June 16, 1911: Missing boy found in bush in middle of town
“Outsiders must wonder what kind of place Edmonton is when they read that a three-year-old boy was lost for 29 hours in bush in the heart of the city, while a large party of searchers worked night and day to locate him,” the Journal observed in an editorial after the boy was found on the Hudson’s Bay Company land reserve.
The city’s compact growth was hampered by the presence of the reserve lands which stretched from 101st Street to 121st Street and north from the North Saskatchewan River, the editorial argued. And the misperception of Edmonton (population 24,900) as an undeveloped backwater where a kid could get lost in the bush for more than a day in the centre of town wasn’t going to help attract more people to move here — another reason why the HBC lands had to be sold off and developed, the editorial said.
Little Winston Johnstone became part of the argument after disappearing around 4 p.m. while playing with his older brother and some neighbours’ children about 91 metres (100 yards) from his home on Alberta Avenue (118th Avenue) at 103rd Street.
The older brother left the others for a moment and Winston went off to find him.
The brother returned but nothing more was seen of Winston, the Journal reported.
Police were notified three hours later and a systematic search was started.
“All night long three mounted policemen and four city constables, with the aid of lanterns, scoured the willow underbrush with which the H.B. reserve is densely covered, but without avail.”
Senior companies of cadets from Norwood and Taylor Schools were released from classes the next morning to join the search which also included Boy Scouts and area residents.
Around 7 p.m., buglers on horseback rode up and down the business streets summoning militiamen to the armoury to also join in.
Winston was found two hours later standing in the bush around 116th Street where he had been lying for some time. About 400 searchers gathered around the boy and his father and cheered. Another 500 people joined the searchers around the Johnstone home “in the general rejoicing.”
On May 13th, 1913, the Hudson’s Bay Co. sold off its reserve land in 1,543 lots to 545 local buyers and 18 buyers from England, pocketing $4.3 million.