It was an ice skating accident which resulted in the last drowning in Honey Lake. On January 24, 1915, a skating party was held on the northwest shore with approximately 175 people in attendance. Continue reading An Ice Skating Tragedy
On January 6, 1924, Susanville’s new city hall was dedicated. It was estimated that nearly a quarter of the town’s population turned out for the occasion.
The original city/fire hall was destroyed by fire on November 7, 1921. More about the history of that structure later. The City Trustees (today referred to as Council) had many pressing issues to contend with and decided to take their time with the construction of a new city hall. In the spring of 1923, they hired noted Nevada architect Frederick DeLongchamps to design a new building. (Some local buildings designed by DeLongchamps include the Del Mar, St. Francis Hotel and the Lassen County Jail).
In October 1922, voter’s approved a $20,000 bond measure to pay for a new combination city/fire hall. Alas, DeLongchamps’ plan carried a $30,000 price tag, along with an additional $5,000 to furnish it. The Trustees’ were reluctant to go back to the voters to approve an additional $15,000 bond measure, but had no other choice. On June 26, 1923 voters approved the additional funding 146 to 14. On August 18, 1923 Woodward & Grebe were awarded the contract to construct the two-story concrete building.
City hall has undergone numerous changes in the past 100 years. The most notable occurred in 2000., during the City’s Centennial. Not only did the building go through a complete retrofitting, but 3,250 square feet was added to the structure. The integrity of the historic facade was kept intact. It was an expensive proposition that cost $1,323,752.
On a final footnote, in late January 1924, the City thanked the Lassen County Board of Supervisors for useage of the County Courthouse that allowed them to hold meetings for the last two years.
In the mid-1870s, Susanville was still a one horse town with less than 300 inhabitants. Yet, for a time two newspapers were published there. The first to compete with the Lassen Advocate was the Lassen County Journal that operated from 1874-1875. It was succeeded by the Lassen County Farmer.
This newspaper made its debut on January 1, 1876. The Farmer was published by two experienced newspaper men from Reno—J.G. Law and William Lewis. The paper provided the best local news coverage the area had ever experienced. Making a living was another story. By December, Law had departed leaving Lewis behind. Lewis, too, would soon depart and return to Reno. He noted, “Running an opposition paper in one of these mountain counties is about as neat and easy a way to starve to death as can be imagined.”
However, Lewis was able to find a successor in Susanville resident Thomas H. Dawson. However, Dawson would soon learn how difficult it was to make a living and after six months the newspaper folded. The Modoc Independent newspaper of Alturas relayed the fate of Dawson’s plight: “The editor’s wail is pitiful. He says that during the six months which he has run the paper only twelve subscribers paid their subscriptions.”
On a personal note, I can relate to the above. Some times I have pondered that I made it this long, but I manage some how to cover the costs.
Moon Valley Ranch was just one of many sudivisions throughout the State of California that forced the State to take preventive measures to prevent this type of future subdivision—namely the California Subdivision Act of 1971. Its a perfect example why there are disclosure laws in the real estate industry today. Numerous folks still invest in that property, purchasing parcels site unseen, only to realize that they bought a lot on a sagebrush plain or a rocky hillside covered with juniper trees. However, there are others that find its pristine setting magical, and buy a parcel as a special get away. Of course, Moon Valley, is a temporary home for illegal marijuana grows.
Abandoned townsites are a matter of there own. There have been speculators to revive the same to make a quick buck. The town of Flanigan, in eastern Honey Lake Valley, was a shining example. Some Reno realtors purchased the majority of the vacant town lots. This venture happened in the early 1980s, but never got quite off the ground. It was their intention to donate lots to such celebrities as John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. They would then advertise to prospective buyers, that could be neighbors to these famous personalities. These novelty lots would be priced at around $200 to $300. They had not anticipated a federal law that put an end of their enterprise. This was the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act of 1968. The law mandated improvements such water, streets, sewers, utilities, etc would be required for any lot sold for over $100, and that it meets the criteria of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. End of story.
“If you have a yen to go to California, land of sunshine and flowers, take a look at these two pix of Co. 740, Litchfield, Calif., camp, and see that snow thrives there as well. Not a light snow that disappears beneath the sun’s first rays, but a heavy snow that lasts and has to be piled, shoveled and plowed. Men from Missouri were shown all this snow and now they are sorry that they were skeptical.—Charles Bennett reporting. Happy Days, January 23, 1937” The reference to Company 740 was the CCC camp at Secret Valley, not known for heavy snowfall.
Personally, I liked Bennett’s commentary. When I traveled to Minnesota to research the T.B. Walker papers, I also spent time visiting with my Dad’s numerous cousins. Of course, many of them, had this preconceived notion that since I am from California, in their mind it is all palm trees and sunny beaches and that it does not snow in California. With some cousins I stated I was from Susanville, Nevada not far from Reno, which then I endured a deluge of questions about gambling.
Another trait they shared, was they were clueless how large California is. One cousin mentioned that on some Sunday afternoon I should stop by and meet a cousin who resides in Ventura. I just politely nodded my head and was not going to attempt to explain how far that was from Susanville. This was after I made an excursion to Wilmar, Minnesota, about 45 miles distant from where I was staying, and some thought that was a major trip. I had tried to explain where I live 45 miles does not get you anywhere.
Last week we delved into the Wolfskill family’s influence on the citrus industry. By the 1880s, in one way it was flourishing and in others floundering. The growers were producing great quantities of fruit. That fruit was in great demand back east. The development of additional transcontinental railroad lines provided access. Refrigerated railroad cars delivered the fruit in good condition. The problem was actually selling the fruit!
Haphazard distribution, unscrupulous agents and disastrous prices were threatening growers’ livelihoods. Brokers, upon whom the growers were dependent, worked on a commission basis with agents in the East. Growers paid a handling fee of fifty cents a box—whether or not the oranges sold. They had no control over where the fruit was sent. As a result, some markets were flooded with citrus while others left waiting. It was a marketing nightmare.
Cooperatives provided the answer. Several small groups of growers banded together to market their fruit. Some, like Claremont Fruit Growers Association, did their own marketing. Others, like Pachappa Orange Growers Association, pooled their fruit instead of competing individually.
The financial depression of 1893 forced these growers’ associations to meet and discuss how they could work together to save their industry and to agree on a uniform marketing strategy. This was no easy task. They were, after all, competitors. Initially, they could not even agree on a meeting place, but finally settled on Los Angeles. In the the end it was successful.
The foundation was laid to stabilize the Southern California citrus industry. On August 29, 1893, a regional marketing cooperative was formed combining seven organizations into the Southern California Fruit Growers Exchange. It evolved to accept lemon growers, and citrus growers to the north to become the California Fruit Growers Exchange to reflect its broader membership.
In 1907, the Exchange created a subsidiary cooperative, Fruit Growers Supply Company. Fruit Growers, is a purchasing co-op to supply member growers to buy bulk supplies from fertilizers to nails, then needed for wooden boxes. Since only members of the Exchange reaped the benefit of Fruit Growers, was an enticement for other growers to join the Exchange.
Next Week: One More Hurdle: A Brand New Name
The first bona fide newspaper the Sage Brush made its debut on the streets of Susanville on July 15, 1865. This was a substantial undertaking since Lassen County may have had barely a thousand residents. It should be noted that the County of Lassen subsidized the publication at $100 a month until it was able to sustain it on its own.
It was a typical rural press newspaper. It was four pages in size, published weekly. A Washington hand press was used, and the type set by hand.
The newspaper’s founder, A.C. Longmore remained at the helm until August 10, 1867 when he sold it to A.T. Bruce. Bruce’s ownership was short-lived and sold the paper in the fall to John C. Partridge. Partridge changed the name to the Lassen Sage Brush. Yet, besides operating the newspaper, he had many other interests. He spent five years as a U.S. Deputy Surveyor and did many of initial Government Land Office surveys of northern Lassen County, as well as Modoc County. Because his work as a surveyor required him to be away for long periods of time, he sold a half interest in the newspaper to George Pierce. It did not work out well, by June 3, 1871, Partridge was once again sole proprietor. In March 1872, he brought in another partner, D.C. Slater, who also happened to be his brother-in-law. More changes were on the horizon when on January 4, 1873, displayed an entirely new format. Not only that, but a new name as well—The Lassen Advocate. The Advocate would chronicle the news of the region until 1987 when it closed due to bankruptcy.
On a quarterly basis, I ask you the reader, if there is something you would like to learn more about or maybe its something you heard, but question its validity. So here is an opportunity to participate. I will do my best to answer any questions. It should be noted, it may take awhile for the answer to appear as a post. The primary reason, many of the daily posts are done nearly a month in advance. So by the time you read this I am already working on posts for the middle of February, or at least I should be. Whatever the case may be, I look forward to hearing from you. Of course, it should be noted that paid subscribers requests receive priority. In addition, you can always send a request at any time.
Tim
This was the planned metropolis of the Honey Lake Valley Land & Water Company, established in 1891. The company was involved in a major reclamation project for the eastern portion of Honey Lake Valley. The main water supply would be that of their reservoir, Lake Greeno, constructed on Long Valley Creek.
The Occidental Petroleum Company’s published a very enticing portfolio of the wonderful virtues of Moon Valley for perspective buyers. The advertising of the region made it too good to be true. “Now you get it all at Moon Valley Ranch: prime recreation land, within 4 miles of a 2,500 acre lake, in Northern California, the next recreational capital of the West and profitable investment property almost certain to appreciate as California’s recreation-hungry population continues to explode . . .And what a price now you can buy 20-acre parcels for less than $199 an acre–$150 down, $29 monthly.” Their portfolio expands on all the nearby wonderful recreational areas, such as skiing and golfing at Westwood, though they did not mention that Westwood was some seventy miles away. Also they did not disclose the fact that the golf course at Westwood was only proposed. The Company was correct in their advertisement that is was “The magnificent, away-from-it-all Moon Valley Ranch” to “land-that-time-forgot.”