The.aftermath of the fire at Camp D, 1924 —-FGS Co.
In 1924, Fruit Growers Supply Company’s logging operations was on the west side of Antelope Mountain near Eagle Lake. On July 28, a fire broke out there caused by a steam donkey operating between Camps D and F. It would in the end consume some 7,000 acres.
Three years later, the Lassen National Forest sent Fruit Growers a bill $156,000 in damages for 2,000 acres of forest service land that had burned in the fire. During ensuing negotiations it appeared the Forest Service wanted really was not the money, but reforestation.
Courtesy of Kevin Corson
A settlement was reached. Fruit Growers agreed to replant the burned over Forest Service land, plus an additional 20,000 acres and to contribute $1,500 over the next ten years for reforestation. Fruit Growers even established a small tree nursery at their Susanville mill.
Today, marks the tenth anniversary when the Lassen County Fair Manager backed into my parked 1964 Triumph TR4. It was a long messy and expensive episode to put it back together. While one can still purchase most of the automotive motor parts, body parts is another story. I had located a bonnet (hood) in Stockton, so there was one obstacle out of the way.
The Triumph TR4 after it was put back together.
Six months later it was finally all back together again.
St. Christopher badge grill for the Triumph TR4
Now for added protection last year David Crum of England, a great grandson of Jules Alexander who played an important role in the development of Susanville, surprised me with St. Christopher grille badge for the Triumph.
Drakesbad, circa 1930. Courtesy of the Sifford Collection
If you have plans to visit Drakesbad at Lassen Volcanic National Park this summer, you will need to have an alternative plan. Drakesbad is closed for the 2022 season due to damage sustained from last year’s Dixie Fire. On the other hand, the park highway is now open, as last winter’s snow fall was lighter than normal.
Lassen Union High School, Class of 1922—Betty B. Deal
It is “Pomp and Circumstance” season across the country. Locally, it began with the commencement ceremony at Lassen College on May 27. It was then followed by the various elementary school districts and culminating with the high schools—Big Valley, Herlong, Lassen and Westwood. Congratulations to all those graduates, especially since they experienced some challenging times that few had ever to deal with—Covid 19. Do I have any wisdom to share? Well maybe and it might not be the best, since it was a long time ago when I graduated from Lassen High, I think the wisest decision is just not to say anything.
John Cahlan, President of the Bank of Lassen County in his office.
Today, is Arthur Cahlan Mathews 100th birthday! Art was born in Susanville on June 5, 1922, the only son of Arthur and Lena Cahlan Mathews. Upon his debut, he had an older sister, Ellen, and later on a younger sister Marcella. Art has many fond memories growing up in Susanville, and after he graduated from Lassen Union High School in 1940, he ventured out of Lassen Land.
His grandfather, John Cahlan came to the Honey Lake Valley in 1873, where he went into a partnership with W. Wallace Scholl in a buying a ranch near Johnstonville. It was not long after that, he married Lottie Farley. The marriage would be brief, she died unexpectedly in 1876.
In 1877, an interesting opportunity came Cahlan’s way with the formation of the Farmer’s Co-Operative Association in Reno which he became manager. 1882 was a pivotal year, for Cahlan remarried to Reno school teacher, Charlotte Warren. Not much later a fire destroyed the co-op store, and the newlyweds returned to Cahlan’s former ranch, in which he bought out his partner Scholl. The couple would have two daughters—Lena who married Arthur J. Mathews and Neva who married R.H. “Hi” Browne. In 1908, Cahlan who was now 68 years old, decided to retire from ranching life and sold out to Frank and S.F. “Duck” Bangham.
1415 North Street, Susanville, 1955. Courtesy of Wendell Laughead
Cahlan moved into Susanville and purchased the old Moody place on the northwest corner of Main and Roop Streets (now the location of Uptown Cinemas). In 1911, Cahlan had a Dutch Colonial style home built there. This would be the home that his three grandchildren grew up in. In 1955, the house was moved to 1415 North Street, to be replaced with a brick building to be the new home of J.C. Penney.
In 1892, when Lassen County’s first financial institution was formed, the Bank of Lassen County, Cahlan was quite involved. He served for many years as Vice President. After the passing of his close friend Fred Hines, who served as the bank’s president, Cahlan was appointed as Hines’ replacement. Unfortunately, he would not remain at the helm very long, for he suffered a heart attack in the office at the bank on September 24, 1912.
Cahlan family plot, Susanville Cemetery, 2016
Art, I hope this finds you well. Wish I could be there for your birthday dinner bash this evening, however, I will have a “Susanville pour” in your honor.
Abandoned homestead near Stacy, eastern Honey Lake Valley, 1987
Today, I am just not a perky Purdy. Forgive me that there is not the usual post. However, please use the search feature, enter a topic and one can get “lost” in the results. Personally, I use it from time to time to seek some peripheral data for a future post—I amazed the wealth of material that I have posted in the last seven years.
The original town of Prattville was quite the place prior to being displaced by Lake Almanor. Prior to Lake Almanor, it was known as Big Meadows, and a popular summer hang out, especially those from the Sacramento Valley, escaping the heat, after all this is pre-air conditioning days.
In 1898, Frank Sorsoli purchased Baccala’s Prattville Saloon. Business was good. There being a lack of hotel accommodations, Sorsoli decided to build one. In May 1908, construction began on Sorsoli’s $10,000 twenty-eight guest room hotel. But the operation was short-lived. A fire of suspicious origin on July 3, 1909 wiped out most of the town of Prattville, the Sorsoli Hotel was a casualty.
Lassen Mail, April 30, 1926 – Newly-Weds Elececikicked. Andrew H. Stahl, a saw filer at the Fruit Growers plant and Miss Daisy Fitzgerald of Sonora were married in Reno last Saturday morning and at once came to Susanville where they will make their home. Their “friends” had skillfully wired the furniture in their apartment in such a way that when they sat down they immediately arose again. A big Klaxon horn announced the fact that they had retired to their apartment and it was not until they had bribed the gang that the wires cut and the disturbance ceased.
The Thomas Newton Long family plot, September 16, 2017.
One of things I do enjoy about doing tours, which I have been lapsed in doing, is the interesting interaction among attendees. During the St. Patrick’s Cemetery Tour something was relayed to me that I was unaware of and never had given any thought. In many instances, the graves face to the east. That is certainly the case in most Lassen County cemeteries. Traditionally, the husband is usually buried to the left. In addition, some churches make it a point for the altar to face to the east. I just never know what I will learn next.
