From sixteen years of age, in 1905, Osias Renaud worked at the sawmill built by Anaclat Marier on the Tour du Lac. The water flowing out of Lac des Sables drove the mill. It is hard to imagine today that the outflow of the lake could keep 12 men working; twelve families fed. The Parent brothers, who had acquired the mill, installed a new 40 horsepower turbine around that time, and milled flour as well as wood. The Parents also maintained a full general store selling animal feed, hay, flour, groceries, metal work, piping and even dry goods. In the winter, the men would log. Altogether, they kept 55 men working year-round. Eventually, their mill even drove the first electric generator in Ste. Agathe. Today we watch the water run bucolically under the bridge and can only imagine the busy scene that took place here 100 years ago.
For the entire article, click here and scroll down to the article, Chemin Renaud, Ste. Agathe Des Monts: https://www.ballyhoo.ca/ste-agathe-recreation-and-health.html