From the Archives of Western Newspapers

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

February 12, 1886 – Lethbridge News

Those who imagine an extensive coal mining business can be carried out at comparatively small expense are very much mistaken. Those who take the trouble to consider the problem understand it costs money to mine coal and lay it down some 800 miles from the mine. Considering all this, the North Western Coal and Navigation Company has made the price of coal as low as it can possibly make it.

Last night, Ed Weston finished his walk of 2,500 miles, averaging 15.4 miles each day. Weston was a lifelong teetotaler and was pitted against O’Leary, an habitual partaker of liquid stimulants. The purse was for $3,000 offered by a New York advocate of temperance. O’Learly collapsed on Tuesday after completing 2,292 miles.

Unemployed workingmen, incited by socialists, have kept the entire city of London, England in great excitement. Hundreds of shops have been broken into and pillaged, windows of private houses broken, inoffensive people maltreated, although none killed. The police are powerless to put a stop to the riot. Latest reports say the chaos is subsiding and the crisis has passed.

February 8, 1912 – The Barons Enterprise

Buckingham Palace is to have some much-needed attention given to its exterior. The First Commissioner of Works found himself with a surplus of $750,000 and wanted to paint the interior of the palace and undertake other necessary works. He was overruled by other members of the cabinet on the grounds that due to the large sums required for the coronation and other royal affairs, the money should be spent elsewhere. The roof is also in a bad state of repair and will receive attention.

Only one member showed up at the fire brigade meeting on Tuesday evening in Barons. This is by no means a hopeful outlook for the town if a blaze should occur.

The activity of Italian war vessels in the Mediterranean and Red Sea is causing increasing uneasiness in shipping insurance circles. Several large insurances have been effected recently at Lloyds, with 5% being enacted to cover the risk of an outbreak of hostilities between France and Italy in the next four months, even though it seems unlikely to occur. A premium of 6% was paid on the risk of an outbreak of war between Great Britain, France and Germany within the next six months.

Consistent with the policy he stoutly championed while in opposition, Col. Sam Hughes announced he intends to make the Ross rifle the national arm in the Dominion. A militia order recently issued contains the notice that as the Ross rifle and bayonets become available for use, all Lee-Enfield rifles and bayonets will be withdrawn.

February 13, 1913 – The Hanna Herald

Hanna is now only seven months old and has already made a name for itself among the investing public of large cities as being one of the greatest distributing centres in Alberta. This is owing to the many roads coming here that are either completed, under construction or proposed. It is also now to be the railway hub of Alberta with seven different lines coming through the town.

A preliminary hearing was held in Hanna last November regarding an assault case. Several citizens from town have now been subpoenaed for their appearance in Calgary next Tuesday for the sitting of the Supreme Court.

Jack Hornsby of Assiniboia was captured at Expanse after a long chase by Constables McPhatter and Whyter of the Mounted Police. Hornsby is alleged to have stolen a horse and $50 from a farmer outside of Emery. 

The capture is said to be a brilliant one as Hornsby had a good head start and no officer of the Mounted Police was in the vicinity at the time of the crime.