From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

October 26, 1892 – The Saskatchewan Times

The Refuse Disposal Company in London has developed a system for sorting through all the garbage. As about three percent of the material is paper and rags, along with a quantity of straw and other rough material, this is being used to make paper. Organic matter is ground up and shipped out as manure. Bits of coal and other burnable organic matter is used for fuel.

On Thursday evening last, about 10:30 p.m., the residents of the town were startled by the alarm of fire. On moving toward the flames, it was discovered the fire was consuming a building near the residence of C. McDonald and owned by that gentleman. A cause for the fire has not been found as nobody is known to have been in the building for the past two days. The loss was partially covered by insurance.

Mrs. Sullivan had a serious accident on Saturday last after the spirited team she was driving ran off. The horses became unmanageable as they bolted across the prairie and Mrs. Sullivan was thrown from the wagon, resulting in one of her shoulders being dislocated, her face badly cut and otherwise bruised and badly shaken. Dr. White attended the injured lady, and we are glad to report she is recovering.

October 27, 1910 – The Blairmore Enterprise

A superstitious subscriber, who found a spider in his paper, wants to know if it is considered a bad omen. Nothing of the kind. The spider was just looking over the columns of the paper to see what merchants were not advertising. With that information, the spider intends to spin its web across one of those store doors, so as to be undisturbed.

Reverend Fortune, of the Alberta Temperance and Moral Reform League, was in the pass, arriving in Blairmore on Saturday and holding sessions at Bellevue and Coleman. Fortune delivered a powerful address on the subject of temperance and moral reform. A local committee was formed to look after the work here.

The difference between fame and notoriety is that notoriety commonly lasts longer.

John J. Flanagan, world champion hammer thrower, has resigned from the New York Police department and moved to Toronto to be closer to his brother, Thomas. We trust he will be a valuable addition to the athletes in Toronto.

October 29, 1910 – The Buzzer (MacLeod)

Earlier this week, police raided a house in town where a big craps game was going on. Several more or less prominent men of the town were in the place at the time of the raid. The offenders were up before the beak early the next day and all were let off with a fine and a warning. No names were mentioned on request.

The fire whistle blew last night at 6:20 p.m. The blaze was out before the fire brigade were 100 yards from the hall.

After last night’s trip to the moving pictures, many of us know more about the Antarctic Ocean, the South Pole and Shackleton.