Also in 1907....

Watt, A. Balmer

Editor's Note: On February 25, 1907, the Historical Society of Alberta was formed by an Act of the Alberta legislature. At that time, the province was only two years old and many of its services and amenities were just being established. A land rush by homesteaders was underway and urban real estate was beginning to rear its brazen head. At the beginning of 1907, Edmonton had no street cars, Calgary had no door-to-door mail service, Lethbridge as a city was just one year old, and Red Deer boasted a population of two thousand.

To provide some glimpses of Alberta in 1907, we have drawn upon the news and editorial articles that appeared in The Saturday News, a newspaper out of Edmonton that called itself "Alberta's Provincial Weekly." Besides gathering its own news, editor A. Balmer Watt drew upon news and human interest stories that appeared in local weeklies all across Alberta.

Here are some samples:

Lethbridge celebrated its first birthday as a city last week in suitable fashion, a procession and a programme of sports taking place during the day time and a banquet in the evening. The southern city is making great strides. With its many natural advantages and its progressive citizenship, nothing will hold it back. (May 18, 1907)

Paul Purddis, of Calgary, has resigned his post as engineer of the waterworks and sewer construction in progress at Red Deer. The council decided to stop work for the winter, contrary to his advice. Their decision, he claims, means a loss of $3,000 to the municipality. He urged that it would be difficult to break in the inexperienced gang in the spring, that the trenches if left as they are until then, would collapse and that there would be a lot of trouble in draining them. (January 19, 1907)

The Alberta Navigation company's new steamboat, "City of Medicine Hat," was launched at Medicine Hat last Tuesday in the presence of a concourse of citizens and residents of the district. Miss Isobel Cousins, daughter of the mayor of the city, christened the boat and the mayor made a short address after which Captain H. H. Ross gave the word and the ropes were cut, allowing the big steamer to gracefully glide into the water. The council presented a silver service in honor of the event. The boat will be used on the South Saskatchewan for freight and passengers and can accommodate 58 passengers. (June 15, 1907)

The Government was wise in not leaving the question of a site for the provincial university open for any length of time. The choice narrowed to Strathcona and Calgary and the decision in the former's favor has given no small measure of satisfaction to the people on each side of the river. The advantages which will accrue from such an institution are by no means small. Ten years from now, the university and its affiliated colleges should have between two and three thousand students in attendance, while those employed on the various staffs will number several hundred. But there is not only the addition to the population to consider. The presence of large academic bodies in a city has a broadening and refining influence which is worth a great deal. On the other side of the Saskatchewan from the parliament buildings, an excellent site may be obtained, one that could not be equalled, we believe, elsewhere in Alberta. (April 13, 1907)

Though Calgary will lack the provincial university, its future in educational matters seems assured. Already a girls' college has been established, and Western Canada College, under management of Dr. McRae, is an assured success. This week comes the announcement of the gift of a site for an Anglican Divinity School by Mr. E.H. Riley, to be known as the "Bishop Pinkham College." Accompanying the offer of a site is a cheque for $500, the first half of a donation of $1,000. Though not very much prominence has been given the fact, it has been known for some time that an admirable site of ten and three quarter acres has been donated by a prominent Baptist for the purpose of establishing a Baptist College in Calgary. The site is an admirable one, on high land north of the Bow river. (April 27, 1907)

The Calgary Albertan in discussing the plans for the parliament buildings, shows a broad spirit which we believe is shared by the majority of the people of the province.

"The province of Alberta," it says, "is the best of the nine. That seems to be without doubt. That being the case we must not content ourselves with any ordinary buildings. They should be complete, roomy and beautiful. They should be the kind that people travel far to see, and remark about when they go away. They should be a source of education as well as accommodation. They should be worthy of Alberta, and we cannot go further than that, even if they cost us twice as much as people generally believe that they will cost, which is about $1,000,000."

Hon. Mr, Cushing has just returned from a visit to a number of state capitols, where he secured much information which promises to bear excellent fruit in the structure about to be erected on the bank of the Saskatchewan. (January 5, 1907)

I hear some of my married friends complaining about the unearthly hours to which their wives keep them up at dances. In the East where men were scarce it was different, but in Alberta, no matter how old and haggish a woman may be, she gets heaps of attention. When she comes home between three and four a.m., she spends an extra half hour before the mirror, asking herself how it is that she is endowed with perpetual youth, while her husband in dreams goes back to the happy days of his wife's wallflowerdom. Talk about this being simply a country for men! The girls in the East don't realize what chances they are missing. The most glorious opportunities in the world are open to them here. (March 23, 1907)

The Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway, the road which runs between Edmonton and Strathcona and whose name is almost as long as its mileage, has always come in for a fair share of public attention. It figured before the beef commission on Monday, and Paddy Nolan informed the commissioners that it was sometimes called for short "The Narrow Escape." But it is to have a rival very shortly. Pincher Creek citizens propose to build a railway from the town to the station and it will be known as the Pincher Creek Coal, Oil and Wheat Railway Company. The charter will doubtless give the directors power to enlarge the designation as other commodities are carried. (July 20, 1907)

What is wrong with Calgary anyway? I always find it a very pleasant city to spend a few days in. But many people, it seems, no sooner cross its borders than it suggests so strong a resemblance to another place that they can't help remarking on it. Emma Goldman, the anarchist, was hardly off the train the other day, when she told a reporter that Calgary was nearer like hell than any other town she had ever been in. Mr. Crossley, the evangelist, used to speak of the two as if they were synonymous.

Not being as well acquainted with the more widely known and densely populated of the two communities as are Miss Goldman and Mr. Crossley, I am afraid I shall have to bow to their authority. But wouldn't it be more satisfactory if they went into details?

Calgary, strange to say, doesn't seem to be worrying. Probably her philosophy is that of a western newspaperman whom I once heard. An evangelist one night, made a statement something like this: "Hell is a place where theatres flourish, where people sit up till all hours in the morning playing cards, where they spend the time when decent people are sleeping, in the odious social dance, etc." A verbatim report of the address was brought in by a member of the newspaper staff and the editor, in a moment of inspiration, wrote as the heading: O what joy to be there!" June 22, 1907)

An undertaker in Medicine Hat named Moore has been arrested under section 206 of the criminal code, charging him with placing two bodies in one coffin when burying two men who died in hospital without friends. The man who had employed one of the dead men, however, after the funeral ordered a respectable burial of his employee and bought and paid for a good coffin. The undertaker took his money but did not place the body in a casket, burying the body as previously intimated. (March 23, 1907)

"The Pacific express No. 97 was only 64 hours late yesterday," said the Calgary Albertan on Monday, evidently in all seriousness. This serves to recall the case of the traveller who went to a station to enquire when he could get on to the next town. The train he had come in on the day before was away behind time.

"Well, how's today's train?" he asked the station master. "Seven and a half hours late," was the reply.

The traveller looked after his baggage and was starting off up town again, when he heard a whistle and saw a train approaching. He went up to the agent and angrily exclaimed, "I thought you I said she was seven and a half hours late and here she comes in."

"Why that's not today's train," was the reply, "that's yesterday's." (February 9, 1907)

Well! Well! Pat Burns says that Albertans would starve in ten days if it weren't for him. Next thing we know his neighbor, the Calgary brewery, will tell us we would die of thirst but for it. (July 6, 1907)

Edmonton--The films for the moving picture machine at the Bijou theatre, which were delayed so long en route, arrived the first of the week and they are now giving their regular performance afternoon and evenings with a complete change of programme twice each week. They give a good clean show and are being well patronized. (April 20, 1907)

After much discussion, the Edmonton council has decided on the streets which the six miles of car line to be constructed during the coming summer, will traverse. The main line will run on Jasper, from St. Catherine St. in the Groat Estate to Government avenue [92 Street], the eastern boundary of the city.

The other streets on which construction will take place are: First street, from Jasper avenue to Isabella street [104 Avenue]: Isabella street, from First street to Namayo avenue [97 Street]: Namayo avenue, from Jasper avenue to Norwood Boulevard [111 Avenue]: and Syndicate avenue [95 Street], from Jasper avenue to Norwood Boulevard, west to connect with the line at Namayo avenue. (March 9, 1907)

Dr George, who has done so much to encourage the study of natural history in Alberta and who is the founder of the Provincial Natural History Society, has decided to move from Innisfail to Red Deer. From the very first, say the Innisfail Province, Dr. George sought to identify himself with every enterprise which tendered to the advancement of Innisfail and surrounding district. The Dr. will be missed in many ways but what Innisfail misses Red Deer will gain. There are few more enthusiastic students of natural history in Canada; the natural history collection would be hard to duplicate, and has been collected with a great patience and skill. All who have seen it unite in his opinion that it would make a valuable nucleus for a provincial museum. (June 29, 1907)

The inauguration of street delivery marks an epoch in Calgary's history and in that of Alberta. Calgary is the first city in either Alberta or Saskatchewan to receive the service of letter carriers. The convenience, of course, is a great one, and already it is taken as a matter of course. (June 29, 1907)

During the past two months, eight attempts have been made to burn down the new school building at Lacombe. A little boy named Hubert Reed was arrested on the charge but on investigation, the evidence was shown to be altogether insufficient to convict him with the charge and he was honorably discharged. (January 5, 1907)

The immigrants from Great Britain have been almost uniformly of a satisfactory class. A consignment arrived in Calgary last week, however, which were the reverse. They were from the slums of London, and were dirty, ignorant, and cheeky. An occasional lapse on the part of immigration agents in Britain is not sufficient to cause severe censure. Nevertheless care should be constantly exercised to send only thrifty, respectable people to Canada, and to Alberta of all parts thereof. We want only the best. (July 20, 1907)

The Vegreville Observer remarks, "It is reported from Warwick that a favorite method taken by young men to warm their hands is to hug the nearest girl. One unhappy youth tried it and got his face slapped. Gee! Those Warwick girls must be fierce. Either that or the process of hugging has not been attempted with the proper suavity and regard for appearances." The Observer man might render a public service by devoting part of his space each week to describing just how inexperienced youths should go about it. (February 10, 1907)

The Magrath Pioneer tells an interesting story of winter travelling. About five clock one afternoon recently, W. Baxter, proprietor of the Magrath Hotel, and Mr. Ross, Toronto, left Raymond for Magrath. Owing to the depth of the snow, they did not reach Nine Mile Coulee until 7 p.m. and there the trail was lost. After wandering up and down the coulee until 10 o'clock, finding and losing the road several times, they gave it up and decided to camp there till daylight.

Opening one of the large trunks, which Mr. Ross had with him, they emptied the contents into the wagon. They then placed themselves in the trunk, closing the lid after them. The shelter was just large enough to allow them to sit down, allowing no stretching room. After placing rugs about their shoulders they proceeded to enjoy the evening; Mr Ross in smoking, and Mr. Baxter in relating stories.

The weather was very chilly, it being below zero, but the heat and the smoke of the cigars soon made them comfortable in the way of warmth. They slept well, considering their surroundings, and waking up at daybreak, they discovered that they were on the right road. Leaving camp at 8 a.m., Magrath was reached by 10 a.m. When questioned about the trip, they both replied that they had enjoyed it immensely. (February 2, 1907)

Hon. Mr. Cushing recently visited Red Deer and looked into the question of a court house. The Advocate says that it is understood he has decided that his department shall avail itself of the option held by Mr. J. Carlyle Moore, on behalf of the Government, on Rev. Dr. Gaetz's block out on Ross Ave., north side, between the Hallow and Waskasoo creeks for $5,000. The block is 500 x 25 ft., is bounded by four streets, and occupies a very commanding position. The Minister had at first some doubt as to whether it would be too far out. (April 27, 1907)

Considerable interest is being manifested in Northern Alberta in Mr. James K. Cornwall's recent investment in Calgary suburban property. He has made an application on behalf of himself and Geo. Ross for the extension of the city limits so as to include Elbow Park and a tract of 60 acres adjoining it. The latter is owned by Mr. Ross, the park having been recently purchased by Mr. Cornwall.

"In laying out the property," said Mr. Cornwall to an interviewer recently, "we are taking advantage of the natural beauty of the park and the contour of the river and the hills. In company with our surveyor, Mr. Moore, I have been over the whole property several times and we think we have designed a plan which will appeal to the people, particularly those with artistic inclinations." (January 12, 1907)

An Alberta Historical Society is in process of formation, a number of Edmonton citizens having taken the initiative at an informal conference on Monday night. A general meeting will be held the week after next to complete organization. The new body will have a wide and a fascinating field of labor before it and should be of great value. The province is not yet two years old and it is only within very recent times that it has attracted the attention of the world, but its historical records go back several centuries.

As the attorney general in his speech in the Legislature on the capital question pointed out, Edmonton was a political centre before Toronto was. It was the seat of the government of the Hudson's Bay Company for a vast stretch of territory before Governor Simcoe picked upon Muddy York as the capital of Upper Canada. But a full century before the time of which Mr. Cross spoke of, when Edmonton sprang into existence, Fort Chippewyan, 450 miles north of the present city and still removed from it by a long and toilsome journey of some weeks' duration, was a place of importance.

Here, as John A. McDougall and Mr. H.B. Round pointed out on Monday night, are now to be found the most complete Hudson's Bay records in this part of the Dominion. When the Battle of Waterloo was being fought, that company's employees were carrying on its business in the most remote corners of the continent. A year after that epoch-making engagement, Sir Alexander Mackenzie at a Fort up near the Arctic, read the account of it in an English print of the day.

No historian of any race or of any time has ever presented to the world volumes of more compelling interest than those to the production of which Francis Parkman gave his life. But he did not come anyway near exhausting the field and insofar as Western Canada is concerned, it has hardly yet been touched. We have a history of which we may all be proud and it is the duty of all good citizens, particularly of those who have the talent for historical investigation, to aid in the work of research.

The late Sir James Edgar, Speaker of the House of Commons, wrote some stirring stanzas some years ago, one of which ran:

Though boasting no baronial halls, Nor ivy-mantled towers What past can match thy glorious youth Fair Canada of ours.

Anything which tends to develop a national sentiment should be encouraged and there is nothing like the work which this new organization proposes to enter upon so effective in giving us a sense of unity as a people. "By adorning ten thousand deeds of men long gone," wrote Plato several thousand years ago, "history educates the men that are to be."

In this connection, it should be mentioned that for some years Alberta has had a most ardent historical student, Dr. George of Innisfail, who for his own satisfaction has systematically collected an extensive museum at his home in that town. The Saturday News learns that he is willing to dispose of what is said to be an excellent collection to the Provincial government. The opportunity should not be lightly passed over. If this collection should become provincial property, it would prove the nucleus of a very valuable public asset.

Now that parliament buildings are to be placed near old Fort Edmonton, and the ground about is to be laid out as a park, would it not be a good idea to preserve at least part of the old building, in itself a most interesting historic relic, and use it as a provincial museum? Several gentlemen who have examined it to determine its suitability for this purpose, have expressed a favorable opinion. If placed in the hands of a competent curator, it could be made a source of no small attraction and educational usefulness,.

The suggestion is one which the Cabinet ought to consider very carefully before putting aside. The eminently practical man may say that there are too many pressing material needs to meet with the provincial funds, to squander them on the whims of dreamers. But we do not think that this represents the dominant sentiment of the citizens of Alberta. We believe that they are intensely interested in the subject of this great country's past and recognize that no people can have a really great future, who, are interested only in that future. (February 16, 1907)

The affair between the CPR and the town of Olds would be more in a place on the comic opera stage, than in a matter of fact province like Alberta. There was a dispute over a certain crossing which the railway decided to close. The town resisted when the company first tried to carry out its plan, so at a later date a band of navvies was sent up from Calgary accompanied by Inspector Duffus, Sergeant Wilson and twelve constables of the Mounted Police. The town policeman arrested CPR Superintendent Niblock and the mounted police arrested the town police. Inspector Duffus, according to the Olds Gazette, shouted, "In the name of the King, I command you to disperse. You remain at your peril. If they resist shoot." Finally the company closed the crossing.

There is something seriously wrong somewhere, when such an incident could occur. Who authorized Inspector Duffus to bring his men up to Olds? The Attorney General's Department at Edmonton had nothing to do with the affair. Yet this is a matter which in a self-governing province it should surely have something to do with. If a reference had been made to this Department there is every reason to believe that the dispute would have been settled without the intervention of the military.

If the people of Olds were in the wrong it should not have been a difficult thing to persuade them that they had no right to make a resistance. Are the mounted police, the headquarters of which are at Regina, to be allowed to intervene in such a case without consulting the provincial authorities? If such affairs as this recur, the arrangement for the maintenance of the mounted police on the old basis will soon be found to be most unsatisfactory. (June 15, 1907)

The Innisfail Free Lance hands out this scathing bit of editorial comment:

"The tatterdemalion with bleared eyes and swollen features, reeling from a grog shop, is an angel compared with the licentious old libertine ogling with libidinous looks every female passer by and conspiring to secure new excitement for a jaded virility." (January 5, 1907)

A. Balmer Watt came to Edmonton from Ontario in 1905 and published the Saturday News, a weekly that encompassed the entire province. He joined the Edmonton Journal in 1912 as associate editor and served as editor from 1921 to 1945.