In 1920, Susanville city officials had the daunting task of the selection of the Highway 36 west entrance. The State and city officials did agree on one matter–to abandon the old route of Prattville Road and North Pine Street. The new approach to connect the highway to South Pine Street was a different matter. To complicate matters, the City was responsible for the final approach costs inside. the city limits. Initially, it was propose to loop around to connect with existing road next to the cemetery. One property owner asked for a “king’s ransom” for an easement. Instead, a cut was made near the water tanks and the highway connected to Quarry Street and a short distance to South Pine Street. This created two sharp turns that proved hazardous.
As to the feature photograph I do not have the details of the 1944 wreck. Years after the fact, “Mul” Mulroney told me there could have been a worse case scenario. The spilled oil flowed down gutter of the south side Main Street. Mul stated it was nothing short of a miracle that no one did not discard a lit match from lighting a cigarette or discard a lit cigarette into the gutter.