This was the name of Lassen College’s first student newspaper. How it came to be was pure accident, as it was not planned. In September 1939 the college offered a Creative Writing course. It was a venue for students to practice writing news article and general composition.
At the beginning of the second semester the class published a mimeographed newspaper, the “Jaysee.” By February the paper came out on a weekly basis. There was no assigned editor. Instead to give everyone an opportunity for a hands on approach, each week everyone rotated assignments.
The initial paper was financed by selling candy bars at the basketball games. In April it was deemed necessary that it would need an advertising department to finance future issues.
Fast forward to the Spring of 2019 and a new online student newspaper is now published at Lassen College known as “The Paw.”
Arnold Planing Mill, circa 1905. Courtesy of Philip S. Hall
For many years the Arnold Planing mill located adjacent to the Richmond Bridge, Susanville, was one of the most photographed sites.
It was built in June 1873 by L.J. Abel and George Barley. This, like the other mills in the era, was powered by water. They constructed a ditch and flume about a quarter-mile upstream on the Susan River from the mill. It became known as the Arnold Ditch, and while it no longer conveys water, it is still used as a reference point to determine property boundaries. The mill primarily manufactured doors, sash, blinds, furniture stock, cornices and other related items.
In 1877, Abel & Barley sold the mill to Ezra P. Soule for $1,526.15. In that same year, Ezra’s daughter married Leroy D. Arnold. Shortly thereafter, Leroy operated the mill. In 1912, he retired and his son, Ezra Arnold took over operations.
On August 6, 1914, at approximately two in the morning, the residents of Susanville were awakened from their slumber by the alarm of fire. The Arnold mill had caught fire, and little could be done to save it. It was severe blow to the younger Arnold, his loss estimated at $10,000 was not covered by insurance. It was believed that a hobo had camped there for night, built a small fire to prepare a mill, but never fully extinguished it.
A 1920s advertisement for the Pioneer. It had to change its ways during prohibition.
In 1920, Grass Valley business man W.H. Tuttle purchased the Pioneer Saloon, Susanville’s oldest business. For many this was something a deranged person might do, since the nation’s prohibition of alcohol had just been implemented. Not only that, Tuttle announced he was going to replace the old wooden structure with a two-story concrete one.
To make up for the lost revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages Tuttle branched out into the wholesale mercantile trade. In a very short time this enterprise turned out to be very lucrative, he specialized as a distributor of tobacco products and candy. In 1929, he sold the Pioneer Mercantile Company to John Solari and M.A. Griffin. After the repeal of prohibition the mercantile aspect continued until the late 1970s.
Seasoned residents will remember this store located at 711 Main Street which is currently occupied by Iron Horse Gym. M.A. Griffin came to Susanville in 1912 from Loyalton. In 1920, at this location he operated a men’s clothing store. Griffin along with O.C. Watts revamped the men’s store into a five and dime variety store, and it opened on March 7, 1936. It was affiliated with the Ben Franklin stores. Griffins closed down in the 1960s and was replaced with Super 88, a similar type of store.
First Grade, Susanville Grammar School, 1914, teacher Mrs. Tom W. Wilson—B.R. Zimmerman Collection
It seems of late, that on a almost daily basis measles is in the news. There was a time when other communicable diseases made headlines. Locally, in the spring of 1916 a scarlet fever epidemic hit Susanville. Not to take any chances, school officials closed the Susanville Grammar School for a week, hoping that would be sufficient enough. It was.
On Saturday, February 23, 1935, Jules Alexander a prominent figure in the affairs of Susanville passed away in San Francisco where he been since August due to health issues.
In certain ways, one could say that Jules and Susanville grew up together. This plucky Frenchmen was only seventeen years old when he came to Susanville in May of 1877. He went to work as a clerk for Greehn & Asher one of the larger mercantile stores in town. He would follow this trade for decades to come. In 1881, Simon Blum and Jules opened their own store as Blum & Alexander. Later on, he went in partnership with his brother Abe, under the firm name of A&J Alexander. After the disasterous fire of 1893, Abe Alexander pulled up stakes and moved to Bakersfield. Jules with his brother-in-law, Ike Knoch formed Alexander & Knoch, which in essence they took over the David Knoch’s, the family patriarch’s mercantile store he established in 1865.
With the prosperous times approaching with the Fernley & Lassen Railroad Alexander & Knoch wanted to expand their horizons. At the end of 1911 the store was turned over to Alexander’s two sons-in-law, Jess Worley and Emil Fehr. In 1912, Jules and Ike formed the Lassen Industrial Bank and in 1922 constructed the former iconic building at the corner of Main and North Gay Streets.
Prior to the banking business, Jules had become involved other business enterprises. For fifteen years he owned a ranch at Horse Lake. He was a director/investor in the California & Oregon Telegraph Company, the Susanville Creamery and later the Lassen Townsite Company, the former remains the largest Susanville subdivision.
Jules was a firm believer in civic engagement and pride. Just one example, of his many contributions was the placement of a new Lassen Monument, as the original one had been neglected all these years. In the fall of 1916, Jules launched a campaign to correct it and with a new monument. It was his desire to seek small donations thereby allowing everyone an opportunity to be part of the cause. He enlisted the aid of Lassen County Superintendent of Schools, Fred Brunhouse, who sent out letters to all the schools urging children to donate a few cents as part of a civics lesson. The school children responded with each school districct sending in varied amounts from 35 cents (Fort Sage) to nearly five dollars (Lassen High School). In the end the school children of Lassen County raised over $500, about one-third of the cost. In September 1917 a new monument was dedicated all through hard work and dedication of Jules Alexander.
Who needs Halloween when you can have a freak party?—B.R. Zimmerman Collection
Olga Wemple who wrote the Society page of the Lassen Weekly Mail reported on a special party that occurred on March 3, 1916. She wrote: “A freak party given by Mr. and Mrs. Jules Alexander (145 North Roop St., Susanville) proved to be the most unique and original that Susanville Society has seen for a long time. Every one was requested to come dressed in freakish costumes. Those who were invited responded with such enthusiasm in designing their queer attire that wide spread interest was caused not only among the lucky ones, but also among their friends who eagerly aided with their ideas. The home of the hosts was decorated in keeping with the plan of the evening. The living room was brightened with strings of oranges, lemons, apples with gayley colored balloons hung from the chandeliers and freakish pictures of all descriptions ornamated the walls. When every one had arrived each drew a caricature cleverly drawn by E.J. Feher to find “yourself” which table to be seated at.
“At midnight all entered the dining room which was decorated with onions, turnips, and beets. The large table was bountifully laden with all kinds of goodies. At each place a card upon whichwas tied a minature knife, fork and spoon and also the initials F.W.M.B.F were painted. All were asked to guess the meaning of the initials and Mrs. C.M. (Maybelle) MacDonald proved the clever one and guessed the meaning which was “Fingers were made before forks.”
The west side of of the 100 block of North Street Street contains five Victorian style homes. The houses were constructed between 1906 to 1911. This is unique, since many of the residential areas in the original section of Susanville are quite an electic mixture.
Something a bit different today. Some may not realize that it was not until in 1931 when the Star Spangled Banner was made the national anthem. In September 1936, there was a nation wide movement by the American Legion Auxillary to have the national anthem played as many venues as possible. Locally, it was Maud Lund, the music chairman of the Thomas Tucker Post American Legion Auxillary duty launch a local campaign to have the anthem played at local events.
While the residents of Susanville were adjusting to the automobile, they were interested in the novelty of aviation. For the Fourth of July festivities of 1912, E.H. Thompson aka “The Birdman” and his “flying machine” were scheduled for the three-day festival. To date, no airplane had flown over Susanville. Thompson offered flights for fifty cents for those so inclined. On July 2 he experienced problems with inferior gasoline and on one attempt was able to lift off about only twenty feet off the ground. Some people were disappointed, others disgusted and another segment thought it was fake to begin with. For Thompson it was an expensive undertaking. The plane had not been flown there, but it was shipped by rail and freighted to Susanville, at his cost. Since he could not offer rides, he was not able to recoup any of his losses.
