For over a fifty year stretch Susanville was home to two newspapers the Lassen Advocate and the Lassen Weekly Mail. Since 2020 the community is no longer served by a newspaper.
On October 25, 1886, the Mail made its debut on the streets of Susanville with Nevada newspaperman Benjamin M. Barney at its helm. Barney, however, lacked capital for his new enterprise and made M.B. Bransford, a partner. In addition, he borrowed $1,088.38 from Robert Tremain to purchased a new printing press. In 1891, Bransford became sole proprietor and moved the printing office into the Masonic Building.
In 1893, the Masonic Building and much of Susanville’s business district was destroyed by fire. Bransford abandoned the newspaper, and Tremain who was still owed money for the printing press, took over the paper. Tremain’s son, Joseph Mellow operated the paper and eventually purchased his parent’s interest.
Tremain had newspaper experience, and even worked at a time as foreman of the Lassen Advocate. Tremain’s journalistic endeavors bordered on the mundane, with the exception of one big topic, the Red River Lumber Company. Tremain and Red River’s owners, the Walkers became real cozy. This paid big dividends, and the Mail published the inside scoop on all of Red River’s proposed activities.
In 1911, when Susanville was on the verge of tremendous growth, Tremain sold the newspaper, and soon ushered in the era of the Cook family, more about that later.