From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

October 3, 1883 – Prince Albert Times and Saskatchewan Review

A golden spike was used for the last one on the Northern Pacific and was laid near Helena, Montana. There are now tracks from the Atlantic to the Pacific across the USA and it took about 10 years to complete the work. The CPR will beat that time by some years as the cross-country railway is expected to be completed by 1885.

During a stormy meeting of the council in Regina on September 12, the Governor and appointed members opposed incorporation. Great indignation is felt in Regina as, without incorporation, no water and fire protection can be had. If this is the way the NW Council is going to oppose the well understood wishes of the people, the sooner it is abolished the better.

Mysterious notices have been posted in prominent places stating a public meeting will be held for the purpose of devising a means of ridding the town and country of land agents, timber agents, etc. We don’t know the meaning of it, or by whose authority they were posted, but they are meant as a warning to officials who have recently arrived to be more circumspect in their actions.

October 3, 1910 – The Edmonton Capital

An attempt was made yesterday afternoon to destroy the private residence of the publisher of the Los Angeles Times by an infernal machine. Following a quarrel with the Typographical Union, the Times has remained a non-union paper for the past 20 years and is seconded by the Manufacturers Association, whose secretary was the object of a frustrated dynamiting yesterday. These two events sent the populace of the city into a state bordering on panic. Hundreds of policemen and detectives were busy running in every direction endeavoring to locate the perpetrators of the crimes. Two arrests have been made on suspicion only.

An explosion at a mine belonging to the Coahuila Coal Company in Mexico has killed 72 miners. The force of the explosion blew down all the timbers in the slope from the sixth lift to the surface. It blew out the mouth of the stop, lifting 20 feet of the surface and blocking the entrance to the mine. The fan house was also blown down, but the fan and engine remained in working order. The second entrance was used to access the mine, but all ventilating currents and air steeping were destroyed and it was impossible to penetrate deep enough to reach any of the miners.

A disastrous fire broke out at 1 a.m. on Sunday night in Amherst. All interior and stocks were destroyed with damage estimated at $30,000.

October 5, 1916 – The Munson Mail

The Bank of Hamilton in the village of Caron, Saskatchewan, 18 miles west of Moose Jaw, was robbed on Thursday night of $9,000 by blowing open the bank safe. The gang held up the watchman and had cut all telephone and telegraph wires prior to entering the village.  

A few evenings ago, one of our young  men came home late and was in a hurry to go to a dance taking place. He rushed toward the stable and saw another party driving away in his outfit. His request for an explanation met with no response. Not to be outdone, he rounded up a horse that hadn’t been harnessed for awhile and was rather lively and he left town at some speed holding on for dear life.

Serg. F.H. Whiteside died on Thursday night in the Coronation Hospital as a result of gunshot wounds received at the hands of T. Helmbolt during a quarrel several days previous. Neither party gave statements as to the cause of the shooting and both men were members of the 187th Battalion.