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.
Aging Writer on Death’s Door!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax – Lead Correspondent
Nobody lives forever; the human body is not a machine. It eventually starts to fail, whether we like it or not. Death leaves no prisoners and shows no quarter, but sometimes, it feels extra cruel.
Recently, it’s been reported the notable British writer Samuel Butler is in poor health, confined to a nursing home. It’s not publicly known what the famous writer is suffering from, but it is expected he will probably pass on soon enough.
Years ago, Butler became notable for an essay he wrote while on the other side of the world. He critiqued man’s obsession with technology and the rapidly evolving role of machines. At the time, he was roundly mocked for complaining that machines could ever surpass humans. Now, in the twilight years of our industrial revolution, as factories work around the clock, putting craftsmen out of work, such warnings feel tragically too late.
Butler later cribbed from his own essay to write a book in the 1870s, Erewhon, a bestseller in Britain. Rumors are he has written an autobiography, but it will only be published after his death. It must surely be a strange sensation, knowing the end is near, with little more to say, but still breathing all the same.
Lighting fast knife wielding maniac on the loose?
By Jose Chavez
A man who barely survived a brutal knife attack near Coot’s Chapel. The man said he was attacked out of nowhere and defended himself. However, as he tried to fight the man off, he started moving way faster than he should have been able to. “I stabbed at him and in a flash, he was several feet behind me,” they said, “I turned around and then they were behind once again.” At that point, the victim said he felt himself get stabbed multiple times before he passed out.
He was fortunate that a traveler saw the gathering vultures and investigated. “I found him laying there, bleeding badly but alive,” said the traveler, who had been a field medic in the Civil War, “so I used by old skills gain as a sawbones to hold him together long enough to get to town.” The traveler took the man all the way to Blackwater, where he was put on a boat to Saint Denis. There, a doctor was able to fix him up. The man remains under the doctor’s care as his wounds continue to heal.
Colter revitalization project just a legislative kickback?
By Jane Duran
This week, I uncovered something that appears a bit sinister. Just last month the Ambarino government announced a plan to rebuild the town of Colter. The abandoned mining town has largely fallen apart and what buildings remain standing are in bad condition. The state wanted to clean up and rebuild and turn Colter into a tourist attraction to show what wilderness mining operations looked like. If successful, the state said mining operations could be reopen to extract the remaining minerals. However, this week I uncovered that the bill’s sponsor, Senator Roscoe Bodie, is connected financially with three of the companies tied to the project.
It was announced that investors were joining project, however, the three companies tied to Senator Bodie agreed to a small investment. Despite these companies offering the smallest investment amount, they are contracted to bring in the most profit. “The fact is, these three companies get a lot of protection, with one being guaranteed to be the only supplier of lumber for the rebuild,” said an insider who spoke anonymously. Curiously, these three companies are all facing financial problems. Senator Bodie did not respond to a request for comment.
Heavy fog impedes travelers
By Odell Clifton
Travelers in West Elizabeth were taken by surprise when a heavy fog rolled into the state, particularly around the Tall Trees region. The fog was thick enough that it was nearly impossible for travelers to see just a few feet in front of them. “My horse pulling my wagon was really wary, didn’t much like the fog,” said one traveler, “I had to slow down considerably and even then, nearly ran us into a tree.” The fog did not break up as the day went on as many expected. But it was not a problem for everybody. “I didn’t like that I couldn’t see so good, but, means certain folks can’t see me either,” said one cowpoke who said he delivered a wagon of goods through the fog without a problem. Word of the long lasting fog reached behind the state of West Elizabeth, but by the time investigators arrived the next day the fog had fully dissipated. The investigators stayed for a few days but the fog never returned and remains a mystery.
Shootout in Smithfield’s leads to one dead
By Emery Cosberry
A man walked away injured but with his life after taking part in an impromptu shootout. Witnesses say as the man was exiting the saloon, another walked in and pulled out a pistol and fired. “That fella walked in and had the drop, but couldn’t aim even two feet in front of himself!” a witness said. The gunshot hit the victim in the shoulder, but he just shrugged it off while removing his own pistol from his holster. And in an instant, he fired a single shot into his attacker’s head, killing him on the spot. A deputy was in the saloon at the time, enjoying a beer after his shift. Though he was three drinks in, he said the shooting was self defense. Deputies on duty took witness statements and confirmed the self defense story. The victim was treated by the Valentine doctor and bandaged up and released.
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Car manufacture wants to remove Saint Denis trolley system
By Aloysius Levron
Kit ‘Pistol’ Pickett, a wealthy man in multiple industries, has announced he wants to expand motor vehicle adoption in the United States, starting in the Five States. Saint Denis, Lemoyne has been seen as an important city, showing how once wild areas of this great nation can be tamed into proper functioning cities. Mr. Pickett, who was rose to fame as a trick shooter in western shows, plans to expand into the motor vehicle business and start mass producing motor vehicles. Though many expected the industry to take off, people have been slow to embraced motor vehicles and so demand has remained low. Mr. Pickett believes he can increase demand and it starts in Saint Denis.
“The people of Saint Denis can walk, yes, but they can also take a trolley,” Mr. Pickett said, “and as a result, there is not much incentive to drive a car.” Mr. Pickett explained further that the trolley is slow and prone to breaking down as well as accidents. He believes removing the trolley system entirely to make way for motor vehicles will create a safer city. Cornwall City Railway, which operates the trolleys in the city, has said Mr. Pickett is wrong. “The trolley system is much safer than an increase in motor vehicles,” a spokesman said, “already when there are many horse drawn wagons there can be unsafe situations on the rode, with more motor vehicles this will only get worse.” City leaders have said there are no plans to remove the city railway system.
Bounty hunting safe, for now
By Adam Parvey
Congress has shelved its bill to prohibit bounty hunting in the United States. The bill never had popular support, but its sponsors were working hard to change that. Pamphlets were distributed all over the United States that told the horrors of bounty hunting. The pamphlets warned of such things as extrajudicial killings being overlooked as justified risks of the job, targets having their property taken without due process of law, and an allegation that the entire system is corrupt such that some people that end upon posters are innocent. Though the pamphlets did draw attention and proponents of the ban were able to draw in large gatherings of people, that failed to translate into pressure for individual Congressmen.
The Congressmen that represent states and districts in the Five States had banded together to fight this and were joined by several other Congressmen. When it became very clear that there was nowhere near majority support, the bill was tabled. The bill will not see the light of day this year and so for now, bounty hunting remains a lucrative profession for those willing to put their lives on the line.
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