From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

January 22, 1886 – The Qu’Appelle Progress

The millionaire Mr. A. Morris of New York has successfully sued an architect who constructed a special bedroom at his country estate. Morris snores loudly and disturbs other sleepers in the house so requested the bedroom, which was to be located above the carriage house, keep with the interior and exterior of the main house and be within a cost of $5,000. The total cost of the addition when finished was $27,000 and, on the outside, it resembled more a factory than the house it was attached to.

The Saskatchewan council has opted for economy in the extreme and has slashed wages. The clerk received $200 per year from the old council, which has been reduced to $85, the treasurer from $50 to $30 and the assessor from $50 to $40.

The Prince Albert Times is yet another paper that has been copying material from The Progress and crediting it to the Fort Qu’Appelle Vidette. Is it necessary to tell the Times that the Vidette is published 24 miles from Qu’Appelle at a place called Fort Qu’Appelle, a suburb of this town?

January 26, 1910 – Western Globe (Lacombe)

William Beckett of Winnipeg has been arrested. His wife claims he put poison in her coffee, but she detected it before drinking much. Beckett is now in hospital suffering from an overindulgence of drugs. He is a druggist and is a victim of the cocaine habit, which cause him to be seized by spells that render him insane. He will be charged with theft of goods from the store where he was employed.

The elected councillor of Beatley, H. A. Brownlow, was refused a seat at the council meeting last Saturday, which was held at the home of Secretary-Treasurer J.C. Carritt. We fail to understand the authority by which council could refuse Brownlow a seat and expect an explanation will be coming.

The Blindman River has flooded over the ice and looks much like a spring breakup. All the girls and boys went down to skate on Sunday, but returned disappointed as they couldn’t find any ice not covered in water.

January 23, 1913 – The Carlstadt News

The party or parties who took the sleighs from the CPR loading platform are asked to kindly return them as soon as possible to avoid serious trouble.

A Missouri printer made up a marriage announcement recently in a hurry and printed the following: Bill Jones and Ida Gray were united in the holy sauerkraut by the quart or barrel. Mr. Jones is a well-known codfish at 10 cents per pound while his bride has some nice pigs’ feet that will be sold cheaper than any in town. We wish the couple a dozen small pears for 15 cents.

A carter picked up a package recently in Paris and another man saw him and claimed it was his. The first refused to give it up and both men went to the police station. When opened, the package was found to contain $630,000 in bank notes, gold and securities. The man who claimed the package could not give a satisfactory account of himself and was found to be carrying two revolvers and a large knife on his person. He was locked up and if the package is not claimed in a year and a day, it will become the rightful property of the carter.