When the Lassen County Fair was revived, in 1922, it would go through an evolving process. One of the dramatic changes was the establishment of three large sawmill operations—Fruit Growers Supply Company, Lassen Lumber & Box Company and the Red River Lumber Company.
The following year, the first logging exhibition at the Lassen County Fair was held. It was certainly a noteworthy event. For many attendees it was the first time they were able to witness the current logging methods of the “big wheels.” A competition was held between the big three companies. The Fruit Growers Supply Company won top honors in this category. It should be noted by 1927, the lumber companies began phasing out the “big wheels” for the motorized Caterpillar traction engines.
A November 22, 1915 NCO ticket stub. Courtesy of Dorothy Capezzoli
The Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad (NCO) was a stingy operation and because they had no competition for many years, took advantage of the situation with its freight and passenger rates.
However, in January 1892 the NCO offered a generous one thousand mile ticket good for the whole year for an entire family at $30. At that time, Amedee was the end of the line and was 80 miles north of Reno. A one way fare between the two places was $1.35. So if one was doing frequent travel it was a bargain. With Amedee a thriving boomtown, the NCO knew there were would be a lot of passenger traffic, hence the special offer.
On a recent summer excursion, we stopped to look at this Trails West Marker that I had not seen before. What caught my attention is that Benjamin Ruggles inferred in 1859 that there were three passes. Most historical data and maps that I have examined over the years indicate only one pass named Nobles along the trail near the base of Lassen Peak.
It is interesting note that traffic on the Nobles Trail between Susanville and the Sacramento Valley had greatly diminished during the late 1850s. Though in the fall of 1859, for a two week period, 375 individuals, in sixty-seven wagons, along 100,000 head of livestock used the Nobles route into Shasta County.
North shore of Eagle Lake, 1921. Notice the lack of juniper trees on the hillside. Courtesy of Lola L. Tanner
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On Saturday, February 23, 1935, Jules Alexander a prominent figure in the affairs of Susanville passed away in San Francisco where he been since August due to health issues.
In certain ways, one could say that Jules and Susanville grew up together. This plucky Frenchmen was only seventeen years old when he came to Susanville in May of 1877. He went to work as a clerk for Greehn & Asher one of the larger mercantile stores in town. He would follow this trade for decades to come. In 1881, Simon Blum and Jules opened their own store as Blum & Alexander. Later on, he went in partnership with his brother Abe, under the firm name of A&J Alexander. After the disasterous fire of 1893, Abe Alexander pulled up stakes and moved to Bakersfield. Jules with his brother-in-law, Ike Knoch formed Alexander & Knoch, which in essence they took over the David Knoch’s, the family patriarch’s mercantile store he established in 1865.
With the prosperous times approaching with the Fernley & Lassen Railroad Alexander & Knoch wanted to expand their horizons. At the end of 1911 the store was turned over to Alexander’s two sons-in-law, Jess Worley and Emil Fehr. In 1912, Jules and Ike formed the Lassen Industrial Bank and in 1922 constructed the former iconic building at the corner of Main and North Gay Streets.
Prior to the banking business, Jules had become involved other business enterprises. For fifteen years he owned a ranch at Horse Lake. He was a director/investor in the California & Oregon Telegraph Company, the Susanville Creamery and later the Lassen Townsite Company, the former remains the largest Susanville subdivision.
Jules was a firm believer in civic engagement and pride. Just one example, of his many contributions was the placement of a new Lassen Monument, as the original one had been neglected all these years. In the fall of 1916, Jules launched a campaign to correct it and with a new monument. It was his desire to seek small donations thereby allowing everyone an opportunity to be part of the cause. He enlisted the aid of Lassen County Superintendent of Schools, Fred Brunhouse, who sent out letters to all the schools urging children to donate a few cents as part of a civics lesson. The school children responded with each school districct sending in varied amounts from 35 cents (Fort Sage) to nearly five dollars (Lassen High School). In the end the school children of Lassen County raised over $500, about one-third of the cost. In September 1917 a new monument was dedicated all through hard work and dedication of Jules Alexander.
Benjamin R. Zimmerman came to Susanville in 1874, at the age of 14. The first trade he learned was making harnesses. The next thing, he has graduated to saloon operator. This he soon discovered was a very lucrative business. All was well, until 1919 and the Volstead Act, better known as prohibition put an end to his business and so he opened a restaurant. Zimmerman died in 1943 in Susanville.
Fast forward to January 2011. A classified ad appeared in the local newspaper about a box of old photographs that the person thought might be of Susanville. Several people alerted me so I answered the ad. The gentleman I spoke to informed me he was helping a friend clean out an old barn in Richmond, that was going to be torn down. That is where he found the box and kept it to find it a home. We had a long discussion, and the impression he left with me, it was a small box, but he would send it and I told him I would reimburse him his costs. Time went by, and I called again. This continued for several months. Finally, he said he shipped it and it cost $60 via UPS. It turns out it was a two-foot square trunk. The photographs were from the Zimmerman family. There are two items impressive about the collection. The majority were photographs I had never seen before, like yesterday’s Freak Party. Equally important, is the majority of the photographs are identified. A portion I had processed and the rest I stored away in a box. I recently retrieved that box, so that is why you are seeing Zimmerman photographs.
The B.R. Zimmerman residence, 310 N. Roop St., Susanville.
Who needs Halloween when you can have a freak party?—B.R. Zimmerman Collection
Olga Wemple who wrote the Society page of the Lassen Weekly Mail reported on a special party that occurred on March 3, 1916. She wrote: “A freak party given by Mr. and Mrs. Jules Alexander (145 North Roop St., Susanville) proved to be the most unique and original that Susanville Society has seen for a long time. Every one was requested to come dressed in freakish costumes. Those who were invited responded with such enthusiasm in designing their queer attire that wide spread interest was caused not only among the lucky ones, but also among their friends who eagerly aided with their ideas. The home of the hosts was decorated in keeping with the plan of the evening. The living room was brightened with strings of oranges, lemons, apples with gayley colored balloons hung from the chandeliers and freakish pictures of all descriptions ornamated the walls. When every one had arrived each drew a caricature cleverly drawn by E.J. Feher to find “yourself” which table to be seated at.
“At midnight all entered the dining room which was decorated with onions, turnips, and beets. The large table was bountifully laden with all kinds of goodies. At each place a card upon whichwas tied a minature knife, fork and spoon and also the initials F.W.M.B.F were painted. All were asked to guess the meaning of the initials and Mrs. C.M. (Maybelle) MacDonald proved the clever one and guessed the meaning which was “Fingers were made before forks.”
On June 3, 1874, Sylvester Daniels arrived in Reno, Nevada by train from Iowa. It was his first stop on his way to tour Northeastern California. He was not impressed. Daniels wrote:
“Lots of drinking of all kinds of drinks. I have not seen anyone drunk enough to stagger, yet it is only eleven o’clock in the morning. They don’t know any money smaller than ten cents. Money making is all the rage here. Most every man has his pockets full of silver. It seems very strange to me, it is so different from what I have been used to.
“In this place, lodging is one place and eating is another, eat wherever you have a mind to. I took a walk this afternoon out to the west end of town. It is just sagebrush desert, but I saw some yards that is irrigated. The Truckee River runs along the south side of town. It runs very rapidly. It goes tumbling over the stones as though it was in a great hurry to go to some place right quick. The town is watered by the river.
“Saw a drunk squaw this afternoon. She was walking up the street swearing at an awful rate. A man told me they always talk in English when drunk. This is a terrible place for drinking and gambling to say the least. And I can not say any more that I have not seen any one drunk. I have come to the conclusion that the drinking men are drunk all the time, are never sober. I think it is different with the Merchants and they have nice stores here.”
The remnants May 1950. Photograph taken by Harry Ryan
Amedee was the premier railroad boom town on the east side of Honey Lake. It was created in essence when the Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad (NCO) extended its line there in 1891. The following year witnessed lively times rivaling in population of Susanville. The town’s centerpiece was the majestic Amedee Hotel. In 1899, the NCO began work to extend its line north, and Amedee slipped a notch or two in importance. A revival of sorts began in 1910 with the Standish Water Company’s development of an elaborate irrigation system. In 1912. A second railroad, the Fernley & Lassen, added more excitement to region.
By 1917, Amedee’s decline had begun. In 1918, the NCO abandoned the segment of the railroad that serviced Amedee. At the same time the Standish Water Company’s project failed. Then with the advent of World War I a major segment of the east side of Honey Lake was de-populated. By the 1930s, the only occupants of the hotel was the town’s caretaker. By the 1940s the hotel was in a slow decay. In the spring of May 1950, Jack Humphrey who owned it had the hotel dismantled, since it was constructed with premium lumber. The lumber was then hauled to Jack’s residence near Milford, in which he intended to use it to construct a new home the following year. That September a forest fire destroyed the barn that the lumber was stored in.
All things considered, since Standish started as a planned utopian community that eventually failed, there was that bit of original quirkeness that prevailed for years, after the demise of the failed experiment. Case in point, when the Fernley & Lassen Railroad surveyed and later constructed the railroad north of the town in 1913, it was not a big issue. It was odd. Other communities would have lobbied hard to have a railroad come into their town. Not Standish. When Ben Gibson plotted out the nearby town of Litchfield that the railroad would become an integral part of that community, Standish yawned. Standish had only been established in 1898, yet it was the first major town in that district and enjoyed a loyal following of the agriculural district, that Litchfield which tried could never overcome.
