From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Posted on July 16, 2026 by Sunny South News

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

July 13, 1892 – The Saskatchewan Times

The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Dominion of Canada was spent by the people of the Prince Albert district in a round of amusements from early morning until late at night. The day broke cloudy with rain, which finally ceased about 1 p.m. The greater portion of settlers from the surrounding country came in, some on waggons, others in carts and still more on ponies either with or without a saddle.

On July 1st, under the auspices of the Pork and Beans club, sports were held at Reid’s survey camp on Shell River. The camp was gaily decorated with blankets, axes, overalls and an unlimited supply of red bandanas that presented a spectacle at once pleasing and instructive.

The ferry boat collided with a raft of logs midriver on Thursday last. Some of the logs got scattered and, with the exception of a short delay, no damage was done to the boat.

July 16, 1910 – Bow Island Review

Captain Parker returned on Saturday from Bad Water Lake where he held court in connection with three prairie fires. One was started by someone carelessly throwing hot ashes out of their shack, the second by a settler charring the ends of posts without taking the usual precautions, the third was a settler clearing his land who had taken precautions to keep the fire in check, but it still got the best of him.

The yellow tint of all modern manned balloons, dirigible or otherwise, is a colour that has been dictated not so much by aesthetic considerations as by the fact that it is the best colour for the balloon’s preservation.

Well done Medicine Hat News! Your nerviness is only surpassed by your enterprise. Your first copy, dated July 11th, is nicely edited, cleanly published and well patronised by advertisers. What more could the heart of a publisher desire? None but a publisher knows the tremendous responsibility that is connected with the launch of a new daily. The great expense, the nerve-wracking period through which one passes ere the first issue is placed in the hands of a criticizing public.

July 14, 1911 – The Raymond Leader

A number of residents with their families are planning on taking advantage of the excursion rates to Lethbridge today for the purpose of seeing Eugene Ely, the world-famous birdman. He is making various aeroplane flights and this is the first time an aviation exhibition is taking place in western Canada, with the exception of several flights made last summer by Chris K. Hamilton in Vancouver.

According to vital statistics, 44 children have died in Toronto in the past three days. This is an awful list and is directly attributed to the heat. The total number of deaths due to the heat wave since the beginning of the month is 83.

To clean a paper carpet (a popular, budget-friendly alternative to woven floor coverings, usually made of heavy-duty, varnish coated felt or kraft paper), if it has been sized and varnished, it is done the same as varnished walls. Wring a cloth out with warm water, add a little coal oil, rub the carpet over and then rub it lightly with a little furniture polish or beeswax and turpentine.