From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

November 18, 1883 – The Brandon Mail

In world news, the London explosions have caused intense excitement in Irish circles. The French government do not expect China to declare war. The Cannonball Express from Kansas City on Friday night, running at 40 mph, struck a misplaced switch on 42 Street. The concussion was terrific with the engine, express, mail and freight cars all wrecked. The engineer and freight man escaped by jumping, but the baggage master was crushed in the debris. There were no serious injuries to passengers.

Kingston firebug James Jamieson, aged 60, has been sentenced to 41 years for barn burning.

In Montreal, Justice Loranger decided an agnostics testimony was not admissible in court.

A young lad fell from a swing bridge in Chatham and drowned so his father sued the corporation and got a verdict for $500. The defendants requested a retrial with a verdict returning against them for $800.

November 17, 1909 – The Western Globe (Lacombe)

Arthur Calkins, 19, walked into a clothing store and bought a heavy winter coat with a cheque signed by his previous employer for $55.80 and received $35.80 in change. When the proprietor went to the bank the next day, the teller refused the cheque, saying it was a forgery. The cheque was originally for $15.80, but Calkins decided it wasn’t enough and changed the one to a five, but didn’t do a great job and the change was easy to detect. When arrested, Calkins said he didn’t know what came over him, he just had a notion to get rich quick.

The regular meeting of the council was held last night with no business of importance before the board. After a couple hours of rag chewing, the meeting adjourned with the councillors wending their way homeward breathing silent swear words at the nonsensical loss of good sleeping time.

Mme. Steinheil, whose trial in Paris for the murder of her mother and husband has created great interest in many areas of the world, was acquitted last Saturday.

November 16, 1912 – Edmonton Saturday Mirror

It has been noticed the daily papers are beginning to be filled up with squibs about certain gentlemen who are coming forward to stand as alderman at the solicitation of their friends. Those who advocate for them believe they will render the city an excellent service. The editor has no doubt they will, he never has any doubts before an election. It’s after the too facile campaign and aldermanic promisers settle into their chairs at the Legislature that he begins to have misgivings.

An English apiarist has, after two years of experimentation, created a stingless bee. We greet the stingless bee as one more glorious vindication of the principle of human comfort. Scanning the broad future of science, we look hopefully to a still greater boon, the bill-less mosquito, pineless porcupine, stickless hatpin, clawless cat, the burrless cocklebur and the boreless conversational artist.

The great fissure of civilization at the present stage is that which separates the haves and have-nots. At some future epoch, the gulf between the cans and can-nots may furnish the world with still more convulsive problems.