From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

December 7, 1899 – The Progress (Qu-Appelle Station, NWT)

The ground for the new skating rink has been broken. A commodious and roomy building will be put up in the latest style with an arched roof. We don’t know when the ceremony for laying the cornerstone will be held but assume it will be soon as the skating season is almost upon us.

The baggage that was salvaged from the Scotsman, which was wrecked last October at Belle Island, was originally taken to St. John’s, Newfoundland and has now arrived in Montreal. It has passed through surprising vicissitudes, but most of the 200 pieces appear intact and the stories of looting, so common in a wreck, would appear to be contradicted.

In London, Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the colonies, said at a speech in Leicester yesterday that ever since the great split, the Liberal party has found itself a mark for slanders and misrepresentations from the baser sort of politicians.

December 2, 1909 – The Bowden News

In the USA, the government has won a suit against Standard Oil and the circuit court has ordered the company dissolved and pronounced it an illegal corporation. The case was brought to enjoin more than 70 corporations from maintaining a combination and conspiracy in restraint of trade along with monopolizing inter-state and international commerce.

The government fully recognizes the fact that more jail accommodation should be provided for Calgary and district and have already commenced the necessary steps in order to secure the required ground. Premier Rutherford made the announcement after learning five out of six prisoners sentenced to serve terms in the barracks were refused admittance due to lack of room. At present, the prisoners are being kept in the mounted police guard room, which has room for about 60, although in reality 80 or 90 have been kept in the quarters.

Despite the fact that wheat prices are good and increasing, farmers, particularly in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, are holding back their wheat in large quantities. Locusts and frosts destroyed the crops in Argentina, which usually supply the British market, and there is a marked shortage, which isn’t being helped by those holding back.

December 3, 1913 – The Edmonton Daily Capital

The Bank of Montreal was held up this morning in Plum Coulee, Manitoba and the bank manager was killed during the robbery.  

Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst, the militant suffragette leader, is on board the Majestic and due to arrive in England from the USA tonight. Plans are being made for her arrest and a force of suffragettes will be on the spot ready to fight for their leader’s freedom. The chief constable of Plymouth has spent the day preparing an adequate force to prevent an attempt at rescue. The suffragettes have been in constant communication with Mrs. Pankhurst by wireless and have advised her of their plans. They expect she will be transferred to a police tug and transferred to a different port. They have chartered a vessel to undertake a chase with a specially formed troop.

A fire today in Boston has left 25 men dead and more are missing. The fire took place at the Arcadia Hotel, a lodging house in the south end of the city. A score of others were injured when they jumped from the windows and others suffered severe burns. The victims were men in poor circumstances who had resorted to the place for a night’s lodging with many caught on the crowded upper floor of the five-story brick building.