Chapleau Post Extra headline blares 'WE GOT IT' with Trans Canada Highway announcement in 1950

The Chapleau Post headline blared "WE GOT IT" in three languages on April 24, 1950 in the only Extra ever published by the local newspaper in its history.

Editor and publisher Arthur Simpson agreed to publish the Extra after chatting with Arthur Grout, of Smith and Chapple Ltd., if Chapleau was announced as being on the route of the Trans Canada Highway.

Mr. Simpson wrote that he almost cancelled the edition when the announcement was not forthcoming but Bill Collings, who happened to be listening to the popular CBC radio program "The Happy Gang" called  with the news that the show had been interrupted with a news bulletin.

Reeve Bubs Zufelt pointing out route

Chapleau was to be included on the route from the Quebec to Manitoba borders.

The Post carried the official announcement in bold face type: " The Trans Canada Highway will follow a route east to west from the Quebec boundary, Hawkesbury to Ottawa, swinging west to Peterborough, a long swing to the northwest will take it to Parry Sound, Sudbury, Chapleau, Schreiber, Nipigon, Port Arthur, Fort William, Dryden and Kenora. It is to be a two-lane concrete paved highway. CHAPLEAU is on the Trans Canada Highway."

Mr. Simpson called it a "momentous occasion" in Chapleau's history, while Richard 'Dick' Brownlee, one of the community's first citizens commented "I've had faith in Chapleau since I settled here when construction was still in progress on the CPR here."

Schools were closed and the celebration began marking what appeared to be the end of a 20-year battle to be located on the Trans Canada Highway.

After Mr. Grout had called the water pump house and instructed the pumper to blow the fire siren, police chief Jack Angove was all set to arrest him, but when told the news about the highway, no charge was ever laid.

Reeve B.W. 'Bubs' Zufelt told The Globe and Mail that he was "jubilant" that "half the world" would be driving down Chapleau's main street. In fact, a photo of Reeve Zufelt pointing to Schreiber showing the route the highway would go, appeared in the newspaper.

Chapleau was entering into its boom years of the 1950s, and Highway 129 to Thessalon was now open. The first vehicle officially travelled it on January 28, 1949. 

Tom Godfrey Senior, a Chapleau businessman and the community's second reeve from 1914 to 1916  had been one of the major backers of Highway 129, and on the very day that his dream came true, Mr. Godfrey died of a heart attack.

Highway 129

However, as time passed,  despite Chapleau's efforts, the Trans Canada Highway took the much more expensive route along Lake Superior from Sault Ste. Marie. Hardball politics at play of course!

The failure of Chapleau to be on the Trans Canada Highway even after Welland S. Gemmell, the local MPP and cabinet minister, told 2,200 Chapleau citizens at the official opening of the Chapleau Memorial Community Arena in February 1951, that it would be "definitely located" through the community was a major disappointment.

I remember the day of the announcement vividly. Hardly ever did I walk to or from Chapleau Public School with my mother, Muriel E (Hunt) Morris, but after the school was closed to mark the occasion, we were heading home at the same time. With us were some of my neighbourhood friends, yelling "WE GOT IT!" and kinda jumping for joy --  not Mom though --- however I am not sure we really fully understand what was happening, but school was closed for the day!

Thanks to Doug Greig and to Anne (Zufelt) McGoldrick for information. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Bucciarelli's Beach established especially for Chapleau children "in spirit of citizenship"

Upon his arrival in Canada in 1902 from Italy, George Bucciarelli first worked at various jobs in several locations for the Canadian Pacific Railway.

By 1910, he was working in Chapleau and became fed up, so he caught a train for Sudbury, planning to return home to Italy. However, while in Sudbury, he decided to look at the price of lumber, bought a carload and had it shipped to Chapleau.

He used it to start his store on Lorne Street but for a time it was only open early in the morning and in the evening as Mr. Bucciarelli went back to work for the CPR in the shops.

The town was installing the municipal waterworks system, and he had built several rooms on his store which he rented to workers on the project. He also worked on that project.

In 1911, Mrs. Bucciarelli and their son Angelo arrived and Chapleau became home for them.

In due course, he improved the store and built a house and for a time had a second location in the uptown area.

By 1935, celebrating 25 years in business, Angelo had become the store manager, and they had become wholesale tobacconists and the agent for Canadian Oils Limited, supplying gasoline for the motor vehicles that were beginning to appear in Chapleau. 

Mr. Bucciarelli was spending a lot of his time at the farm he established on the Chapleau highway, and the picnics for children were started in 1931.  The area later became known as Bucciarelliville.

The picnics also included a show by "The Clowns" who were young men of Chapleau all attired for their role in entertaining the children.

In 1935, as a matter of interest, those working for Mr. Bucciarelli included Fred Barty, who the Chapleau Post described as the "1st Lieutenant", Emmett Brazel, Irene Godbout who later worked as head cashier at the Dominion store, Gertrude Roffey, Leslie Perfetto, Pat Frawley and John Ciuffreda.

According to the Chapleau Post, John looked after the "beverage" or "refreshment" room advising him that the writer would soon be there calling for "Two big jugs John!"

But Mr. Bucciarelli did not retire and pursue his own interests entirely. In fact, during the 1940s, he developed "Bucciarelli's Beach" for which he is likely best remembered by many Chapleauites.

After my column on the children's picnics, I received an email from Frank Bucciarelli, who arrived in Chapleau with his parents in 1953. 

Frank included the photos of his Uncle George and the beach area, likely taken in the summer of 1949 as the area was being completed.

Frank wrote: "The back of the pictures that I sent you are stamped January 16, 1950.  I believe that this is when they were printed in Sudbury; the pictures were taken in the summer time.  When we came to Canada in 1953 the beach, as far as I remember had been completed just a few years before."

The "beach" had four small cottages, a dance hall with a juke box, and a small confectionery store open in the summer. It was also a great place to swim, complete with sandy area and diving boardand became very popular. Frank also noted there was great blueberry picking in the bush near the beach.

Chapleau High School held its annual wiener roast there to end the Grade Nine initiation each September, and dances were held in the hall on Summer weekends.

Ian Macdonald advised that he once did an Elvis Presley impersonation at one dance, but he couldn't find the picture. Keep looking Ian. That would be priceless. 

Beverley (Swanson) Hamilton in an email reminded me that the only place where white cream soda was available in Chapleau, was at the beach confectionery store. I recalled it right away.

Former Chapleau resident Garry Remus wrote, "One of the things I liked about Bucciarelli's Beach was the opportunity, after swimming, to wander into the bush where there was a grand display of mayflowers. I have not found another chance to appreciate these beautiful growths since."

Writing in his book, "Pioneering in Northern Ontario" Vince Crichton noted that Mr. Bucciarelli's "best friends were the children of Chapleau". On November 2, 1947, Mr. Bucciarelli was asked to attend at his property and was greeted by a large group of citizens and the Town Band.

A letter to Mr. Bucciarelli, signed by Reeve Frank Edwards expressed the community's sincere appreciation of the many improvements he had undertaken in Chapleau and for the spirit of citizenship that prompted him to make them available for the public pleasure and enjoyment. Particular tribute was paid for Bucciarelliville.

"We thank you Mr. Bucciarelli. We know that you desire much satisfaction in seeing the enjoyment the people -- particularly the young folk -- find in visiting your grounds", the letter said in part.

George Bucciarelli died on January 6, 1967 at age 88. 

My most sincere thanks to Frank Bucciarelli for making the photos available. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Alexandre Langis cleared land for townsite of Chapleau in 1885 and later became general merchant

In 1885 Alexandre Langis arrived at Mileage 615.1 on the Canadian Pacific Railway with a contract from the company to clear the land that would become the townsite of Chapleau.

Born in Rimouski, Quebec, Mr. Langis, who would later become a general merchant, had been working in Biscotasing before moving to Chapleau. For sure, he was one of the community's pioneer citizens.

After fulfilling his contract, Mr. Langis, became a CPR employee, first as a trainman and later as conductor.

In 1891, he married Marie Louise Mageau of Le Bic, and the young couple became active members of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.

Helen Wolfe, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Kruger, in an article about the Langis family written at the time of the Roman Catholic church centennial celebration, related that at one time Mr. and Mrs. Langis shared a house with Mr. and Mrs. James Rose which she said was located on the west side of Beech Street near the CPR tracks.

(Note: Mr. and Mrs. Rose lived on the west side of Pine Street which I think later became the Babin residence. Does anyone recall if they moved from Beech to Pine at some point, sort of across the street and a lane!)

Mrs. Wolfe related that the "two women got along beautifully sharing a kitchen" even though Mrs. Rose could not understand French and Mrs. Langis could not understand English.

In 1901 Mr. Langis left the CPR and started a business with E. Jackman in 1902 at 4 Birch Street West at Birch and Young streets,  in a building which at the time was owned by Patrick Mulligan, my great-great uncle. In later years the building housed the Dominion store and then Bank of Montreal for a time.

Albert Desjardins came to Chapleau in 1908 from Montreal and bought out Mr. Jackman so the name was changed to Desjardins and Langis, General Merchants.

In 1909 they relocated to the southwest corner of Birch and Lorne streets which for a short time had been the site of the first Roman Catholic church.

Later, Harry Wolfe, who was the son-in-law of Mr. Langis, purchased the interests of Mr. Desjardins, and in 1924 the store became known as Langis and Wolfe.

In 1928, Charles W. Collins, the son of Mr. and P.J. Collins, who had arrived in Chapleau in 1909, bought out Mr. Langis and the store became known as Wolfe and Collins. The Collins name has been associated with ownership of a  store at that location ever since.

Mr. and Mrs. Langis later lived on Lorne Street near the Roman Catholic church. They also enjoyed "picnics down the lake" at Mulligan's Bay where they built a camp, later owned by Mansel Robinson.

They had four children Joseph, Wilfred, Lydia and Julia. Julia was a charter member of the Catholic Women's League in Chapleau.

I have really just provided a glimpse into the life of Mr. Langis and  his contribution to Chapleau -- and opened the door a bit on the Rose, Jackman, Desjardins, Wolfe and Collins families, and of course my own Mulligan ancestors. 

Thanks to Doug Greig for his research assistance. My email is mj.morris@live.ca