The commotion about Fruit Growers commissary did not end smoothly. The disgruntled merchants also had a complaint with the Nataqua Mercantile Company that opened its door on February 14,1921 in the Milwood district. The fact that the principle investors in the mercantile company were Fruit Growers employees aroused the suspicion of some local merchants, even the the three, J.W. Schooner, Henry Neunaber and J.C.Pery, invested solely as individuals.

Facts, however, did not stop the rumors, many of them started by the “peeved merchants,” who even went so far as to hire a phony investigator to stir up matters. With the mill nearing completion, these rumors, even though false, could have profound effect.

Fruit Growers hired their own private investigator to find out exactly how the community felt. W.A. Mundell (aka Jules Gamage) posed as an investor. interested in opening a summer resort at Eagle Lake. So good was his disguise that he was invited to join a poker game (during which he lost) at the Pioneer Saloon with a group of the town’s most influential citizens. The week-long investigation uncovered no animosity between the residents of Susanville and Fruit Growers. If anything the citizens were glad for the competition.

Tim