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Tag Archives: Politics
Chester Causeway
In 1925, Great Western Power Company announced its plans to enlarge Lake Almanor. The raising of the dam would flood a large portion of Chester Flats, thus flooding a number of roads, and also Red River Lumber Company logging railroad network. Controversy arose when Great Western informed the Plumas County Board of Supervisors that the road across Chester Flats would be re-routed to follow the high water contour. The residents of Chester and Westwood were furious, for such a proposal would add an additional seven miles between the two communities. They wanted a causeway in which the current route would remain the same. Great Western balked at the idea. After all, a causeway would cost Great Western $220,00, while to re-route the road would only cost $50,000. To make a long story short the opponents bypassed the Plumas County Board of Supervisors and had the State Highway Department intervene. In 1926, an agreement was made between the State and Great Western that a causeway would be constructed.
Roop County, Nevada
After nearly 100 years after Lassen County was created in 1864, some historians thought it really should have been named Roop County. However, that would have been problematic, since across the stateline in Nevada was Roop County. Nevada officials were critical of the Roop name, J. Wells Kelly, who compiled the First Directory of Nevada Territory questioned the choice of the name and stated that it should have been named Lassen County. Kelly wrote: “Every dictate of gratitude and propriety, suggested the name of Peter Lassen—the noble old pioneer who, the first to enter, finally lost his life in exploring these wild regions—as that which should have been bestowed upon the county.” The after effects of the Sagebrush War reduced Roop County to a long narrow strip of land from Pyramid Lake to the Oregon border. Since it was a sparsely settled territory, with no town, the Nevada Legislature, on February 18, 1864, attached it to Washoe County for judicial and revenue purposes. On January 16, 1883, it was officially abolished and made a part of Washoe County
Red River: The Turbulent Thirties
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The carefree spending days of the Red River Lumber Company came to an abrupt end. Bonds were used to finance the construction of Westwood came due. On the other hand, Fletcher Walker continued expanding operations, each at an additional cost. The bondholders on the other end were not pleased with the delinquent payment and return. A free for all battle occurred as to whether the banks or the Walkers would control Westwood. The Walkers, made concessions to keep the banks at bay.
Then there were labors problems. It began with the purge of the CIO members and their families who were driven out of Westwood in 1938. That was the tip of the ice-berg. The following year the AFL went on strike over the same issue of wage restoration that the CIO wanted. It was a mess, to say the least, and it would be one of many factors that would seal Red River’s fate. Click here to order.
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Lassen County’s Bastille Day
So it is a different from the French version. On this day in 1993 groundbreaking ceremonies were held for High Desert State Prison. Long before construction of its neighboring prison the California Conservation Center as it was originally called, was highly debated. So much in fact, the issue whether to build a second prison was put before the voters of Lassen County in June 1992, that won by a 58 percent voter approval. High Desert State Prison was designed to house 4,500 inmates and opened in September 1995.
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William R. Harrison, Esquire
A native of North Carolina and born on 29 April 1813, is in many ways considered the original dean of Lassen County’s legal community. Like so many, he slowly worked his way west. His first stop Montgomery County, Indiana where his four children were born. Then it was to Iowa for a brief spell. In 1849, Harrison set out for the gold fields of California and like so many others, had never mined before.
Fortunately, when he arrived in Shasta County he was able to fall back on his original profession as an attorney. He served two different terms as county judge in Shasta, and then moved to Red Bluff. There he served a term as Tehama County District Attorney. In 1862 he was lured to the mines of Unionville, Nevada. Again, he fell back on his previous profession and passed the Nevada bar exam.
In 1863 he returned to Red Bluff to spend the winter and the following spring moved his family to Susanville. On October 18, 1865 he was elected county judge of Lassen County. After his two year term expired, he continued with his mining interest. In June 1868, he was appointed to the position of Lassen County District Attorney, as Isaac Roop failed to qualify for that job. He remained in that position until his death on April 24, 1870. It should be duly noted that some of his descendants still reside in Lassen County.
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Brand History – Abe Jensen
Abe Jensen probably has the distinction of the youngest person to record a livestock brand, which event occurred on October 11, 1917, when he was only nine years old. Albert Abel Jensen, was a member of a pioneer family. He was the great- grandson of Henry C. Stockton, who was one of three original Lassen County Board of Supervisors appointed by the governor in 1864 to organize the newly formed county and was elected to that office on May 1,1864, serving one term. It should be noted that in 1863, Stockton settled to the west of Devil’s Corral, along the Susan River and operated a sawmill. The property still remains in the family, with Abe’s nieces and nephew in charge.
Abe was a Lassen High graduate of 1926, and continued his studies at Stanford where he graduated in 1930. He continued with the ranching activities like his father, Bert. It should be noted that Bert was instrumental in resurrecting the Lassen County Fair in 1922, and the property that is the current county fairgrounds belonged to Bert Jensen. Besides ranching, Abe served as the Lassen County Fair Manager from 1946 to 1968. In 1973, Abe, and his wife Adelaide moved to Reno, where he passed away in 1989.
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Susanville Bans Fireworks
In Susanville’s early years as an incorporated city, it was remarkable what the council did. One of their actions, I still support today, and that is the prohibition of fireworks. The first time they banned fireworks was in 1906, following the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake and fire. It was also a nod to the insurance companies who suffered tremendous loss from that event. It was their belief, as well as many other communities, that this preventive measure would reduce the risk of fires. Continue reading Susanville Bans Fireworks
Nataqua Defined, Sort Of
Some folks may have heard about Nataqua Territory. It was a form of self governance among Honey Lakers, back in 1856. Continue reading Nataqua Defined, Sort Of
The Shinn Family
In my previous post about the Shinn Ranch, I promised a follow up concerning the children of Oliver & Louisa Shinn.
James Oliver Shinn, the eldest child pursued a career in newspaper business. He first gained experience working for Susanville’s Lassen Advocate. Along with his brother, Al, they launched the Mountain Review on November 12, 1879. The newspaper continued until his untimely death the following summer. Continue reading The Shinn Family