With the first installment of county property taxes due, let’s take a look back in time.  In the first year of the County’s operation, 1864-65,  there was a total assessed valuation of $239,558 in land improvements and $439,301 in personal property. The County had an original tax rate of $1.25 on each $100 assessed value for County purposes, plus collected another $1.25 on each assessed value for State purposes. The total collection in taxes amounted to $16, 971.47 of which the County received $8,485.57.

In the County’s first year of operation, the District Attorney attempted to collect $958.95 in back taxes, which represented nearly eleven percent of the County’s budget. The District Attorney filed lawsuits ranging from A.H. Hardin who owed 90 cents in a special assessment levied by the Janesville School District  to $164.40, which Isaac Roop owed on his municipal Piute Creek water system.

In one of these tax law suits  a unique situation occurred when Constable E.R. Nichols sought to serve William Weatherlow with a summons for $46.30 in back taxes. Nichols noted on his summon as of his attempted service of February 7, 1865 that he was unable to serve Weatherlow as he “. . . cannot be found in the county.” If only Nichols who doubled as County Surveyor, had toured the Susanville Cemetery, he would have located Weatherlow’s grave  who died on July 22, 1864 and thereby became a permanent resident of Lassen County.  It  was not as though Nichols was unaware of who Weatherlow was, as Nichols sued him in 1861 over a mining claim in the Black Rock Desert.

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For nearly seventy years, Marion’s Bar on South Weatherlow Street, Susanville was a favorite gathering places for many. Numerous patrons of that former establishment may not be aware of the history of the back bar. The bar was originally in the Amedee Hotel, first operated by the Brubeck family.

In 1925, Jim Humphrey became the sole-owner of the Amedee Hotel and most of the Amedee properties. Amedee’s heyday had been gone for a long time. However, people would still go there to soak in the hot springs. Humphrey, of course, by necessity hired a caretaker to oversee the properties. One could spend a night in the hotel if so desired, though the building was showing its age. The third story had been closed, and the second story balcony removed.

In June 1931, a strange thing happened, the bar from the hotel was stolen. Of course, law enforcement officials were intrigued with this development, it being prohibition. A month later, the bar appeared in Chester, Plumas County. Chester resident, O.D. Irwin, had plans to use the wood from the bar to make furniture. He was charged with a misdemeanor, paid a $50 fine and was ordered to return the bar to Jim Humphrey. When the story made news, Marion Larrea who at the time was operating a pool hall in Susanville, contacted Humphrey, purchased the bar and put in his establishment.

In the either 1996 or ’97  Marion’s closed and the building eventually sold.* In 2001, the bar was removed from the building and made the journey back to Chester where it was restored. The bar is in peril and needs a new home by the end of the year.

*If anyone knows when it closed, please let me know, so I can update this.

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Today’s internet retailers try to lure customers with free delivery on their orders, though usually there is a catch, such as with at at least a minimum order in ex amount of dollars.

There was a simpler time when customer service really meant that just that. In 1915, it was none other than Susanville’s largest mercantile store, The Big Store, operated by two-brother-in-laws, Fehr & Worley that introduced free grocery delivery.  Decades later, the so-called “mom & pop grocery stores” such as Hill’s Market, offered the same service.

Actually, those of a certain age will recall gas stations as full service stations. An attendant not only filled your car with gas, wash your windows, and if need checked your tires, oil or anything else for free while you sat in the comfort of your car.  It should be noted, however, you did get this service in Oregon. There was even a time when banks courted customers with such gimmicks as a toaster, free checking/savings were automatic, not used as an enticement today.

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Here is a glimpse of posts for the month of December. Enjoy!

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