From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Thursday, September 16, 1897 – The Calgary Weekly Herald

A stock company is being formed by Ottawa capitalists to construct a balloon for the transport of passengers, freight and mail to the Yukon gold fields from Edmonton. About $10,000 has been subscribed and the balloon is expected to be ready in three weeks. The balloon will travel close to the ground and be constructed in such a way that the motive power will not be affected by cold or damp.

 The Costello assault in Rossland, BC required $4,000 in bonds before bail was granted. The Spokane Chronicle wrote: “Persons who commit much more serious assault on this side of the line are often released on $100 bonds and sometimes on less. They receive a fine of $5 and upwards and are permitted to go free. Assaults, and in fact all crimes and misdemeanors, are looked upon more seriously in Canada, and a man who commits an assault there is lucky to escape with less than a year in the penitentiary. The promptness with which punishment is meted out to those who violate the laws has a most salutary effect, as it makes a person hesitate a long time before committing a breach of the peace.”

 Saturday, September 10, 1910 – The Bow
Island Review

Four men died instantly and another four are seriously injured when a bolt of lightning hit a tent at 4 a.m. Saturday morning outside Fargo, ND. All were part of the Crawford Osborn threshing crew, including prominent farmer Fred Osborn. The bolt came with a terrific crash of thunder that shook the ground for miles around. The tent was set on fire and the four injured received serious burns and were saved by the quick thinking of other crew members.

 The Southern Alberta Land Co. are taking a group of London financiers and English shareholders on a tour of their property. Last night the visitors were entertained with a bucking contest. That outlaw Old Scarhead threw his rider in the final round and was the source of an interesting side bet.

 In Winnifred, two homesteaders from the south walked 15 miles into town on Friday with the news that they had received two heavy snowfalls the previous day, the first at 11a.m. and then again at 5 p.m.

 Thursday, September 15, 1921 – Stony Plain Sun

The Order of the Duck (Stony Plain Lodge) held its banquet last week. This organization is composed of a representative from each profession and line of business. The members enjoy themselves immensely and hope to meet again soon.

Canadian visitors to Europe, on landing in Liverpool or Southampton,  are at once struck by the small size of the locomotives as compared with the mighty machines here. If one’s itinerary takes them to the lakelands and highlands of Cumberland they will find an independent line that is said to be the smallest railway in the world. It is leased to the London company Narrow Guage Railways Ltd. and uses midget express engines, which are exactly the same as regular sized ones but one-quarter the size.

Rye has come to be regarded as the best thing for a dry and thirsty land, says the Lethbridge Herald. Who would have believed it?