Failed Prospects

Sunday, 21 Oct, 2:30pm : Harold, Clive, and Marcus pounded in the last tent stakes when they heard the truck rumble into the clearing then park beside the other trucks. James and Byron climbed out, “We rushed back as quick as possible to help hunt for both Baker and his fossils. Sorry, didn’t want to wait for Ma to gather more supplies. Tried to call the university but no-one there on a Sunday to answer. We can always send a telegram once we have solid news to report.” Clive was disappointed about the failed call but offered, “Met a hillbilly gal Jane who offered to bring us some stew later. Said she met Baker’s team who showed her some of their fossil finds. She told him about similar bones just laying around out at an old mining town west of here. She even took Baker and Tucker out there to scout around before they returned to camp.” In an uneasy tone, Harold interrupted, “Didn’t trust her! In her 40s claiming to have grown up and lived here all alone. How come she has fresh meat a...

Sunday, 21 Oct : No surprise breakfast was dry cereal. “Sorry folks but the eggs are rotten. Best I could do. Hungry Jack is having same problems.” Dr. Hall took the opportunity to offer his theory. “The cold coprolite and bones dug out of glacial ice. Thus protected from fossilization. And a frozen core the source of the stone’s unnatural cold. I suggest when they dug them out, microbial pathogens were exposed. Melting under the sun, they were washed into the creek at site 3 and flowed into Matthew’s fishing hole. Evaporation lifted them airborne across farmland and thus contaminated the animal feed and drinking water. Mr. Phillips could conduct a microscopic study of the coprolite and bones from Baker’s room. Should only take 20 minutes. Then we can get on the road. When we pick-up our food supplies from the General Store, ask Ma who’s her supplier. Farms near the digs?”   While Clive spoke with Mr. Penman to let him retrieve the fossils from Dr. Bakers’ room (a letter acceptin...

Saturday, 20 Oct, 5pm : With Mary offering fresh fish, they had an hour to kill before dinner. So, Clive got on the phone to call the university while Marcus and James checked with the General Store one last time. Leaving Harold and Bryon to check Dr. Baker’s room. Clive called the Cincinnati Paleo Dept, “Good evening Joanne. I’m glad I caught you before you left. We arrived on time but no-one from Dr. Baker’s team is here to meet us. We’re surprised to learn they are actually camping onsite instead of returning to the hotel each night. He’s probably so excited about his finds that he completely forgot. I’m surprised Victoria or his staff didn’t remind him. [Teasing] See there, you let him out of your sight, and everything falls to pieces. Sure you don’t want to be out here? Ha. I’ll update you by phone or telegram once we meet up with him.” Marcus and James stepped into the General Store, “Hello Ma. We’re also from the new dig team. Just wanted to add a few things to our order. Li...

Oct 12, Saturday 9am : The clickity-clack of the wheels slowed as the train pulled into the West Haven station. The porter unloaded the professors’ baggage while the students insisted upon carrying their own. Carrying contraband? Prohibition stretched out here too. West Haven was a small town, about 120 residents. Most of its population involved in Logging. Which was evident once the train pulled out and its coal fumes wafted away, leaving the pleasant smell of fresh sawdust in the air. And the faint sounds of large circular saws buzzing in the distance.   A city map posted at the train station laid-out the town. They walked north between the school and garage toward the Penman hotel where they were greeted by 2 young boys in uniforms, “George and Ernest Penman sirs; Let us take your bags.” Prof Coppersmith flipped them each a quarter. Jonathan Penman himself at the desk, “Welcome to the Penman sirs. We’ve been expecting you. Did you want rooms upstairs or down? Dr. Baker? No, th...

September, 1923 : Between semesters, Dr. William Baker got ‘the itch’. So many dinosaur discoveries being reported. As head of the department (started in 1907) and senior Paleontologist at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio , he decided to review some of their own museum finds that were still unlabeled. Most interesting was the single bone that deserved closer inspection. The label only said, “sold by a farmer from northeastern, SD near West Haven. Borders Tri-State Indian Reservation.” October, 1923 : So he gathered his team. They left the University on October 2 nd , 1923 on what they imagined would be a rather simple dig. Ten-days later (Oct. 12) Dr Baker contacted the university explaining that his initial digs had yielded some remarkable finds and that they should send more students and paleontologists, maybe a journalist from the school. “And someone from the Archaeology Dept.” Joanne Smythe, Dr. Baker’s personal secretary back at CU, contacted Professor Hall , the next man u...