Two years ago, Louise Peloquin began sharing excerpts from L’Etoile, a French-language newspaper published in Lowell from 1886 to 1957. At my urging, she has agreed to compile some of her previous posts with added contextual information into a book manuscript to be called, L’Etoile: A Star on Prince Street. Starting this week, Louise will present draft chapters from the book in serial form here on the blog. Today, we have another installment.

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L’Etoile – A Star on Prince Street

Chapter 5 – Star Sustenance

By Louise Peloquin

     In Chapter 3, we quoted an excerpt from a 1994 interview of Biron’s youngest child Marthe who worked at L’Etoile from her adolescence until the newspaper’s closing in 1957. She explained how revenue acquired from printing services guaranteed what she called her father’s “independence of thought.” Biron advertised L’Etoile but he needed ads from others.

Marthe talks about advertising.

     “French newspaper circulation was never huge. In order to support the newspapers, it was necessary to solicit advertisements at 35 cents an inch, often going door to door in the quest…

With the newspapers, politicians and professionals seized the opportunity to rally votes and drum up business among the Franco-American readership. The budget from their ads was minimal.

Moreover, the newspaper exempted parishes from the cost of printing weekly bulletins by including them gratuitously in its columns. However, their promoting the paper was not allowed….

The newspaper team members persevered… They functioned like centipedes, from linotype to press, from typing to correcting proofs, in the search for advertisers.

As a constantly renewed miracle, the paper managed to appear…with its message of life, its message of hope.”

Popping up here and there among L’Etoile columns, inserts listed a variety of items offered by L’Etoile Publishing Company.

Here are two examples.

« Avez-Vous Besoin de

Cartes d’Affaires

Petites Circulaires

Grandes Circulaires

Livrets de Reçus

Etiquettes de toutes sortes

Factures de toutes sortes

Entêtes de Lettres

Lettres d’Invitation

Envelopes de toutes sortes

Livrets de vente avec Duplicata

Bons de Pain

Bons de Repas

Menus, Etc., Etc.

L’Etoile Pub. Co.”

“Do You Need

Business cards

Small circulars

Large circulars

Receipt booklets

Labels of all kinds

Invoices of all kinds

Letter head

Invitation Letters

Envelopes of all kinds

Sales booklets with Duplicates

Bread Vouchers

Meal Vouchers

Menus, Etc. Etc.

L’Etoile Publishing Company »

« Augmentez vos Affaires en Annonçant.

Les Marchands de Lowell devraient retenir une espace dans

L’Etoile

Afin de faire connaître au public acheteur ce qu’ils ont à vendre.

Augmentez Votre Commerce et Encouragez votre Journal Local en Insérant une Annonce.

Notre Département d’Impressions est prêt à exécuter toutes sortes de travaux, depuis les cartes de visite jusqu’aux placards.

Ouvrage de Luxe une Spécialité. »

« Increase Your Business Affairs by Publicizing.

The Merchants of Lowell should retain a space in

L’Etoile

In order to make known to the purchasing public what they have to sell.

Increase Your Business and Encourage your Local Newspaper by Inserting

an Advertisement. Our Printing Department is ready to execute all sorts of work, from calling cards to signs.

Luxury Work a Specialty.”

      Canvassing for ads, publishing ads and encouraging “the establishments” appearing in L’Etoile, all made for a virtuous circle. The French term “entraide,” meaning mutual aid, comes to mind.

Here is an example of an ophthalmologist’s recurrent ad.

« Vous n’allez pas à l’aveugle en visitant Joseph-F. Montminy

492 Merrimack. Tel. 6211”

“You do not go there blindly by visiting Joseph- F. Montminy

492 Merrimack. Tel. 6211”

Once the ads procured, L’Etoile followed through by encouraging readers to patronize the businesses in question.

« Lecteurs!

Réservez vos achats pour les maisons qui publient leurs annonces dans L’Etoile vous serez mieux servis et vous rendrez service à votre journal en le mentionnant. »

“Readers!

Reserve your purchases for the establishments which publish their advertisements in L’Etoile. You will be better served and you will be of service to your newspaper by mentioning it.”

L’Etoile’s mission was serving Lowell’s French-Canadian community. Therefore, presenting businesses which could cater to its needs and wishes was a priority. The paper wanted to offer readers information to facilitate daily life.

Biron was known to examine each advertising order and to ask himself whether or not the establishment, whilst legitimately aiming at enlarging its market, had its clientele’s best interest in mind. Concern for L’Etoile’s industrious, hard-working readers was ever present and Biron believed that they were well aware that ads appearing in the paper were worthy of their consideration.

French-Canadians enjoyed preparing meals and were innovative in making the most of the contents of their pantries. Nothing was wasted. The skimpiest of ingredients could turn into meals worthy of modern Michelin Guide chefs. A measure of this and a pinch of that, whatever was at hand became the culinary enhancement which turned a couple of carrots and potatoes, a measure of flour, an egg, a spoonful of suet into a gourmet tourte.

Here is what Union Market had to offer Lowellians.

“Union Market, Tel. 4810 – 4811 – 4812

173-175-177 Middlesex. Foot of South St.

Spécial pour vendredi et samedi. Les prix sont plus bas que jamais. La qualité est la meilleure.

Gigots et Filets…..12c.

Quartiers de Devant…..10c.

Côtelettes de Veau…..13c.

Côtelettes…..12 ½ c

Steak de Veau…..20c.

Boules de Porc…..13c

Oreilles de Cochon…..8c

Museau de Coch0n…..10c

Tête de Cochon…..10c

Volaille Fraîche Tuée…..20c

Oie Fraîche Tuée…..25c

Canards Frais Tués…..20c »

„Union Market, Tel. 4810 – 4811 – 4812

173-175-177 Middlesex. Foot of South St.

Special for Friday and Saturday. The prices are lower than ever. The quality is the best.

Legs of lamb and Filets…..12c

Front Quarters…..10c

Veal Cutlets…..13c

Cutlets…..12 1/2c

Veal Steaks…..20c

Pork Meatballs…..13c

Pig’s Ears…..8c

Pig’s Snout…..10c

Pig’s Head…..10c

Freshly Killed Poultry…..20c

Freshly Killed Goose…..25c

Freshly Killed Ducks…..20c”

Union Market probably carried pork belly and pig’s feet as well. A “ragoût de pattes de cochon et ses boulettes,” a hearty French-Canadian stew made with pig’s feet and pork meatballs simmered in a rich brown sauce, was a favorite dish appreciated by many in Little Canada.

Editing ads and presenting L’Etoile Publishing Company services were tasks as seriously  undertaken as writing feature articles. Every printed piece was lovingly composed and crafted, all for the benefit of the readers.

(All translations from French to English are by Louise Peloquin.)