On occasion, I've been searching through old newspaper articles, to try and get a feel for the details of how things happened in Stettler. WHen things happened, what happened, what happened next, etc. However I've struggled to come up with a way to present the things I've read, without focusing on one article, and trying to track down related materials. So instead, I thought I'd simply transcribe some of the articles I've found, and try to put them chronologically, and just let my visitors pick and chose what they want to read about. For now I don't have a whole bunch over all the decades, but over time, I hope to compile a fairly indepth collection of articles.
My main source of articles, is from the Peel Collection, hosted by the UofA, and it's a fairly good collection, however there are the normal problems of keeping newsprint, and then digitizing it, and sometimes some words are hard to make out properly. I will try to present the articles as accurately as I can, and will try to make remarks if the word(s) are hard to read properly.

The settlers east of Stettler will be pleased to learn that it is the intention of the C.P.R to extend the railway East this year.
The following letter explains itself.
Winnipeg. Feb 9th, 1909. Chas B Halpin. Esq. Editor, The Western Globe Lacombe. Alta.

Dear Sir.
A representative of this Department who was recently in your district and east thereof, advised me that he met with considerable expression of doubt as to the extension eastward this year of our Lacombe Branch, and I have to inform you on the authority of our Second Vice-President that the Company will this year continue the Lacombe branch eastward from Stettler to the crossing of the Beaver Dam Creek and that this extension will be completed in time to move this year's crop.
I will be greatly obliged if you will make this as widely known as possible.
Yours truly.
J.L. D(unreadable)
(Western Globe)

Sunday afternoon a young man, Walter, Amick driving with two ladies in the neighborhood of Castor, got out of the rig to look for ducks, when placing the gun back into the rig the stock foremost, the hammer caught and discharged the gun, killing Amick instantly. The body was brought into Stettler and is lying at McGillivray's parlors awaiting instructions from the deceased's relatives who reside at Garrison, N.D.
(Edmonton Bulletin)

The first distric convention of the United Farmers of Alberta of the Stettler district was held in Stettler this evening. Today witnessed the largest assemblage of farmers ever seen in Stettler. There were between 150 and 175 delegates from the various unions, covering a radius of 60 miles north and south, and and 75 east and west. E.J. Fream, secretary of the central organization, of Innisfail, and W.G. Tregillus, vice president, from Calgary, were present. T.H. Adair, president of the Stettler branch, presided.
The convention was opened at one o'clock in an address of welcome by Mayor Grigg. The mayor's words were well recieved by the delegates. Mr. Tregillus gave a very interesting talk on the initiative, referendum and recall. The delegates showed their intense interest by loud cheers and many questions.
Mr. Fream spoke on the subject of further organization in the district and outlined his plans.
The thing that engrossed the attention of the convention most and evoked most enthusiasm was the proposed reciprocity agreement. A strong resolution to be wired to Ottawa, not only favoring reciprocity, but demanding that it be enacted into law, was passed unanimously. When the vote was called for every member in thehall jumped to his feet and cheered the echo. The work of sub-dividing the district and the appointment of local organizers for the different districts was then carried out. Everything points to an aggresive organization campaign to be made in the next few weeks. The Stettler branch treated the visiting delegates to a basket supper and social at Sherman's hall tonight.
(Edmonton Bulletin)

(Stettler May 14)Between one and two this afternoon fire occured at the residence of Mayor Grigg, on Taylor street. Mrs. Grigg and her daughter had been cleaning some dress material with gasoline and hung the dresses up in the kitchen to dry when they took fire. Miss Grigg covered the dish containing the fluid with a coat and was carrying it outside when the covering caught in the doorway and the gasoline fell over the floor. The interior of the kitchen being soon a mass of flames. A good portion of the furniture was quickly removed from the front rooms and the brigade with the chemical were quickly on the spot, and the fire was suppressed, not, however, before the interior of the kitchen had been considerably damaged. the property was insured.
(Edmonton Bulletin)

R.L. Shaw, member for Stettler, who was in the city last night after an extensive tour of the central portions of the province, stated last night that from his obserfations it was his firm conviction that the province as a whole, should undertake the hail insurance business and should guarantee every farmer protection from loss by hail, through a general compulsory insurance, the funds for which would be supllied by a general tax of a very few cents an acre on all the agricultural land in the province.
"It would take an actuary some time." said Mr. Shaw, "to work it out and I am not prepared to state just what would be the tax per acre. But I am positive that on the general principle the whole country should bear the loss of destruction by hail. I have myself seen this summer some of the finest crops in the world absolutely destroyed by hail and the thing that struck me was that this was a visitation which the individual farmer could not possibly prevent, but which made him the personal sufferer at a time when the whole country was prosperous."
In the Stettler district, Mr. Shaw reports, crops were excellent this year but there were cases of hail in which individual farmers lost their all without chance of indemnity. By making the insurance compulsory Mr. Shaw argues that the weight could not be great upon any individual but the chance of an individual farmer being ruined in the midst of plenty would be done away with.
The taxation of unoccupied agricultural lands for hail insurance Mr. Shaw justifies by pointing out that it is the land which is worked which gives the value to all the land and consequently the unused land should be made to accept its share of the risk of working the land. In fact Mr. Shaw is inclined to believe that the tax should be considerably heavier on unused land than on land that is cultivated.
"Those things, though, are just a matter of detail." Said Mr. Shaw. "What I started out to say is that I have a serious notion of introducing a bill along these lines into the legislature at the next session."
(Edmonton Capital)

David Findlay, superintendent of C.N.R construction, was killed at the C.N.R. station here last night when his motor speeder on which he and M.H. Nelfeidt were returning from Red Deer was struck by the engine of a mixed freight train coming the opposite direction. Nelfeldt jump clear, but Findlay, wo was steering, was caught by the engine and his head was smashed. He was fifty years old and leaves a window and grown up family.
(Edmonton Bulletin)

The mounted police barracks caught fire here at 7 o'clock this morning. The building being completely gutted before flames were under control. The cause was an explosion of coal gas in the furnace, and so rapid was the progress of the fire, that the police had great difficulty in getting out and rescuing a prisoner, who was detained in the building. None of the contents were saved. Owing to good work of the local fire brigade the flames did not spread.

(Stettler Dec 26)The building leased by the Edmonton City Dairy here caught fire from the engine house at noon today and was almost totally destroyed. The fire brigade responded promptly, but as the building is fully a quarter of a mile from the nearest hydrant, the water would freeze before it reached the building, so it was of no avail. However most of the contents were saved. The building belonged to local capitalists and was partially insured.
(Edmonton Bulletin)

H.A Blair was elected mayor by majority of 88 over Dr. Dennis. Councillors Geo. Skinner, W.F. White and Geo. Elliott went in by acclamation.
(Edmonton Bulletin)


In the Stettler court house Friday afternoon A.W Holmberg, of Stettler, was remanded for trial at the next court of criminal jurisdiction to be held at Stettler for that he did by improper treatment unlawfully cause the death of one Bonita E. Bergman, thereby committing manslaughter. Holmberg, a practicing Chiropractor at Stettler was admitted to bail in three securities of $5,000 each.
The preliminary was heard before Col. George B. McLeod, police magistrate of Edmonton, and the mother and father of the girl and Dr. Frankan of Stettler, were the only witnesses called for the crown.
(Edmonton Bulletin)


Fred Kolvin was found guilty by the jury enpannelled here and last night found guilty of the murder of John Koslanko, and sentenced to death by Mr. Justice Simmons. The execution is to take place at Fort Saskatchewan on June 23rd next.
The jury was out for five hours a verdict being returned about midnight. When teh death sentence was pronounced, the accused maintained his solid demeanor and showed no emotion.
(Edmonton Bulletin)

NO CONTENT YET. CHECK BACK LATER

There is more news from the constituencies this week. Mrs. C.H. Ford of Stettler has taken over the Women's work for the stettler Constituency. Mrs. Chris Tiegs of Brooks is organizing for Bow Valley-Empress. Mrs. Brown MacDonald of Vulcan represents Little Bow. Claresholm constituency is in the hands of Mrs. Lyn Mosley, Claresholm. Mrs. F.J Koch, Lomond has been appointed for Taber, and Mrs. H.B. McLeod, High River, is representative for Okotoks-High River.
Several conventions are booked for February, so we expect to be adding names to the Women's Committee for C.C.F Action every week.

Over 40 percent of the adults in Alberta are women, so 40 percent of the people at every convention should be women. Now, we haven't been measuring up to our full responsibility as citizens partly because we are timid, partly because we are lazy, and largely because we have confidence in the ability and integrity of the C.C.F men. But that isn't good enough; we must pull our full weight in our own way.

So, come along C.C.F. women, get out to the convention or public meeting and get your representative appointed to the Constituency Board. Send in her name to your district representativeon the Women's Committee and to the Provincial office. She will be inducted promptly in the secrets of good, hard, exciting work to send the C.C.F. to Edmonton at the next election.
(The People's Weekly)

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