A Cold Day for Business - Calgary Weekly Herald, December 25th, 1884
The cold snap has nipped the winter's business in the bud, if we may judge from the almost universal complaint of business men in town, that since the thermometer went down to zero [Note: -18C] on the 10th instant there has been little or nothing doing. King & Co. seem the only exceptions, they report business very brisk, and they seem to be reaping the fruit of judicious advertising. The people who suffer most are probably the restaurant and saloon keepers, who complain of a dearth in cash transactions. Money is scarce, and it will be scarcer after the January payments on town lots have been made. It is the misfortune of the country that all the cash has to go out of it instead of remaining in circulation here. The payments on farm lands and leases go to Ottawa, on town lots to Winnipeg, and on the purchase of police court experience to Regina. Not many farming districts could stand these continual and heavy drains with equanimity, and the Calgary district is no exception.
Dance - Calgary Weekly Herald, January 8th, 1885
"Buck" Smith gave a house warming at High River Crossing on New Year's Day, the occasion being the opening of his stopping house there. The event was a notable one in the annuals of High River as the guests who assembled to the number of 150, will be glad to testify. Pine Creek, Fish Creek, and Calgary all sent their quota to the entertainment, which it may be noted, was a strictly temperance one, the Christmas permit which, it had been hoped, would have aided the festivities, having failed to outlast Christmas Day, when it departed this life to the tune "Put your trust in Tr-ll-ng-r, and he'll see you through." Dancing was kept up till three in the morning, with an interval at midnight for the sake of a capital supper which the genial host had prepared. It may be said that this was the first occasion of the kind which has taken place in the vicinity of Calgary, but it won't be the last if "Buck" knows it. And next time there is a similar occasion it is to be hoped that nothing will permit the absence of Mr. J. Barton's celebrated broncho rider "John" to call off the dances. John is as celebrated in Calgary for his riding feats as he is on the range; but it was not known till this occasion that he was as at home in the ballroom as he is in the saddle.