From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

January 30, 1908 – The Gleichen Call

On Saturday, the fire alarm was rung unexpectedly and the brigade turned out in fine form, although some members were hostile about being called upon to exert themselves so vigorously for naught. They enquired who rang the bell and it appears the councillors had decided to ring it but there was some misunderstanding, and the alarm was rung before they had completed their arrangements for a fire.

The Lacombe Globe is the first to try and knock Gleichen’s strong petition and claims for an agricultural college to be located here. Lacombe wants the college and that’s why the Globe has got out their little hammer when they wrote the following: “One of the greatest modern jokes is the present agitation on the part of Gleichen, with a view to securing the Alberta Agricultural College for that place. Located as it is 275 miles south of the geographical centre of the province, in a district where the rainfall is so scant that irrigation is practiced, and a point not accessible from more than one line of railway, the project is absurd.”

The Masquerade Ball planned for Feb. 14 is currently the most talked about event and it is simply awful to keep so many secrets about it. If our reporter has been rightly informed – and, of course, everybody tells a reporter their secrets – then this ball will be a very brilliant affair.

 January 29, 1909 – Didsbury Pioneer

The word candidate is from the Latin candidatus and means white-robed. It was thus called because those who sought office in Rome wore a glittering white toga. Fancy, if you can, all our modern Americans dressed in accordance with their political ambitions. In some sections there would be no such thing as a dark suit of clothes and Washington would be one shining centre of universal whiteness.

An ambassador is above the law of the country to which they are accredited. The courts have no jurisdiction over them and, strangely enough, all subordinates and domestic servants are also inviolate.

The greatest good the Suffragettes are doing in their prison visitations is they are destroying the blight of irrevocable dishonour attached to having been in prison. What if a man has been to prison? His experiences can now be discussed with many charming, intelligent and exemplary ladies. They can compare psychological notes and bring forward useful suggestions for reform.

January 27, 1910 – The Blairmore Enterprise and Frank Vindicator

The report of the Royal North West Mounted Police for 1909 has some very interesting facts. As of Sept. 30, there were 51 officers, 600 non-commissioned officers and constables, and 558 horses. It is an increase of two officers and 35 horses from 1908. While the main strength of the force are stationed in the southern parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the commander of each district finds it difficult to meet the demands with the strength at their disposal.

Farmers south of Bow Island are busy working the land and the same is true at Iron Springs and Barons. A report from Milk River states some plowing has been done in that area.

Two tramps blew into town and inside of two hours had insulted several people before loitering around the outskirts looking for something to steal. They spotted a new suit of clothes on the line belonging to Mr. Stein, foreman of the government bridge crew, and promptly took them. The mounted police were on the scene as soon as the clothing was missed and quickly arrested one of the characters who had been causing disturbances around town and he was taken to the barracks at Frank. He was tried in Macleod on Wednesday and sentenced to four months hard labour at the Macleod jail.