From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Posted on June 6, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

By Samantha Johnson
For Southern Alberta Newspapers

June 3, 1886 – The Brandon Mail

The feeling here on the fishery question has greatly changed and a belligerent spirit has been aroused by the seizure of the Sisters of Portland, the reported arming of fishing vessels, the threatening talk of Boston Fenians and the passage of the Frye bill. The Canadian Government is being urged to demand the release of the Sisters and, should the demand be refused, to apply to the Imperial Government for a man-of-war to enforce the release of the vessel.

A syndicate of four are digging in the Gorham Flats at Newmarket for a pot of gold supposed to have been buried there years ago.

Jack Donaldson has been sentenced to 21 months imprisonment with hard labour for the larceny of a cash box and contents from the Hub Hotel. He is an old-time offender and expressed utter indifference to the sentence.

The PEI legislature sat for five weeks, passed 19 acts and cost the province $12,000.

June 6, 1907 – The Advertiser and Central Alberta News

The trial of William Haywood began on June 3 in Boise, Idaho. Haywood is charged with conspiring, along with others in the inner circle of the Western Federation of Miners, to plot a campaign of terrorism with the double purpose of removal by assassination of those opposed to the organization. The prosecution will argue the murder of Governor Steunenberg was incidental in a greater conspiracy involving the alleged destruction of the Independence depot, the murder of Arthur Collins and Fred Bradley along with the attempted murder of ex-Governor Peabody and Judges Gabbert and Goddard.

Well-known Canadian astronomer Wiggins attributes the current cold weather to the influence of a second moon he discovered a quarter century ago that is now at a point where it is closest to earth.

In Montreal, a man mixed up a batch of pancakes while his wife was out of the house, mistaking rat poison for baking powder. One of the children noticed the pancakes were hard and inquired, but was reassured baking powder was used and all started eating. When the wife returned all were violently ill, the children recovering but the father succumbing to the poison.

June 4, 1912 – Vulcan Review

Rumours circulating that the death of the late president of the Grand Trunk Railway would slow down work on the lines are unfounded. Work is still being rushed and there is every indication it will continue as such and the line is scheduled to be in Calgary by June.

The police census of Calgary show a population of 61,340, an increase of 17,604 in a year.

The Taylor Furniture Store in Okotoks is being converted into a moving picture house. There will be a show every night with a regular change in films.

Advertisement for the Calgary Industrial exhibition is being distributed with an illustration of a cowboy whose occupation has presumably been cut off by the encroachment of the grain grower portion. It shows the cowboy “keeping his hand in” by roping a sheaf of wheat. The delight of the cowboy is equalled by the reluctance of the sheaf to be drawn towards his enemy and the terror of the horse in witnessing the frivolous nature of its rider’s employment.