One of the problems associated with Leon Bly’s tunnel at Eagle Lake concerned the construction. The original plans stated that the tunnel would tap the lake eight to nine feet below the surface. It was not until 1924, that it was revealed that the contractor, Grant Smith & Company had only had a cut three feet below the surface, and in that same year, one of the driest on record, that the water flow through the tunnel was inadequate.

In the fall of 1924, Edward Whaley was hired by the irrigation districts to make a cut five feet below the surface to correct the problem. Whaley, like Grant Smith, would not fulfill his contract either. The problem was blasting through solid rock. Each year the districts took it upon themselves to extend the channel further out into the lake. In 1932 the last work was done, but between the drought and water taken out, the lake had dropped by twenty-four feet.

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Those familiar with the history of Eagle Lake are aware that Spalding Tract was named for John S. Spalding who first resided there in 1875. (It should be noted that it is also “spelled” with an “u” as in Spaulding. There are two different subdivisions on the same property). Continue reading Spalding Tract’s first house →

Leon Bly was born on March 6, 1877 at Chicago, Illinois.  By 1908, he had located to Red Bluff, and became involved with many projects.  In 1909,  he was the engineer and founder of the Butte and Tehama Power Company. The following year he examined the potential development of Mill Creek for hydro-electric power which he sold the project to the Sierra Irrigation Company. Continue reading Leon Bly’s Early Years →

The first Anglo settler at Papoose Meadows, near Eagle Lake was that of 24 year-old Kentuckian, Cyrus Myers who claimed the property in 1873.  He was one of the earliest settlers of the Eagle Lake basin.  After all, it was not until 1875 that the Dow and  Spalding families located near Pine Creek. In September 1876 Myers traded this property along with the improvements he had made (that consisted of a frame barn, a log barn, one log cabin, two outhouses, 800 fence rails and ten tons of hay) to Susanville resident and Lassen County Clerk, Wright P. Hall for sixty-five cows. Continue reading The early history of Papoose Meadows →

To the naked eye, today’s photographs does not look like much. For me I find it puzzling and I hoping someone can explain and/or give me some type of geology lesson.

The photographs were taken in 1921/22 at the inlet of the Bly Tunnel. The smoke depicted, in the above photograph, is from the blasting. What intrigues me is the tailing pile, which is composed of sand!  The tunnel was constructed through lava rock. So  where did the sand come from? By all means, please share this post to anyone who can enlighten me, and everyone else who would like further insight.

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On September 21, 2016, I ventured to Papoose Meadows near Eagle Lake. It had been a long time since I had been there. This excursion was a bit different than most, and resulted in the proverbial “Pandora Box” of so many issues. So not only in the near future, there were will be a few posts about the history of Papoose Meadows, but an interesting perspective about Leon Bly, whose Eagle Lake’s irrigation project had a major impact on the region. Stay tuned, as there is some interesting new material to be revealed.

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For many, the holidays are a time to celebrate good cheer among friends and family. However, for some, it is a dreaded time. My good friend, the late Phil Hall, fell in the later category. It should be noted, his parents both passed away shortly before Christmas. Even Phil, died a few days prior to Christmas Day, 1996. Continue reading A Sad Christmas Tale →

In 1910, San Francisco attorney Alva Udell came up with a novel approach to tap Eagle Lake without the aid of a tunnel. Udell proposed to tap the lake at the north end, only a mile from then Troxel’s residence (better known to many as Stones). The intention was to build a dam on the lake and a canal leading over to the Willow Creek springs. This route, it should be noted, is the lowest division separating Eagle Lake from the headwaters of Willow Creek. Continue reading Eagle Lake – The Udell Project →