70 Years Ago
February 25, 1948
– Napanee hydro chairman Dr. D. R. Hall was pleased with efforts to curtail power use for two hours each day. On days with both interruptions, power consumption was reduced from an average of 20,430 kilowatt hours to about 17,500.
The town also tried one day with just a half-hour interruption and found 19,000 kilowatt hours were used, which was just above the province’s target of 18,387. Hall noted industrial users generally saved more power than residential users, often at a cost to production and to workers’ wages. He urged the residential users to conserve more so service reductions could be limited to a half-hour a day.
– Ernestown ratepayers voted to close the Odessa Continuation School June 30 and to send their secondary school students to the Napanee Collegiate and Vocational Institute by fall. It was expected arrangements would be made to provide student transportation to and from Napanee.
– Ontario’s deputy fire marshal J.E. Ritchie wrote a two-page letter to the Town of Deseronto about the town’s lack of inspection regulations for heating equipment, its lack of water pressure, and a problem with broken hydrants. The letter also said improper installation of fire equipment was understood to have caused two fires in town.
Council moved the purchase of some new fire equipment, but did not discuss inspection regulations during its regular meeting.
40 Years Ago
February 22, 1978
– Grade 7 and 8 at The Prince Charles, Westdale Park, and Selby public schools took part in a special “Unity Day” program while celebrating the annual Heritage Day. As Quebec wrestled with its sovereignty, the students received a presentation from the NDSS history department about the Confederation and those responsible for it. They also received visits from MP Douglas Alkenbrack.
Students from Selby and The Prince Charles also debated the merits of official bilingualism.
– Human error was blamed after a Spur Oil Ltd. delivery driver filled tanks at the Paisley Hotel and the Napanee Legion with gasoline instead of fuel oil. Fire chief Pat Patton said a firefighter was sent to ensure the furnaces were shut off until the system could be pumped. According to Patton, the gas could have been explosive had the temperature been high enough.
– The Napanee Region Conservation Authority approved plans for a $175,000 administration building to be located between River Road and the Golf Course Creek to be completed by 1979. The province would provide $143,000 in grant funding.