Failed Prospects.v3.P1
Intro: During the summer break of 1923, Dr. William Baker (University of Cincinnati) trolled the museum basement’s uncatalogued fossil collection to relieve his boredom. One particular fossil (labeled as found in northeastern South Dakota) piqued his interest and renewed his ‘itch’ for field work. Thus, it was Oct 1st when his team of professors and students waved goodbye as they boarded the train bound for West Haven, SD.
The
Original Team:
Dr. William Baker, head of the Paleontology department. Older man, brilliant, affable.
Still has a bit of that child-like wonder that makes him a pleasure to work
with.
Dr. John Tucker, a funny man, the youngest of the bunch but
still a very competent paleontologist.
Dr. Eugene Stewart, very opinionated
and serious paleontologist.
Sometimes cantankerous. Thinks that Dr. Lynch’s theories are rubbish. They
argue climate change versus disease killing the dinosaurs.
Dr. George Lynch, somewhat somber and serious Anthropologist. Deeply
interested in fossils, but not very interactive.
Victoria Winters, Dr. Baker’s field
assistant and team organizer. A matronly woman but also a strong-willed person.
Adventuresome.
Henry Bates, Geology Student – Junior class.
Clara Potter, Paleontology student – Senior
class.
Martin Butcher, Paleontology Student –
Senior class.
Oct 12-18th: Although
Dr. Baker’s campus secretary (Joanne Smythe) signed for the telegram late
Friday Oct 12th, it wasn’t till Monday 15th that she
contacted Paleontology Professor Harrison Bones, the next man up. It
took another 4 days for Dr Bones to select his team while Joanne arranged
replacement teachers for the professors’ classes, telegrammed for hotel reservations,
and bought train tickets.
|
Dr.
Harrison Bones
(Tony), 32yo Paleontology
Prof: |
|
Dr.
Alaric Voss
(Geoff), 39yo Anthropology
Prof: lean, sharp-featured German immigrant intrigued by the ritualistic
nature of ancient man, believing rituals are more functional than symbolic. Unshakable
Calm: Rarely shows fear, even when confronted with the impossible. |
|
Elijah
‘Eli’ Merrick
(Matt), 21yo Archaeology
student: solid build with tousled dark hair. Eli believes ancient sites hold
truths suppressed by modern academia. Reckless Curiosity: Willing to
trespass, steal, or lie to uncover hidden truths. Can’t wait to join his
girlfriend Clara Potter who is on the first dig team. |
|
Raymond
‘Ray’ Carter
(Duane), 26yo Geology
Grad student: 2nd generation German immigrant, rugged and nerdy (book
smart). Ray began on a Football scholarship until Coach Freddy recognized his
knack for sciences and opened his eyes to a different dream...finding
dinosaurs! Thus, he switched his major to Physics with the goal of becoming a
Geophysicist. |
Before departure, they went to the campus library: Ray researched the South Dakota geography, Dr Voss researched the history of the ancient people in the region, and Dr Bones read up on the lore of the region. Later, they all gathered at Miss Smythe’s desk to sign releases and gather their vouchers. Dr Bones had to correct her authorization of only 2 rooms at the Penman Hotel, “Dr Voss and I will have separate rooms. The students can bunk together.” He turned to his team, “We’ll leave tomorrow morning, Friday 19th, 2am sharp by train to central SD. We should arrive before noon, Saturday 20th. Hopefully we can get wrapped up before the snow and freeze. Pack appropriately.”
Friday, 2am: The
hungover Eli leaned on Ray as they barely made it to the station on-time. All
boarded the train and settled in for the 27+ hour western trip that transitioned from Ohio’s
major cities and smaller communities, skirted Lake Michigan before chugging
thru Chicago and then northwest across Wisconsin farmland toward St Paul, Minnesota
where it picked up the spur heading west into the desolate eastern plains of
South Dakota.
Saturday, 10am: Finally, around 10am the brakes squealed, and steam hissed as
the train came to a stop. The pullman set out steps as he announced, “Welcome
to West Haven.” No one was there to greet them. Thus, the professors passed
coins to tending porters as the students were too cheap and carried their own
luggage.
Over the huff of the train engine, they could hear the
whine of blades from a lumbermill to the south. Which explained the fresh scent
of cut wood in the air. Referring to a town map inside the train station, they
walked towards the Penman Hotel but were intercepted by pre-teens adjusting
their uniforms. “I’m George
(Penman), he’s Ernest
(Jacobson). You must be the diggers Pa mentioned. We’ll help with your
bags.” Eli and Ray carried their own, worried the boys might break their
hidden booze bottles.
Mary Penman
looked up from the registration desk, “Welcome, you must be tired and
hungry. My husband Jonathan
and the boys can get your luggage squared away. I hadn’t prepared lunch as I
wasn’t sure when you’d arrive; strange that Dr Baker and his team haven’t
arrived yet. Actually, I was expecting them yesterday. They used the
hotel that first week but once they ventured further out, they stayed in the
field in their tents. They came in last Friday to refresh and restock supplies
before heading out Saturday. While Rebecca (Moore) gets your rooms ready, you can head over to Hungry
Jack’s Diner for lunch.” Eli was dejected since Clara wasn’t around, “Can
you at least get me the room nearest her? She is my girlfriend.” Ray was
more sensible, “I’ll take a first-floor room to avoid the stairs.” Dr
Voss didn’t intervene when he realized the students had forced a fourth room
versus the university only covering three rooms. Won’t they be surprised when
they get the bill!
When they asked about the dig-site location, the best Jonathan
could offer was, “Dr Baker didn’t really say but he let my youngest son 8yo Matthew tag along that
first week. You’ve already met my oldest son, George. Matthew’s out fishing but
you can ask him when he returns.” Mary added, “And if he has a good
string of fish, I can fix you a nice dinner tonight.”
Logging trucks were already parked outside Hungry Jack’s Diner. Eli eyed the pies as they waited to be seated. Nina (Clearwater) was busy tending other tables considering her
waitress Rebecca was still performing maid service at the hotel. At least
Ernest showed up and exchanged his hotel uniform shirt for his busboy apron. As
they looked over the menu, they had to speak up over the din of noise from the lumberjacks,
[failed Listen] some of whom stormed out after tossing their napkins on the
table. Nina returned shortly to apologize, “We’re out of beef stew. How
about meatloaf for all? I’ll throw in a free piece of pie.”
Noon: After paying their
tab, they split up: Bones and Voss went to the Gazette while the students
checked out the general store (hoping to score some alcohol).
Enroute:
the professors ran into Matthew
coming up the road with a string of trout. They made a big deal about his catch,
“Look at the size of that one! He probably pulled you into the river.” Full
of bravado, Matthew opened up about his time with the dig team, “No roads
out there so I pointed out landmarks. Pa got permission from my teacher to skip
school and join the team. Left at the crack of dawn and got home before sunset.
Prof Tucker done learned me about them dinosaurs they were looking fer. And I
kept them from getting lost. But once they moved out further, pa wouldn’t let
me join since they stayed out there in tents. Sure, I could take ya out there,
but ain’t they back yet? Tucker and I was going to play cards.”
Gazette: Ralph Lawrence was busy typing
the next newsletter when the professors entered. Ray looked up at the
newcomers, “That must be some find for Dr Baker to call in more help. Is he
in yet? He was supposed to come by to give me an interview. Said the dig might put
West Haven on the map. Say, would it be possible for someone to bring me
pictures to add to my newsletters? By the way, how is that young lad Henry they brought in to see
the doctor?” Ray offered up older gazettes when Bones asked for historical
references to the area, “We also have a small library in town but don’t
expect too much.”
Dr Office: Since
they were close, the professors stopped by to ask about Henry. It took some
persuasion (in German) to get Dr Weiss to forget about doctor-patient confidentiality. “He’s
already back in the field; I just put a little ointment on it and gave him
aspirin for any pain. Strangest thing: it looked like 2nd degree burns
at first but there was no blistering. I thought about frostbite, but it won’t
get that cold around here for another month or more.”
General Store: Eli and
Ray walked past the gas pump and up the steps, opened the door and flinched
when the overhead bell dinged. Ray caught snippets of a conversation between the
clerk (Mildred ‘Ma’
Peters) and a customer, “I’m telling you Peggy, those eggs came in
fresh yesterday morning. Are you sure you didn’t mix them up with an older carton?”
Ma responded to the bell, “Welcome to Ma’s Goods, what can I do for
you today?” As the students explained how they were with Dr Baker’s newest
team, Ma asked if they were here to pick up his resupply order, “I was
expecting him yesterday. I might need to swap out a few items before you take
the crates. We’re all excited about the dig that might put our little
town on the map again.” Peggy interrupted, “Yeah, for food poisoning.”
Which got Eli digging deeper, especially when
he found the bag of sunflower seeds he planned to buy already germinating! A
few grain bags and even jars of pickles had turned bad too. Bags of potatoes
already had some sprouting new eyes. Now Ma was puzzled, “I swear I got most
of those items a few days ago from local farmers. I’ll have to check in with
them if the rest of their produce has gone bad.” At least jars of honey,
hard candy, and canned items were still good.
2pm, Hotel: They
rejoined at the hotel and asked Jonathan what he knew about the dig. “Well, they
stored a couple of boxes of items in the back.” Jonathan was reluctant to
let them in the back without Dr Baker’s permission. Mary arrived and was even
more adamant, “I’ve heard about others taking credit for someone else’s find.”
Even when Bones assured them all of the team members were from the same
university and how the telegram even showed Dr Baker calling for them to join
his team, Mary denied their request. She still protested when Jonathan gave the
OK, “As long as I’m with you to confirm nothing is taken.” [Psychology]
Bones and Eli picked up on her body language and tone to realize something was
off.
Jonathan unlocked the storage room and escorted them in. They
bypassed the extra crates of supplies (tents and digging tools, etc.) and stepped
up to the newer crates labeled “Site 1, 2, 3”. They used a nearby crowbar to open
them one at a time and dug thru the straw packing:
Site 1: more bones from possibly a Coelurosaur.
Site 2: Bones
of a species of massive toad.
Site 3: Mary began to whimper before departing the storage room. Dr Bones noticed scaring to indicate this crate had already been opened before. The inside was divided into 6 slots but only 3 had elongated stones (ostrich-egg size), one of which had strange grooves and etching on its end.
Even Eli recognized
the stones as dinosaur poop (coprolite). As they examined the etched one, they
felt its unnatural coldness. From the reveal about Henry’s burn, Eli realized he
must have put one of the stones in his pocket!
Jonathan was the last to exit the room to lock up. As
they walked towards the lobby where Mary acted busy at the desk, Dr Bones made
it a point to talk loud enough for Mary to overhear, “Dinosaur poop! Can you
imagine the millennia old diseases possibly on its surface?! Why, those stones
should be handled with care and gloves. Anyone touching them could succumb to a
deadly disease.” It wasn’t long before Mary bust into tears, “Rebecca
said how she found a stone on Dr Baker’s nightstand that was cold to the touch.
It got colder the longer you held it. So, what was the harm of borrowing 3 to
cool our iceboxes? I gave one to Nina at the diner and another to Ma at the
general store. PLEASE, is there a cure for the disease?! I don’t want to die.”
Using mittens from the kitchen, the students collected
the other stones from the diner and store. Nina and Ma were shocked to learn
about a possible source of disease they had placed in their iceboxes. Nina was concerned
how she might have poisoned some lumbermen who complained about the stew. Ma realized
why the eggs and other items in her store had gone bad, “Will I have to throw
everything away and restock?”
As all gathered back in the storage room (with masks and
gloves on) to put the stones back in their crate, Eli suggested cracking one
open to see why it was so cold. Dr Voss initially rejected the idea until he
noticed a small & narrow whitish enamel item in the stone. He agreed to
chip around it and soon exposed a human tooth! Ray used his geology tools to
verify the tooth was less than a thousand years old, “How the hell does a thousand-year-old
tooth get imbedded in millennia old poop?!”
Dr Baker's room: Jonathan had no objection to letting them into Dr Baker’s
room to collect the other stone Rebecca had mentioned was on his nightstand.
They found more dinosaur bones beside the stone. But most important was the map
pinned to the wall that tracked Dr Baker’s trek north to each site. Enough
detail to get out there on their own if Dr Baker never returns. Jonathan suggested
they talk to the Deputy for info about Sica Hollow.
As for the crumpled letter found in the desk, “Looks
incomplete. A change of mind? Didn’t want to get Matthew in trouble?” Jonathan
called for his son to come explain. Matthew’s voice quivered with
embarrassment, “Honest dad, Mr Tucker just wanted to have a little fun so
both of us hid and threw rocks. But that was only at the 2nd site.
Remember, you wouldn’t let me join them when they drove further out.”
5pm: They still had time before dinner; so, they split up once more:
Library: There was little in
regard to research material: old magazines, local newspapers, and a very old
set of encyclopedias. Dr Bones and Eli asked Edna (the librarian) for
help regarding local lore and history. She gladly put down her knitting to help,
“Dr. Baker promised to send me a signed book once he completes his search
and discoveries. Make sure to put in a good word about my help.”
Indigenous History in
Northeastern South Dakota
·
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate:
This Dakota tribe resides on the Lake Traverse Reservation, which spans
northeastern South Dakota and southeastern North Dakota. Their ancestors were
part of the broader Dakota Nation, many of whom faced forced relocations after
the Dakota War of 1862.
·
Post-1862 Displacement:
After the war, many Dakota were expelled from Minnesota and relocated to Dakota
reservations. While not part of the Trail of Tears, this was a similarly
traumatic removal.
Indigenous Lore:
·
The Stone That Whispers
o Inspired by sacred
stones documented in Dakota oral traditions.
o A
glacial erratic deep in the woods emits low vibrations at night. Elders say it
was placed by “sky people” before the flood. Settlers hear voices in dreams
after touching it.
·
The Hollow Wind
o
A seasonal wind that moves against prevailing
patterns, carrying scents of decay and whispers.
o
Local legend says it’s the breath of a buried
being beneath the prairie—one that feeds on memory.
·
The Bone Orchard
o
A grove where bones rise from the soil each
spring—animal, human, and unidentifiable.
o
Tribal lore warns of “watchers beneath,”
spirits that punish those who disturb sacred grounds.
Sica Hollow: has a reputation for
being haunted. Numerous disappearances have occurred over the half-century, and
most of the people living nearby, both the Lakota tribes and the residents of
West Haven, avoid it.
As they left the library, they ran into Ma
who had good news, “I threw out all the spoiled goods after you removed that
stone. Got more goods from Jacobson’s farm. Nothing is spoiling. THANKS!”
Sheriff’s Office: Dr Voss and Ray entered the small building and chatted with Deputy Kangee Crow Smith(member of the local Lakota tribe). He described Sica Hollow as a bad place where the Indians once tried to settle but found it infested with spirits of their dead. “That is why the
rivers bleed. Their voices live in the trees to give warnings to trespassers.”
As for questions about Dr Baker, Kangee handed them off to Sheriff Jeremiah March. Pictures behind his desk showed him with the deputy and several local tribe leaders: obviously good relations. After brief introductions, March explained, “Dr. Baker came in to complain about rocks being thrown at them while digging. Said Indians from my deputy’s tribe had warned them to stay out of Sica Hallow. Baker suspected the Indians threw rocks as part of their warning. I told him, if anything, it was just some West Haven kids having a little fun in their otherwise boring lives.”
Garage: The team joined up enroute to the garage. Simon
Herold was cursing at an old 1910 Mack truck when they interrupted his tirade. “Not
many vehicles in town except for the loggers’ trucks. I already rented 2 trucks
to Dr Baker. ‘Louissa’ here is all that is left. I gotta warn ya, she’s
unreliable. Good bones but cantankerous. Dang electrical problem.” The team
joined in to help evaluate the truck: Dr Bones kicked the tires, Dr Voss looked
in the glovebox and checked the seat springs, Eli and Ray actually looked under
the hood. “Ouch!” Ray jumped back after confirming the alternator was
working. Eli found a battery wire frayed. They bartered with Simon finally
agreeing, “$2 for the week or $1 if I have to go get her. Pick her up in the
morning and I’ll throw in an extra gas can. You can stop by Ma’s to fill up.”
6pm: They returned to the
hotel only to learn more bad news. As if Mary wasn’t already distraught, “I’m
sorry but the fish already spoiled. I can fix you canned SPAM for dinner.” While
first suspecting something airborne from the stones, the team now theorized
proximity, especially when Ray mentioned things like radiation. Thus, they
delivered all 7 of the stones to the Sheriff’s office for him to deal with them,
“Bury them out of town for now. We’ll let Dr Baker decide what he wants to do
with them. We plan to head out early tomorrow morning to track Dr Baker down.”
NEXT SESSION:
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