From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Posted on October 15, 2026 by admin

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

October 14, 1882 – Edmonton Bulletin

The bridge over the first Rat Creek is in a miserable state. The trouble is that it is nobody’s business to fix it. 

A train left for the end of the track on Thursday with freight for McDougall & Co. The ox train took about 10,000 lbs of freight to Peace Hills. After delivery, they will go the Bow River trail crossing of the Red Deer to winter. The horse train will go across the plains direct to Red Deer Forks. 

Our meteorological report for the past seven days was crowded out. High temps ranged from 35 to 42F and lows from 25 to 31F. The total rainfall was three-fifths an inch and the snowfall eight and a half inches. The snow thawed as it fell and at no time was there a depth of more than three inches on the ground. 

October 11, 1907 – Didsbury Pioneer

The local elevators are taking in all grade of oats, even those touched by frost. The price paid is 35 cents per bushel, which is quite an advance over last year when only eighteen cents per bushel was being paid. 

Have you ever seen a man, who perhaps is not in the best of shape, running to catch a train? If so, you have seen the nearest human equivalent to the speed of a London omnibus, or bus as they are now commonly termed. There is something solemn and awe-inspiring in the steady lack of speed that words often fail the passenger who would fain to hurry. 

The people of the west do not tend to worry very seriously over the coal outlook until there is some urgent need for concern. It is more than possible that a wail will arise next November about the scarcity of fuel, leaving Government and railways to work overtime in order to alleviate the distress. 

October 14, 1910 – The Frank Vindicator

The saying, “crucifying Paul to redeem Peter” can be traced back to the twelfth century and the saying “robbing St. Peter to clothe St. Paul” is found in 1515 and a similar locution occurs in early French. The form of the expression now in vogue was solidified and rendered current by the agitation started in the city of London proper, as distinct from the city of Westminster, where the abbey stands, when the Earl of Chatham was buried at St. Paul’s to deprive the abbey of the greatest statesman in the island’s history. The taunt was so freely bandied about at this time, thus finding an abiding place in the English language. 

According to the registry of vital statistics, reports the Calgary Herald, there are a large number of children of considerable age whose parents have neglected to register their births. This seems to be primarily due to a misunderstanding as parents assume the doctor who delivered the child is responsible for registering the birth. Those who are most dilatory in this regard, are those who come to the west of Canada from parts of the States and Eastern Canada. 

The coal pile at the cement works in Blairmore caught fire during the early part of this week. Fortunately, due to some quick action, it was extinguished before any serious damage was done.