Saturday, April 16, 1921 was the dedication of Fruit Growers Supply Company’s new mill facility at Susanville. Of course, there was usual amount dignitaries on hand to celebrate the moment and give speeches. Thomas B. Dozier, a Fruit Growers’ attorney served as master of ceremonies. Dozier’s opening statement was simple, “We will supply the boxes from the Snowkist woods for shipment of Sunkist—all from California.”  Dozier informed those assembled that the California Fruit Growers Exchange (renamed Sunkist in 1951) represented 10,500 growers, who produced three-quarters of the citrus in the United States.

The primary topic was conservation practices. Fruit Growers Board of Director, R.H. Wilkinson commented that the Lassen Operation marked the first attempt of permanency in manufacturing of lumber. Wilkinson noted that in the past sawmills had been transitory—here today—gone tomorrow, leaving behind a desolate waste where a virgin forest forest had once stood.

Fruit Growers’ General Manager, F.B.Hutchens explained how this would be done. Fruit Growers would conduct select tree harvesting, whereby 30 percent of the merchantable trees would remain as seed trees. In addition,they would implement a reforestation policy. Fruit Growers and the Lassen National Forest were working on a selective harvest plan that would allow the operation to continue in perpetuity. They estimated it would take between fifty and sixty years to log their holdings. By that time, the original logged areas would be ready for the second harvest of mature trees which again would take fifty and sixty years to harvest, and the cycle would continue.

On a final note while mill had an inaugural on April 16, which 63,000 board beet of lumber was manufactured.  The sawmill was not placed into regular operation until May 1.

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