother in Charlottetown, after a label on the man's suit showed an address of a Charlottetown store. The man had a glass eye and this thumb and index finger on the right hand were missing. Munachan had been in this area looking for work. The last word was received by the family of the dead man on June 16 from Cap Chat, Que. saying he had left New Brunswick and had so far been unsuccessful in his quest for employment.
The remains were returned to PEI for burial. The police investigation is being headed by Sgt. Gerald Tobin, New Carlisle, of the Quebec Police.
The body of Mr. Munachan was found near what is known as Hell's Gate about 18 miles from Campbellton and located between Matapedia and Mann's Settlement.
When found the body had been worked up on a sandbar in the middle of the river, and was first noticed by a group of CNR section men last Wednesday evening.
Not having a boat to investigate they reported seeing an object that looked like a man the following day to two fishing guides from Mann Settlement, Virgil Irvine and Norman Lyons, who discovered the body.
After being recovered and examined, it was found that the man, who was dressed in a brown suit with a service button, marked "General Service 39-45" and a Canadian Legion pin.
The label of his suit was marked Charlottetown PEI.
Police also found a dry cleaning receipt from Prince Edward Island. He was also wearing a dark green shirt with a beret.
A warden from the Riparian Association reported turning his spotlight on a man of this same description further east down shore on Tuesday evening. He added that he thought the man was just a hitch-hiker and went on his way. The Riparian Association police the salmon pools along the river.
Seventy-five years ago
(1933)
HMS Norfolk in Dalhousie for visit
H.M.S. Norfolk, flagship of the 8th Cruiser Squadron arrived in Dalhousie today for a six day visit.
First intimation of the intended visit of this large vessel was received by Mayor Allain of Dalhousie when he received a telegram Tuesday.
Mayor Allain also received a telephone call from Attorney-General W. H. Harrison advising him of the contemplated visit of this large vessel. Hon. Mr. Harrison also informed Mayor Allain that a fishing trip on the Restigouche and Nepisiquit was being arranged by the government for officers of the vessel.
Father Hickey ordained in JR
Rev. Raymond Hickey, who was recently ordained into the Holy Priesthood by His Excellency Rt. Rev. A. Chiasson, Bishop of Chatham, celebrated his first Solemn High Mass on Monday, June 26, in St. Gabriel's Church, Jacquet River. The church was artistically decorated for this special occasion with flags, ferns, and flowers, presenting a most pleasing and colourful picture, and drew forth many comments of appreciation. Rev. Father Hill of St. Thomas College, Chatham, preached an eloquent sermon, dwelling on the Holy Priesthood. Following the ceremony, a banquet was held at the presbytery. This was presided over by Rev. J. A. Trudel, parish priest of Jacquet River. In attendance were the parents, and near relatives of Rev. Father Hickey including Monsignor Trudel, and numerous clergy of the diocese.
In the evening, a number of the members of the C. W. L. Jacquet River subdivision assembled, and presented the newly ordained priest with an address, which was read by the past president, Mrs. Eli Godin, and a generous purse, the presentation made by the president, Mrs. Agnes C. Frenette.
Little Miss Violet Firlotte made the offering of a bouquet of white and yellow carnations. Father Hickey was deeply touched and replied in a most pleasing and grateful manner, thanking each and every one for their kind thoughtfulness, and in speaking said he would ever remember the people of his home parish, that of Jacquet River.
At the close, refreshments were served. The committee in charge were Miss Josie Williams, convenor; Mrs. Agnes C. Frenette, president. Those assisting in serving were Miss Doherty Doyle, Miss Veniot, Miss Lizzie Hachey.
Frost damage
Reports from the INR district state that a heavy frost some nights ago killed buckwheat and early vegetables in gardens.
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