Summer 1914

In late July 1914, The Equity  – Pontiac County’s local weekly newspaper – began to alert readers to the gathering storm in Europe. On July 30, 1914, as the crisis escalated, the paper noted that Austria-Hungary appeared “fully determined to make war on Servia, and the possibilities of a general European war seem greater than ever confronted the present generation”. Within days this ominous prediction became reality. By the first week of August 1914, headlines in The Equity announced the outbreak of hostilities on the continent. The August 6 issue’s war bulletin declared: “WAR!”, explaining that “Russia and France refuse to accede to the demands of Germany, and war results”. At that point Italy had “decide[d] to remain neutral,” but “Great Britain [would] likely be drawn into the conflict”. Indeed, on August 4 Britain entered the war, carrying Canada and the rest of the Empire with it.

The Equity’s next edition brought home the momentous news. “Great Britain declared war on Germany at 7 o’clock on Tuesday night, August 4,” the paper reported on August 13, “following Germany’s refusal to observe the neutrality of Belgium.” The same column outlined the scope of the conflict: “Austria and Germany are now at war with Britain, France, Russia, Servia and Montenegro. Japan will defend British interests in the Far East. Holland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey are preparing to defend their neutrality.” In these early days there was still hope that some countries might stay out, but soon most of Europe was engulfed.

As a member of the British Empire, Canada was automatically at war when Britain was. The Equity kept readers informed of Canada’s swift mobilization. It noted that the Dominion government summoned Parliament for August 18 to authorize urgent war measures, including “the despatch of 21,000 Canadian troops to [Great] Britain.” The paper also reported steps to strengthen Canada’s defenses – for example, acquiring two submarines on the Pacific coast to guard against German raiders. This was the national backdrop as the Pontiac region braced for the unknown of a world war. Local news coverage would soon shift from summer fairs and social visits to the community’s response to war.

Local Mobilization

Almost as soon as war was declared, Pontiac communities began to mobilize men and resources for the war effort. Local militia units and volunteers prepared to answer the call. In mid-August 1914, Sergeant Harrold and Corporal T. Burton of the Canadian Field Engineers toured through the district to identify who among the local Engineers was ready to serve. They came “to ascertain how many of the Engineers were prepared to volunteer for active service”. Their recruiting tour, reported in the August 13 issue, shows that Pontiac’s own militia members were lining up to go to war from the very start.

Target practice and military training also took on new urgency. Notices appeared for rifle association meets and other drills. At a local rifle range in Radford, for example, militia marksmen gathered for a shooting match, prompting one Equity correspondent to quip that a certain crack shot “should be eligible for that over-seas contingent, if good shooting is the main qualification.” Such remarks, half-humorous, underscored that many in Pontiac were thinking about who among them would make a fine soldier abroad.

The community also contributed vital matériel – especially horses – to the mobilization effort. In early September, Dr. O’Hara, Shawville’s local veterinarian, was dispatched on an official errand to procure war horses. He “motored over to the Gatineau country” to inspect and purchase horses “for military purposes, in connection with the Militia Department.” By the end of that week, a shipment of cavalry and artillery horses was leaving the county. “Another car load of horses went from here last Wednesday, in charge of Lieut. Mills,” The Equity noted, to be handed over for the use of the army. These references illustrate how farmers and horse owners in the Pontiac region were enlisted to provide mounts for Canada’s new Expeditionary Force assembling at Valcartier Camp. Local men like Lieutenant Mills took responsibility for gathering and transporting the animals.

Ordinary citizens, too, felt the pull of service. A number of Pontiac’s young men quietly left to join the colors in those first weeks, even if the paper did not yet list their names. One tangible sign of their departure came in a brief note on September 3: a Shawville clergyman, Rev. Charles Reid, sent word back home that he had “arrived safely at Queenstown, convoyed by a warship” on his voyage to Britain. He was one of the early volunteers from the area to go overseas (in his case likely as a chaplain), and his safe passage under naval escort was news of local interest. Bit by bit, the Pontiac was sending its sons – and its goods – off to war.

Community Sentiment and Support

As the reality of war sank in, the Pontiac community responded with a mix of patriotism, charity, and even a dose of trademark Ottawa Valley humor. The tone in The Equity was strongly supportive of the Empire’s cause, and it encouraged unity on the home front. An editorial in early September lauded the patriotic spirit sweeping the country. Even those few who had been apathetic or isolationist were now silenced by events. “Although Canada contains its quota of anti-imperialists and ‘stand-patters’… the great over-ruling wave of patriotism surges on,” the paper observed, noting that each day brought fresh proof of Canadians’ loyalty to King and country.

Pontiac residents channeled that patriotic fervor into concrete actions. Local organizations and volunteers mobilized to support soldiers and their families. The Equity reported that two Shawville women – Miss M. McDowell and Miss L. Armstrong – would be making a door-to-door canvass “to collect donations,” answering the patriotic appeal for funds. “Everyone should assist this cause, no matter how small their contribution may be,” the paper urged. Across the county, similar efforts sprang up. For instance, in the village of Fort Coulonge, a committee led by Mr. Howard Mulligan and Miss Sharpe raised a “handsome sum” of $1,790 for the Canadian Patriotic Fund, as reported at the end of September. This fund had been established to support soldiers’ dependents, and Fort Coulonge’s substantial collection shows how even a small town in Pontiac enthusiastically did its part. Such sums would have been unthinkable to gather so quickly had the “wave of patriotism” not swept the community.

Expressions of loyalty were visible in everyday life. A local merchant, Mr. Archie Dover, found a patriotic way to attract customers to his store: he offered every household a free Union Jack flag “during the war.” “Get one free at Dover’s,” his advertisement beckoned. Soon the Union Jack was flying from many homes and businesses in Shawville as a symbol of support. The war even entered the world of social gatherings and church events – often in the form of prayers for the King and the troops, and the singing of “God Save the King” at the conclusion of meetings. While The Equity’s archives for July–September 1914 do not detail large send-off parades (those would come later as more men enlisted), they clearly show a community already uniting in spirit behind those who had answered the call.

Amid the patriotic fervor, Pontiac residents tried to carry on with life as normally as possible, sometimes with gentle wit. Local farmers still had crops to harvest and pickles to jar for the winter. One lighthearted advertisement in August captured this balanced attitude. The hardware section of W.A. Hodgins’ store urged readers to stock up on vinegar and canning supplies as usual, wartime or not. “Get busy and make your pickles. Never mind the war,” the ad cheerfully proclaimed. This tongue-in-cheek slogan likely brought a smile to many faces. It suggested that while the war was important, so were the rhythms of home life – and perhaps that a bit of normalcy was the best antidote to worry. In the same vein, The Equity’s social columns continued to report on picnics, weddings, and good harvest yields, providing reassuring continuity. The message was subtle but clear: keep calm and carry on productively, whether by canning vegetables or by contributing to patriotic causes.

Economic Effects on the Region

The outbreak of World War I brought immediate economic ripples to the Pontiac, which local news coverage captured in various ways. In the short term, there was a mixture of anxiety and guarded optimism about the war’s impact on commerce. One front-page notice in late August reassured readers that basic goods were not yet running scarce. “In spite of tariff and war advances our grocery prices are only affected in a few lines,” a Shawville grocer advertised, promising “lowest possible prices” for staples. Many shops pledged to hold the line on prices, at least for inventory they had already on hand. W.A. Hodgins’ general store even ran a special on fabrics at “before the war” prices. “These came to hand before the war began… we will not advance our prices until we have to buy more,” the store announced, letting customers know that now was a good time to buy yard goods that might soon cost much more.

Nevertheless, The Equity did report on brewing economic changes. An editorial piece titled “The War Taxes” informed readers that Ottawa would increase the national revenue to meet wartime expenses. New taxes were on the way, since “the cost of the war… will have to come largely out of borrowed money” and the interest on those loans must be paid. The paper also noted the temporary disruption of certain financial services when war started – for example, the issue of money orders to Britain was briefly suspended. By mid-September the postmaster-general had resumed international money orders “on a modified basis”, an early adjustment to wartime conditions that surely relieved families needing to send funds overseas.

For the agricultural sector – the backbone of Pontiac’s economy – the war initially promised strong demand. Farmers followed war news not just out of patriotism but also pragmatism, wondering about markets for their produce. In September, local farmers learned that one unexpected Canadian export would be in high demand: hay for the armies of Europe. The Equity carried a notice that “every ton of hay for sale in Canada will be exported to Europe during the next few months to supply the demands of the war.” This looming hay shortage meant “a heavy demand for hay wire, and a sharp advance in price is anticipated.” The hardware store accordingly urged farmers to buy hay-baling wire while it was still at “the same old price”, lest they be caught without it when prices spiked. Indeed, with tens of thousands of horses mobilized in 1914, hay from Canadian farms would soon be feeding British and French cavalry mounts. Pontiac farmers were well positioned to benefit if they could get their hay to market.

Local industrial and trade prospects were also viewed with guarded optimism. On one hand, the war disrupted imports from Europe (including German-made goods that had been common in Canadian stores). On the other hand, Canadian manufacturers had an opportunity to fill that gap. The Equity relayed encouraging words from federal Minister of Trade and Commerce Sir George Foster. Speaking at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, Foster “urged that instead of closing down factories and laying off men, the manufacturers… should seize the opportunity to extend their markets, which the war affords”. In Pontiac, this message resonated in small ways. For example, the Shawville Sash and Door Factory and other local mills stayed busy, perhaps anticipating orders that might result from wartime demand or from domestic building projects while foreign supplies were limited. The pages of The Equity in September 1914 feature advertisements for lumber, farm implements, and even a new gasoline-powered ditching machine – signs that business was continuing and looking ahead, despite the uncertainty.

By the end of September 1914, the Pontiac region had thus begun to adjust to the new wartime normal. Prices for some items were creeping up, but community leaders stressed self-sufficiency and smart shopping. The county council minutes even record bulk purchases (such as concrete and road work materials) being timed carefully, perhaps to avoid wartime inflation. Every week, The Equity published the latest market prices for grain, butter, eggs, and other farm produce, which readers would have watched closely as the war’s effects on supply and demand developed. While few could guess how long the conflict would last, people were already talking about things happening “before the war” and “since the war” – a telling shift in mindset over just a few months.