Winnipeg man holds pages from city's troubled history

Rare, nearly 100-year-old newspapers will give a lucky history buff the chance to get to the bottom of the Winnipeg General Strike the trials, the complicated aftermath and some funny quirks of the time.

When the Winnipeg Public Library digitizedits newspapercollections, thearchives of paper copies dating back 100 years or more were sold off to staff.

Winnipegger Matt Mayer snapped up the yellowed old editions of the Winnipeg Telegram from an archivistfriend who worked at the library. So many employees were interested in buying the 1919 papers, they had a contest.

"The library had a contest, they picked the names out of a hat, and my friend ended up with 1920. Most of the staff were looking to get a hold of the 1919 papers."

But the real story of the strike was covered in 1920, when the organizers of the strike were put on trial for treason.

"It was actually that year during the trial as that played out in the papers that the real story got entered into the record for the first time."

One headline reads "Jury Reports in State Trial Six Found Guilty," describing the verdict of the six of the seven strike organizers, found guilty of sedition defined as resistance against lawful authority.

Mayer says the stories reflect the political and economic turmoil happening in the world atthat time.

"The Bolshevik revolution was happening in Russia and the Winnipeg Strike was set against a backdrop of the emergence of socialism," he said,adding that it was among the first in a series of strikes that happened around the world.

Other characteristics of the papers demonstrate some quirks of publishing at that time. One edition is printed in green fontto honour St. Patrick's Day. A number of issues include a full-page advertisement disguised as news for the new Eaton's Department Store that was built that year.

The aged yellow pages provide a snapshot of the era's social, cultural and political climate. Sexism and racism are frequent themes. One article, titled "Blue Eyed MondaRose," describes the"agreeable wink of the right eye" of Monda Rose to a police officer in a courtroom where she ischarged with a crime.

"The blue eyed lady with jet black hair is casting her eyes over the court today and happened to catch the eye of Detective Mercer, one of two detectives who arrested her," it read. "She expanded an agreeable rink wink of her right eye on the chaser of criminals which caused him to read and higher than his ears. The detective is believed to be taking care of her pet dog which was with her when she was arrested."

Women were running for provincial office for the first time ever that year after some got the vote in 1916. The newspaper wasn't sure what to say about it."They range from describing women's ability to contest seats in the legislature mixed with articles that challenged women's ability to carry out political positions," he said.

1920 also marked the end of the construction of Canada's national railroad network and many workers were temporary workers brought to Canada from Asia and says he's found manystories that reflect the anti-Asian sentiment of the time and also found articles describing the birthof global nationalism and the rise ofGermany's National Socialist Party.

"So you had the birth of nationalism, racism, and the seeds and ingredients that became what led to the Holocaust."

100-year-old newspapers tell tale of Winnipeg General Strike

6 years ago

Duration 3:27

100-year-old newspapers tell tale of Winnipeg General Strike

Mayer says he bought the old issues to sell online. He thinks other peoplewill want to snap them up.

"There is a big enough disconnect from the 1920sthat it kind of seems new and exciting in a way."