From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Sunny South News

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

November 29, 1882 – The Prince Albert Review and Saskatchewan Times

The skies on Friday evening were brilliantly illuminated by the aurora borealis. It requires the clear air of these northern latitudes to display this beautiful atmospheric phenomenon to perfection.

The wonderful fertility of the soil in Manitoba and throughout the North West, and its adaptability to agricultural purposes, has seldom been questioned. It was with much surprise we read an article in the Halifax Morning Chronicle denouncing the character of the soil here, the scenery, resources, in fact, everything belonging to it, in the most unmeasured terms. We can understand the anxiety of our contemporary, who wishes to keep the ‘blue noses’ in their own country.

In our last issue, we referred to ex-sergeant Keenan as one time having acted as clerk to the district court. We must not be understood as reflecting in the slightest degree on the fitness of the present incumbent Mr. Finlayson, who we believe gives every satisfaction in the discharge of his duties. The two positions, Deputy Sheriff and Clerk, cannot be properly held by the same person.

November 25, 1910 – The Bellevue Times

The Miner commits plagiarism without a blush. It copied wholesale its Frank News last week from the Lethbridge Herald, without acknowledging the sources of its information.

Three young men were charged in court for creating a disturbance on Monday morning and breaking a window in the bowling alley. They pleaded guilty and were fined $5 in costs plus $2.50 in damages.

The Mounted Police have been kept busy. Constables Beech and Moorhead each brought in a big bunch of drunks from Bellevue and Hillcrest. When brought before Inspector Belcher, they had to pay dearly for their frolics.

November 29, 1916 – The Oyen News

Pte. C.L. Dunford wrote a letter to the paper. “If I gave an address at the time of writing, I should say liable-to-be-in-the-ditch-any-moment – we are on the CNR. Apart from the rough riding, we are being well cared for and – with the exception of a few of the boys who are suffering from recent vaccinations – are well and happy.

The conservation commission has established a research station at Port Dover in order to ascertain what commercial use can be made from fish offal and eelpouts, which together average at least a ton a day during the fishing season.

If you find yourself indoors during a thunderstorm and the house is struck by lightning, there is nowhere safe to be in the house and escape is nearly impossible. If outside, the safest place is in the woods. If lightning strikes a tree, it is unlikely to be the one you are sheltering under. It would be foolish to stand under an isolated tree during a thunderstorm. An open shed, particularly one a considerable distance from other large buildings, is not quite as dangerous. Never go near a wire fence during a thunderstorm. Even in a house without a lightning rod, you are much better off indoors than outside during a thunderstorm. In a house, you have about a one in two chance of surviving, but under a tree you will surely be killed. Not more than one in 35 people hit under such conditions survives.