From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

September 16, 1882 – Edmonton Bulletin

A homing pigeon owned by a person in Toronto made the distance from Detroit to Toronto, 221 miles, in less than five hours.

It has been decided to establish the Mounted Police headquarters at Pile of Bones Creek, which will be accompanied by a reorganization of the force. Additionally, the name Pile of Bones was changed on August 23 in front of a large assemblage. It is now the site of the new capital and will henceforth be known as Regina.

It is supposed that the prairie fires at Fort Mcleod were set by small stock men in revenge for granting the land to large companies. Great discontent prevails with the leasing system and a change is likely to be made.

September 16, 1909 – The Bowden News

Old age has many definitions and middle age more, but you may take it that you are not really an old man so long as you take an interest in your personal appearance. There is not a nurse who does not know the signs of convalescence, when the patient wants to be shaved and put in a good appearance. So long as a man of sixty can take an interest in the latest tie – and tie it – he is preserving his youth.

Five members of the Yorkshire Ramblers Club had a weird and exciting week of adventure when they visited Gaping Ghyll, one of the largest underground chambers in England located in the Yorkshire Dales. They were unable to regain the surface due to a rush of water from heavy rain and were stuck in the bowels of the cave for over 30 hours.

A good deal of anxiety is being expressed in government circles over the disappearance of Captain Bernier, Canada’s ambitious Arctic explorer. Captain Bernier left Quebec on a voyage to the northern seas in July 1908 and since then no direct word has been received from him. The last word received of his expedition, which was to make surveys and collect custom dues from American whalers, was last October, nearly a year ago, when whalers returning to Scotland reported Bernier’s ship had planted the Union Jack on a good many islands in the Arctic seas.

September 18, 1913 – The Coleman Bulletin

With a brilliancy unsurpassed in the social history of the capital, the first session of the third legislature of Alberta was opened this afternoon. The speech from the throne was neither instructive not incisive, its chief feature being the omission of any reference to the Alberta and Great Waterway’s railway fiasco. Premier Sifton will continue to act as provincial treasurer and it was stated no appointment to this vacant portfolio will be made this year. There are several contenders for the position, but it is felt no selection can be made without offending other members.

Newspapers have vouchsafed that American Henry Thaw, who escaped to Canada from a mental institution where he was confined after his murder trial, has, figuratively speaking, been picked up by the scruff of the neck and tossed back into the United States.

The cause of the fire, which started about 10 a.m. on Monday, that destroyed Mr. White’s house is thought to be a defective chimney. Mr. White had only just purchased the house in West Coleman and is lucky to have bought insurance. Despite the speedy response of the fire brigade, the house could not be saved but the house on the west side escaped with only minor damage and the one on the east side was untouched by the blaze.