From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Posted on February 20, 2025 by admin

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

February 16, 1894 – The Brandon Daily Mail

The CPR are having steamers built in England to travel the San Francisco, Vancouver and Lower Sound district route. On Thursday, February 1, the first CPR through train entered Seattle. Not only will a first-class CPR train run between Vancouver and Seattle, but a first-class Great Northern train will run in the opposite direction by special arrangement.

In the last issue of the Regina Leader, an editorial on scientific protection from the Montreal Star was reprinted. The editor of the Leader also wrote he has no hesitation in stating the Montreal Star is the best paper being published in Canada today. We make our apologies for not having acknowledged a puff piece for the Star Christmas number until this late date. The old saying ‘I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine’ applies even in journalism.

The Vancouver World recently published a clipping about promoters of local entertainments failing to extend ordinary courtesies to the press and then expressing surprise when the event wasn’t covered. The popular idea that newspaper scribes get their enjoyment out of attending socials, concerts and dinners is a grave mistake and if an invitation to attend is not extended, it is assumed a report of the proceedings is not desired.

February 18, 1910 – The Edmonton Daily Capital

In the Supreme Court, two young men pleaded guilty to forgery and Justice Harvey imposed the minimum sentence of two years. Peter MacPherson is charged with passing forged cheques in Edmonton one day last month and Edward Riley forged the name of another on one of those cheques. When asked why clemency should be extended, 23-year-old Riley said, “I was drunk at the time and did not know what I was doing. This is the first time I’ve been arrested for anything…”

Three elephants broke away from a street parade yesterday in San Francisco and rampaged around 30 blocks of the city. Swerving into a butcher shop, the elephants managed to wreck half the place before heading for a winery, where they tossed barrels and kegs about. They were finally captured in a vacant lot.

86 persons were still clinging to the wreckage of the steamer Lima off Chile with others having made it to shore when a cruiser arrived on a rescue mission. With the aid of lines attaching the cruiser to the wreck, small boats were able to rescue everyone. The two who’d managed to swim to shore were collected later.

February 20, 1911 – The Gateway (Edmonton)

The second annual Conversazione is now a matter of history and the consensus of opinion seems to be it was successful. The attendance was satisfactory, yet it is to be regretted that some considerable number of students have not developed sufficient college spirit to make them feel their obligations to attend college functions. Surely someone who misses this side of college life loses a training only second to their actual academic work.

The Varsity seniors had an unlucky day last month when the temperature hovered below 30 and the Edmonton Deacons came down looking like giants in the cold mist. Yells seemed to stick in our throats and the puck was made of lead. From the beginning, the Deacons showed themselves superior, but the Varsity played a good game and fought over every inch of ice.

In London, word was conveyed to the authorities of the location of three men who were wanted and instead of rushing the place early in the morning, pebbles were thrown at the window. The result was a battle between desperate men in possession of automatic revolvers and the authorities. The police onsite were reinforced by the Scots Guards, more police from other districts, a battery of field artillery and the fire brigade. The battle lasted some hours and was terminated only by the burning of the house.