James Thompson, a surveyor working in the Canadian pairie in 1883, walks out of camp to seek a dentist miles away in Calgary.  But on his return trip to base camp, he disappears. This reprint of an October 26, 1883 notice in the Calgary Herald asks for information concerning his disappearance.


Gone missing

Calgary Herald

Published: Monday, March 24, 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 piece below appeared Oct. 26, 1883. D.L.S. stands for Dominion Land Surveyor. James Thompson was working on a survey team when he went missing.
 
 Man Lost on the Prairie
 
This week news was brought to town that a man named Jas. Thompson, late of Red Deer and formerly of Peterboro, but who has lately been working for J. Francis, D.L.S., had been lost on the prairie.It seems he has been troubled considerably of late with tooth ache, and on Thursday, Oct. 11th, came to Calgary and had two teeth extracted. On Friday he again started for camp, via the C.P.R., as far as the water tank, where he left the road to proceed to the camp, about six miles distant. Friday night was spent at the water tank, on account of the lateness of the hour at which the train arrived, and on Saturday morning he started for his destination, intending to follow the line of mounds. During his absence, the camp had been moved about six miles further north, but a tent was left on the old ground and a note left within telling where the new encampment might be found ...