History

The Westwood Riot

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Fourth Street, Westwood, March 2, 1939. Courtesy of Bill Ashenhurst

The Red River Lumber Company faced many issues during the 1930s at its Westwood operation. Two major factors were finances and labor. Two labor unions were involved, first the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) followed by the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Initially, the two groups appeared to be on the same page in demanding wage increases. By 1939, that was no longer the case, as there were friction between the two groups.

The anxiety between the two, especially the AFL, worsened while the men grew impatient from being idle during the weeks passing in February during a strike and blamed the whole situation on the CIO. It was just a matter of time when the situation would once again become volatile. What ignited the spark is not clear, though one account stated it started with an encounter between Marjorie Scott, wife of a CIO and Earlton Shannon, the business agent for the local AFL. Scott, according to one account, made some insult to Shannon in front of the post office and Shannon retaliated with some extreme vile and abusive language. He also advised her to get into the car with her companions for her well-being. So incendiary were his remarks that it warranted his arrest.

On March 2, 1939, a preliminary hearing concerning Shannon’s behavior was held in the Westwood Justice Court to determine whether there was sufficient evidence bind him over to the Superior Court for additional charges. After Judge J. M. Lamson adjourned the hearing is when the chaos began. The courtroom was crowded with spectators. After the adjournment, a fight broke out between Ben Nissen (CIO) and Riley McComas (AFL). From this other fights erupted; some fifty or more were reported and the crowd slowly worked their way down Ash Street, to the CIO headquarters next to the Westwood laundry.

To be continued tomorrow.

News

The Three E’s

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Roosevelt Pool
Remnants of Roosevelt Pool, February 21, 2015

On March 1, 2015, I launched an ambitious program to do a daily blog seven days a week. I know crazy, seven days a week, 365 days a year. For the most part I have delivered, though there have been a few bumps in the road. In the back recesses of my mind, there were the goals to enthuse, educate and explore readers to expand their horizons.

Enthuse – One of the best examples to introduce people to region and get them excited is the annual Sunrise Summer Solstice Tour at Belfast. Attendees are enlightened and excited to learn more about the region.

Educate – Equally, important and this post contains an unusual words that begin with the letter e. To visit a site, but are not informed, is an injustice. Once a person is informed, it provides a whole new perspective.

Explore –  Back in the 1990s, the Bureau of Land Management archaeologist and myself conducted prehistoric/historic tours. It was a popular venue. The current resource manager of the Eagle Lake Office of Bureau of Lonely Men informed me, he was enthusiastic about future endeavors, but it would be a solo endeavor on my part. The bottom line, was during those tours, it was the goal educate the participants and encourage them to do some exploration on their own, with an emphasis to respect and protect sites a person my visit.

Happy Trails!

History

Where are we – the answer

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This is a portal midway through Bly Tunnel near Eagle Lake. The fenced off enclosure is easily seen from the road going up to the Eagle Lake Youth Camp. There are still numerous ditches, cement diversions of the canal system, extending all the way to the Sunnyside District near Janesville to past Wendel in another direction from the failed Tule & Baxter Creek Irrigation District’s Bly Tunnel project.

The outlet as it appeared in 2012. Courtesy of Barbara White

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History

The Hilke Piler

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In 1925, Fruit Growers Supply Company at its Lassen (Susanville) operation were always looking at innovative ways for efficiency and reduce labor costs at the same time. This year, they installed a Hilke Lumber Piler, the contraption had been invented in 1915 by Seattleite Henry Hilke. The piler was a very efficient means of stacking lumber outdoors. Not only did it reduce the aisle width for stacking of conventional lumber, but the machine allowed to make higher stacks. While a four man crew was involved, the piler could handle up to 10,000 board feet per hour. As one local observer noted: “To those who had never seen the new stacker in action, it is a most interesting and educational sight.”

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History

Lassen Boulevard Funding

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Highway 395 north of Hallelujah Junction.

Earlier this month the topic of Lassen Boulevard was discussed, i.e., the forerunner of Highway 395 between Susanville and the Nevada State Line. In 1924, Nevada officials had paved the route north of Reno to the stateline. Lassen County Board of Supervisors were anxious to make more road improvements on the California side. After all, they had already mounted a campaign declaring Susanville the eastern gateway entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Before long, Susanville would host the state American Legion Convention, so good roads were essential.

On July 8, 1925 the Lassen County Board of Supervisors approved $5,000 to make road improvements on the highway segment between Constantia and Purdy (stateline). It was their intent that the State Highway Commission would match the county’s expenditure. They did. However, it would be many years before the highway was paved and redesignated as 395.

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History

Secret Valley School

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Secret Valley, as seen from the lower end of Secret Valley.

For some reason I have been stuck in a Secret Valley mode of thought, with Biscar Reservoir and Petroglyph Humor.  For those not familiar, Secret Valley is a long straight stretch along Highway 395 North, approximately thirty miles from Susanville.

Like so many places throughout the region, in a bygone era, lively times were had there. In addition, like so many rural outposts it had its own school district, that was established in 1890. Rural schools then, were not confined to a strict schedule that occurs today. The Secret Valley School during the 1920s and 1930s operated during the summer months and was closed from November to February. The school closed in 1938. The last graduating class consisted of Emelia Diaz and Ida Nye. In 1940, the school was annexed to Soldier Bridge, known today as Shaffer.

On a footnote, this is one of handful of Lassen County schools that I do not possess a photograph of. The late Faye Laver, thought she possessed one, but could never find it.

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Uncategorized

Member Login Feature

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Honey Lake, from Tanner Ranch, January 1997.

Since early January, I have been working in due diligence to correct the flaw in this feature, without success. It has caused me a lot of grief. Making changes and upgrades has been created domino side-effects to other features.

Please refrain to use the login feature or change your password, because it does not work. At this time, nothing is blocked, so it is not necessary. Once a solution is done, everyone will be notified. I would appreciate your patience.

To complicate matters because of other outside influences has been the unexpected passing of my mother’s sister, Joyce Tanner Cunha, 1928-2019. Thus, among my other obligations, is to deal with the future of Tanner Ranch.

Tanner Ranch, March 18, 2017

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History

Pennies from heaven?

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Bank of America, Main & Gay Streets, Susanville

In 1933, Lassen County residents and their counterparts throughout the Golden State witnessed something in their shopping routine. California had instituted a sales tax. This, of course, saw an increase of pennies in circulation.  As matter of fact, Charlie Bridges, then assistant manager of the local Bank of America, that in August 1933, 1,000 pennies every day were put in circulation in Susanville for a period of ten days. Bridges speculated that some of these pennies were going into piggy banks of local children.

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History

Headwaters of Willow Creek

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It is amazing by doing these daily posts, I am always learning something new. New discoveries sometimes arrive in mysterious ways. In a discussion about future walks and hikes I was provided the latest map of the region distributed by the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce. It should be noted I am map affeciando, so no GPS stuff for me. Anyhow, back to the story at hand. According to this, which you can see from the above illustration, that Willow Creek’s origins is Eagle Lake, and not from the springs at Murrer’s Upper Ranch.

In a discussion with USGS in 2017, that prior to some 125,000 years ago, Pine Creek and Willow Creek were probably just the same stream. Once the Brockman Flat Lava Beds occured it blocked the flow of Pine Creek to Willow Creek. In doing so, it helped create the Eagle Lake that we know today.

Upper Willow Creek, 2013. It was this creek that the various promoters of the  Eagle Lake project that  used the natural channel to deliver water to the Honey Lake Valley.

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Exploring Lassen County's Past