THE DIONNE BABIES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3822, 16 October 1936, Page 9

THE DIONNE BABIES

TWO MILLION VISITORS. (From an Ottawa Correspondent.) The Dionne quintuplets, now 26 months old, are still attracting tremendous Interest. Since the babies were born 2,000,000 tourists have visited the little village of Callender, many of them being Americans. Callender has a population of 400 people, but it is the busiest spot in Canada. The whole village has naturally benefited. Even Ovila Dionne and his wife, parents of the children, have gone into business and opened a souvenir shop. The midwives who were present at tiie birth, Madame Legros and Madame Label, are partners in a restaurant which carries their names on a huge sign and the inscription, “Midwives of the Quintuplets Bid You Welcome.” Uncle Leon Dionne does a thriving business with his petrol station, and Uncle J. Dionne runs an information bureau with a huge clock which indicates the next hour at which the quintuplets will be visible. People from Japan, Australia, Britain and Continental Europe and all parts of North and South America, come to see the children. The "seasofi” lasts from June 20 to the beginning of October for motorists, and tiie average is 5,000 visitors per day. A legless man came from Ohio to catch a glimpse of tiie children. The motor roads have been improved and a 60,000 dollar contract has been signed for a five mile road to Corbeil to make access to Callender easier. The Canadian National Rail way has had to build a new station to accommodate the traffic, and trunk bus lines are operating from Montreal and Toronto. Hotel accommodation has to be booked in advance. The playground is a circular pen, with a covered stand - at the end to protect the children from the heat. Two railings separate the visitors and the babies, and half way up the pen is glass enclosed with dark wire meshings which prevents the babies seeing out and becoming frightened at the crowd; but the people can get a clear view of them at play.