From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Ryan Dahlman

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

August 8, 1883 – The Prince Albert Times and Saskatchewan Review

Rafaelle, a hand on the steamer Manitoba, was the complainant in an assault charge against a mate on the same boat. Rafaelle had been troublesome and disobedient throughout the voyage, skulking his work and, on the occasion in question, refused to work and stated he was returning to his bunk, from which he had just emerged. The mate took him by the scruff of the neck and tapped him a couple times, not hard enough to knock him down, after which Rafaelle went to work. The mate was charged $2 and costs even though the magistrate empathized with him but said he should not have taken the law into his own hands.

Further details of the cyclone at Eaton Rapids, Michigan on July 23 state an entire flock of sheep were blown away and have not been found since.

The verdict in the Tivoli disaster, where a barge struck a pier causing it to collapse, killing 63 people, says the authorities of the pier did not use proper care and precaution to prevent the occurrence.

The heavy rains that have prevailed in England lately threaten to interfere with the harvest.

Cholera has spread to Russia where several cases are reported. The existence of the dread disease in London, England is denied.

August 3, 1907 – Saturday News (Edmonton)

In New York, two men and three children died from the intense heat. Hundreds have taken to sleeping in the parks. One patient at a hospital was so crazed by the heat he jumped from a third story window. In St. Louis, three deaths and eight prostrations due to the heat were reported. In Alberta, we are enjoying long days of glorious sunshine followed by cool and comfortable nights.

The British journalists who visited Calgary and Edmonton this week are all men of distinction. As is the usual fate of those whose time is taken up in writing about others, their names, as a rule, are not well known, even in their own country.

Fire did $2,000 damage in Vermillion on Monday of last week at the tin shop of Howard and Heath. The new system of fire protection was responsible for keeping the fire from spreading.

August 6, 1914 – Oyen News

England declared war against Germany last night at 11 p.m. Italy has declared her neutrality, but in every European country troops have been mobilized pending future development. Subsequently, Italy refused to assist Germany on the grounds that Germany was the aggressor and it is believed Italy will declare war against Austria-Hungary.

A local man was out in his crop with a binder and three horses when it is supposed the horses took fright to a peal of thunder. The unfortunate man was thrown and the binder passed over his body, killing him.

The British fleet is in action and all eyes are turned to the North Sea where the British are engaging the Germans in a great battle off the Dutch coast. There are no details but rumours say 19 German battleships sunk. 135 were saved when British cruiser Amphion was sunk by a mine 60 miles from Harwich. The mine was laid by Koenigen Louise, who in turn was sunk in six minutes by four shots by British torpedo destroyer Lance.