Mission Statement:
To endeavor to bring to all residents of the Five States the most current and important news from across the entire Five States region. Never yellow, the Five States Herald vows to serve only the people of the Five States, from New Austin to Lemoyne, free of charge now and forever.
Steamboat Inspection in Hot Water!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Due to a rash of boiler explosions, the US government created the US Steamboat Inspection Service decades ago. It serves as an important regulation for shipping companies hoping to make more money at the expense of lives. At least, that’s the intention; in practice, it’s far muddier.
The Steamboat Inspection Service has to be paid by the company to look over a ship. Granted, the ship cannot sail without the inspection, but money is being handed to government officials by design. This has led to several high-profile examples of corruption and inspectors looking the other way. No great disaster has happened from an inspector being careless, but that speaks more to luck than anything else.
Currently, there are demands in Congress to move the Steamboat Inspection Service to be under the naval department and to throw out the required payments. Politicians are deadlocked on the decision, some hoping to reform the organization, others thinking it’s always a waste of money and should be just dissolved.
I’m not a naval architect, but it’s clear having safety inspectors is vital, yet the system as it stands is archaic and faulty. One day, a tragedy will befall this land, and it will be at the feet of these inspectors.
U.S. soldiers pull away from border region
By Wylie Frey
In a surprising move, U.S. soldiers have removed themselves from border with Mexico. Rising tension in the area recently resulted in more soldiers being posted along the border. Attacks on those very soldiers by outlaws int he area seems to have sent the federal government packing out of the region. A spokesman for the U.S. Army said the soldier removal was part of a larger strategy and had nothing to do with outlaws in the area. The official statement read: “Without giving details, intelligence suggests soldiers in the area are not needed. Outlaws in the area did not influence the decision. The Army could squash the outlaws but that would be a violation of the New Austin’s state sovereignty.
The New Austin Rangers have responded by increasing their own patrols. They have recently finished hiring several new Rangers, enabling them to perform border patrol and combat outlaws in the state. My contacts in Mexico say that no policy changes have been made south of the border. Officially, Mexican troops are still patrolling the southern side of the border though they have not been seen recently by travelers or residents that live near the border.
Abduction victim saved just before death
By Caylen V. Hornby
A cowpoke arrived in Colter to a bloody scene. “I heard a fella had been abducted and taken here,” said the cowpoke, “but I arrived to find everyone dead.” A dozen bodies were found in the snow, spread throughout the town. The bloody silence was broken by a soft cry for help, which the cowpoke followed. “I found the victim, still bound with two other dead bodies,” the cowpoke said. The victim then explained the two dead bodies in the room with him were both attempting to rescue him. “They both came to save me, but weren’t working together,” the victim said, “so they shot each other and both bled out.”
The victim was eager to leave the place. The cowpoke gave the victim a ride to Valentine. The identity of the other would be rescuers remains unknown. The Valentine doctor said the man likely was near death. “Had he been left in the cold another hour or so,” the doctor said, “I suspect he would have died.”
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Owanjila guardian protects beavers
By Daisy Fairman
Demand for beaver pelts rose sharply, which naturally resulted in tradesmen and hunters targeting the small animals. And while reports of increased beaver hunting came out of Roanoke Ridge, another known beaver habitat received protection from a stranger. Owanjila Lake is well known as a mostly peaceful fishing and hunting spot. Hunters that came to Owanjila to claim beaver pelts were met with resistance. “I had a beaver lined up and then suddenly I felt somethig hit me and wrap me up,” one hunter said, “it was a bolas and soon I was hogtied.” They never saw the attacker but all of their weapons were removed by the time they got out of the hogtie. Several hunters reported similar encounters of being hit by a bolas and then hogtied.
Other hunters said they were knocked out cold. “I heard a whistle and turned around,” a hunter explained, “didn’t see them at first, they were crouched and then they rose and, well, next thing I remember I was waking up on the ground.” Only one killing was reported, a hunter named Jordan Durning was found shot in the head. According to Strawberry residents, the Durning had been thwarted at Owanjila several times. “That fella came and offered to buy my rifle,” said a Strawberry resident, “said someone stole his up near the dam.” Other residents confirmed that the hunter found dead complained about someone stalking him as he tracked beavers. The only clue investigators found about the attacker was similar strands of long auburn hair found at Durning’s body and on several of the attacked hunters. Investigators believe it was a woman, but no such woman that fits the description had been seen in or around Strawberry.
Two dead after short saloon fight
By Emery Cosberry
Two men attacked another man in the Smithfield’s Saloon. Perhaps one of the most common occurrences in the Five States is are saloon fight in Valentine, the initial attack did not draw much attention. The would be victim retreated up the stairs to the second floor before pulling out a gun and firing on the attackers. Their aim was true, not surprising at such a close range, and the attackers were killed instantly. Town deputies arrived in the saloon shortly after the gunshots, but the saloon operator tempered the deputies by explaining the situation. The dead bodies were removed from the saloon and left outside of the town limits for scavenger creatures. The victim enjoyed free alcohol the rest of the night, as the saloon owner was please with the quick resolution to the fight.
Lagras residents have a message for local naturalist: leave!
By Aloysuis Levron
Harriet Davenport has been a controversial figure in the Five States. While some work with her and praise her respect of animals, many residents in the Five States dislike, or even hate her. Hunters are one group known to dislike her greatly, seeing as she does her best to interfere with livelihood. Some naturalists dislike her as well, angry over being sprayed with hallucinogenic chemicals for accidently killing a squirrel on the road. A new group of people have risen to challenge Miss Davenport: Lagras residents.
Lagras is one location that Miss Davenport frequents. A resident paid a visit to Miss Davenport and noticed a small alligator in a cage. The resident quickly became enraged, demanding the small alligator be freed. Miss Davenport said it was part of her learning methods, she intdended to learn more about alligators by caging the baby. Lagras residents said it was too far. “We kill ‘gator, and eat ‘gator, and use ‘gator here,” said one resident, “but we don’t trap and imprison them, they are noble beasts and deserve better.” Miss Davenport refused to free the creature and left Lagras. But when she returned days later the alligator was still caged. Miss Davenport said, “I will not have my knowledge gaining stalled by animal killers!”
Renewed interest in the Five States?
By Adam Parvey
Rumors have started to spread across the Five States that investors are once again interested in the Five States. The new rumors are in fact old rumors revisited. Years ago, investment in the future of the Five States was a hot topic. Jobs were plentiful and rumors of future opportunities were abundant. Unfortunately, those rumors never manifested into anything more than hopes and dreams. Many suggested plans had to be scrapped due to economic circumstances. Others said that the retirement of Representative Daniel Houser resulted in Congress losing interest in the region and shortly after, influencing private investors to flee the region. Though rumors persisted that investments were coming, most started to ignore the whispers.
Yet, despite no reason to hope otherwise, a new rumor has caught the interest of those still holding on to the Five States’ future. The new spin on the old rumor say that the investors never really fled, but instead distanced themselves from the Five States in the short term to see to other concerns. But, the rumor claims, those investors are still interested and will announce plans to reinvest in the Five States soon. The new investment, however, may be years away. My source says the plan is to invest in the Five States specifically in the year 1911. “The investors think it will be years before the Five States is a profitable investment, so they want to, well, manipulate things a bit but save big investments for 1911, the year they think the Five States will boom,,” said my source. It is not clear why 1911 is the year they expect the Five States to enter a boom period, but the investors seem convinced. Most residents are cautiously optimistic.
Last Survivor of Cursed Steamboat Dying!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
There are said to be cursed ships that roam the waters of the world. Damned by fate, for blasphemy, or for arrogance, never to stop sailing. Of course, such notions are hogwash, but some ships gain a sinister reputation for being unlucky. The SS Delaware was one of them. Perhaps the least lucky ship to sail the Great Lakes, and now its last survivor is fading away.
Matt Skoufis was a young lad who worked on the ship in 1847, when the Delaware came across the remains of the burned-up SS Phoenix. The waters were calm by then; collecting the dead would have been easy. But the captain refused, leading some to worry that the dead were greatly displeased and would seek revenge.
Five years later, the Delaware came across the SS G. P. Griffith, another ship that caught fire. They were too late to rescue anyone; many felt it was a bad omen. Five years later, near the 10th anniversary of the Phoenix disaster, the Delaware caught fire due to a tipped-over lantern. It quickly burned up; remarkably, only 11 lives were lost.
Everyone who served called it divine justice, and rarely spoke of it again. Skoufis is by all accounts the last survivor; it took years of paperwork to discover this fact, he didn’t discuss the wreck much either. He will go to his grave without talking about it and is content with that. I don’t know if curses are real, but this ship had a terrible run of luck, and if given a choice, I’d have preferred to pick up burned corpses than fear their wrath.
Balloon prepped for voyage to the North Pole
By Ivy Seager
Salomon August Andrée, a Swedish engineer and physicist, is ready to head to the North Pole. Mr. Andrée first attempted this voyage a year ago, though winds did not permit a safe lift off. The balloon, called Örnen meaning Eagle, was packed up and the lift offdelayed for another year. Mr. Andrée’s trip is being sponsored by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, who view the trip to the North Pole as a patriotic endeavor. King Oscar II and Albert Nobel have also shwon interest, as have much of Sweden.
Mr. Andrée will not make the trip alone. Fellow engineer Knut Frænkel and photographer Nils Strindberg will both join Mr. Andrée. The flight will be undirected and so balloon will use three sliding ropes that will drag across the ice below, acting as rudders. Using these sliding ropes Mr. Andrée will be able to pilot the balloon to their destination safely. As long as the wind conditions are good, the group expects a smooth trip.
The Five States Herald 