Taken from an article on Canada.com that has since went offline

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Early days of Midnapore
 
In honour of the Herald's 125th anniversary, throughout 2008 we will reprint editorials and comment from the first year of the newspaper's operation, 1883-1884. The excerpt below, describing the earliest days of Midnapore, is from commentary published Dec. 19, 1883.
 
By The Calgary Herald April 21, 2008
 
 

In honour of the Herald's 125th anniversary, throughout 2008 we will reprint editorials and comment from the first year of the newspaper's operation, 1883-1884. The excerpt below, describing the earliest days of Midnapore, is from commentary published Dec. 19, 1883.

Fish Creek

The neighbourhood so long known by the above name is to have a post office and a weekly mail service. An unfortunate circumstance in connection with this fact is the name with which the postal authorities have seen fit to adorn it. Henceforth it will glory in the classic name of Midnapore -- a name imported from the East Indies. However, the new name cannot retard its progress. Even since our last visit we saw signs of decided improvement.

Mr. Glenn is erecting a commodious stable.

Mr. Shaw's house is about completed. This gentleman, after January 1st, will take charge of the mails at this office.

Capt. Boynton's palatial residence is much too good for a bachelor.

Mr. Robinson, farther up the Creek, has quite comfortable quarters.

Mr. Beubeau has opened a coal mine and expects to begin delivering in a short time.

Mr. Votier has just threshed his grain and the large yield and superior quality have made him quite jubilant and have imparted fresh courage to the new settlers, whose spirits had been dampened by the reports of ice and snow abounding throughout the whole vicinity. . . .

On reaching the creek, we drew up at a house on the roadside occupied by Mr. J. Owens, who has a comfortable building and has every facility for the entertainment of travellers. After baiting our steed, we set out to call on some of the settlers in the vicinity and our first stop was at Mr. La Cren's, who a few months ago arrived from England, settled on the Creek and is now erecting a fine large house from which a magnificent view of the mountains is obtained. . . .

Passing on we found Mr. Joseph Moss and the Jacques Brothers. The former with about 50 acres breaking and the latter about 40 acres. Each of these parties have stacks of grain, which they were engaged in threshing, and we are able to anticipate a liberal yield, notwithstanding the grain was grown on spring breaking.

We must congratulate the settlers on the good taste displayed in the choice of location. . . . In this neighbourhood wild fruits such as raspberries, strawberries and gooseberries are found in abundance. At Mrs. Robb's we enjoyed the first natural fruit we have seen in the country. The time will come when no settler's place will be complete without all such luxuries.

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