Daily life got crazy in Susanville when the railroad arrived in 1913. Numerous discussions were held to make the town “dry.” It was the belief of some that if there was a ban on alcohol, that it would rid the town of certain elements. The City was not so keen on the other hand, as it received most of its operating revenue from liquor licenses.
On November 22, 1913 the Sacramento Bee reported the following: “The conditions in Susanville consequent upon the construction of the Fernley & Lassen Railroad and the new lumber town of the Red River Lumber Company have been bad.
“This has caused many of the permanent residents to become dissatisfied and there have been frequent threats of an anti-saloon crusade. It has been held off in the hope that conditions would improve. They have improved some lately, owing to a reduction of the numbers of hanger-on since the cold weather set in, but there are still too many drunks.
“Fights are frequent, robberies and cutting affrays are common and few arrests are made. Gambling goes on at all hours. Professional gamblers and pimps infest the town and are not believed to be necessary to its prosperity.
“Some time ago an arrest was made of a gambler, and others of his ilk left town. There was no prosecution of the case however and it was not long until the games were running again.
“One saloon is claimed to have taken in between $5,000 and $6,000 during October and all others did a large business. The bars are required to close at 2 a.m., but the places remained open to avoid the necessity of throwing men into the streets to suffer from exposure, there being many who do not or cannot secure beds. It is claimed that none of the places sell liquors during the hours the bars are required to be closed.
“Susanville has been a lively town for months and the new life is so different from the old that her people have not been able to handle the situation they have faced. The floating element was not a factor here before the construction work began. With its completion, it is claimed the town will return to its formerly orderly manner.”