Lassen Advocate, October 28, 1977In the fall of 1977 the Lassen Advocate reported the long-awaited restoration of the steps leading into the Lassen County Courthouse. One of the main features was the installation of an access ramp for the disabled and handicapped. Sezzi Concrete was awarded the $10,000 project which was completed in November 1977.
Red River’s 102, with a jammer in tow.As today marks the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, I recall a comment a colleague made many years ago and how it was linked to Lassen County. At issue was when the Red River Lumber Company sold its scrap iron to Japan, who would in turn use to the scrap iron for war purposes and ultimately the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In September 1933, Red River Lumber Company sold $15,000 of scrap iron and obsolete machinery to the Japanese government. According to the press release “Many see the order from Tokyo for junk the possibility that preparations are being made for war on an extreme scale. Scrap iron is utilized in munitions making.”
Susanville’s Owl Saloon circa 1907. Ironically, this establishment burned down only six weeks after Prohibition took effect in 1919. Courtesy of Del & Diane PooleThe last vestigaes of the Volstead Act came crashing down on this day in 1933, when prohibition was fully repealed and saloons once again opened. However, things did not quite return to the free-wheeling days before prohibition. This time the state was in control of issuing liquor licenses, while in the past it was the county board of supervisors. Locally, it was a fairly quite affair. Law enforcement still had to deal bootlegging issues to make sure that saloons were only serving alcohol and carried the government revenue stamps.
Gallatin Beach, 1919. Courtesy of Wyn WachhorstSome may find this of interest. The lake has only dropped 1.59 feet this year and is 4.21 feet above this time last year. Several of my colleagues, including myself, thought this was rather remarkable. When one considers that the summer was abnormally hot this year, one would assume that due to evaporation the level of the lake would have dropped more. One explanation is that it might be possible that the springs underneath lake have recharged from the previous winter, thus offsetting the evaporation. I want to thank Don Willis, Lassen County Surveyor who on the first of every month monitors the lake level and provided this information.
H.C. Stockton’s grave, 1977.Occasionally, I do a Now and Then segment. This one has a unique twist since it involves a cemetery plot. Those who either attended or reviewed the narrative of the Courthouse Centennial Cemetery Tour may recall the last grave visited was that of H.C. Stockton. As a refresher, Stockton was appointed Supervisor in May 1864, along with Eber Bangham and Alvaro Evans to organize the newly created Lassen County. As you can see in the above photograph is his original headstone and below is the replacement. H.C. Stockton’s grave, 2017.
It was a busy day for folks to obtain the last cancellation mark.It was established on February 10, 1915 with Mrs. Gail H.V. James as postmaster. For the majority of the post office’s existence, Aldah Callahan Riesenman (1893-1978) served as postmaster and Florence Brandon succeeded her. The post office closed on December 3, 1993.
Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles.Yes, there are two Westwoods in California. In the 1920s a subdivision known as Westwood Village was created in Los Angeles. It would soon become home of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Because of UCLA’s medical center, some time’s a person’s place of death is listed at Westwood and some times the Lassen County Recorder will receive an inquiry for a death certificate for a person that died at the other Westwood.
The Milford Post Office and Store, 1909. Courtesy of Betty Barry DealA month ago, we examined the NCO Railroad proposed railroad line for the west side of the Honey Lake Valley that was abandoned. By 1905, hope was on the horizon with the Western Pacific Railroad when survey crews came through the community. The Western Pacific had looked at two sites to cross the Sierra—Chilcoot or Fredonyer. Alas, Chilcoot was selected. Enter the Red River Lumber Company who wanted a branch line from Doyle to their lumber town of Westwood. It became close to a reality after the Chilcoot Tunnel caught fire in May 1912, but almost does not count.
South side of the 700 block of Susanville’s Main Street, 1901The City of Susanville was incorporated in 1900, and with any new institution there was a lot of foundation work to be done. Take for instance speed limits. In 1902, the city passed an ordinance for speeding, the limit set an eight miles per hour whether motorized or not. However, an automobile had yet to grace the streets of Susanville. Bicycles were all are the rage then, some considered them a nuisance. In 1911, the city increased the speed limit to fifteen miles per hour, but it went ignored. On January 10, 1913 the Lassen Advocate noted: “Another man’s dog got under the wheel of a gasoline juggernaut this week. Sooner or later it will be somebody’s child that will fall victim to the speedomaniac’s disregard of the law. Then (maybe) our officers will recognize the difference between forty and twelve miles per hour.”
The Camp Lasco commute train. Courtesy of Ron LinebargerTo wrap of the long holiday weekend I share a couple of logging photographs of the Lassen Lumber & Box Company that are provided by Ron Linebarger . Lassen Lumber’s main logging camp, was that of Camp Lasco at the base of Peg leg Mountain that was more or less shuttered in 1929.
Donate! Another shot of the No. 25. Courtesy of Ron Linebarger
