Hotel Amedee, March 10, 1936–C.H. Bennett Collection
In the spring of 1936, Secret Valley CCC Company Clerk C.H. Bennett made a jaunt to the ghost town of Amedee. He noted that the old hotel was originally a million dollar structure, and thus how folklore is created. Truth be known, when the hotel was completed in 1892, at a cost of $25,000.
By World War I, Amedee was already in a slow decline. In 1922, a major event by NCO Railroad sealed the town’s fate. The railroad abandoned a 16 mile segment of the line between Rayl and Wendel. On October 31, 1922, the last NCO train passed through Amedee. In addition, in that same year the Amedee School’s operation was transferred to Wendel. On February 29, 1924, the Amedee Post Office closed and there was no need to replace it with the Rural Free Delivery service, since the only people residing there were caretakers of the property.
Secret Valley CCC’s doing repair work on the Baxter Creek siphon, 1936—C.H. Bennett Collection
Last year, I briefly wrote about the Baxter Creek Siphon. Since then I do have some additional information. First a little background. The siphon was portion of the Baxter Creek & Tule Irrigation district’s distribution of water from the Bly Tunnel at Eagle Lake. A siphon was needed to convey water over the Susan River, then to a canal along Bald Mountain to Baxter Creek.
The siphon made of redwood and a diameter of 52 inches. The main siphon was three miles in length. In 1935, a flood damaged a portion of siphon where it crossed Susan River.
Susan River, 1935 — Lola L. Tanner
What is puzzling about the first photograph is why CCC’s were working on repairs to the siphon, as Bly Tunnel had been abandoned due to low water levels in 1935. May be some one was optimistic that water would flow again from Eagle Lake.
Once upon a time, Highway 36, took a long windy route to make the ascent over Morgan Summit—though one can still travel the old route, which is now Highway 172. If you do, one comes across the Mill Creek Store and restaurant. The community and resort originated as the Mill Creek Campsite by the Lassen National Forest. In 1924 the forest service surveyed for a planned 25 summer homesites, a store and resort. E.J. Foster and Leon Cordy of Cottonwood (Shasta County) leased the store and resort site, and built a store and several cabins. The forest service would expand the summer homesites to 118.
A unique view of Litchfield, 1936–C.H. Bennett Collection
In the past we have explored the origins of Litchfield. For those just tuning in, here is a brief overview. With the approaching Fernley & Lassen Railroad traversing the Honey Lake Valley in 1912,, the survey route went north of Standish through the Gibson Ranch. B.F. Gibson plotted a new townsite on his property that he initially dubbed “New Standish.” He had hope to lure Standish residents and businesses to the new townsite, since it would have the benefit of the railroad. It should be noted Standish was only three miles away. In 1913, Gibson’s townsite was recorded and named Litchfield, after his late father-in-law Andrew Litch, which Gibson acquired his ranch.
While Litchfield did not become the major commercial hub envisioned, it was still a busy place. The Litchfield Depot was the major shipping point for the agricultural community for decades to come. In 1923, a huge barbecue was held at Litchfield as part the dedication ceremony of the Bly Tunnel at Eagle Lake that would provide water for reclamation in the Honey Lake Valley. It was estimated that some 5,000 people attended. Yet, for all the activity at Litchfield I rarely come across any photographic record of activities at Litchfield.
This stream is tributary to Smoke Creek near the California/Nevada border. The name dates back to the 1850s, referred to by travelers along the Noble Emigrant Trail. The name may have had its origin from attacks by Indians and the ermigrants along the trail. In 1863, during the Kidder & Ives state boundary line suervey, their report made reference to this locale after a skirmish with Indians and note, “The Indians rushed to the rocks to give us a warm reception.”
Bly tunnel inlet, July 1924. Courtesy of Wyn Wachhorst
It was 100 years ago today, with no fan fare, that 50 cubic feet per second of water was released through the Bly Tunnel at Eagle Lake. The $1.25 million project conclusion was bittersweet. Earlier, in May, some 5,000 people gathered at Litchfield for a grand barbecue to celebrate the completion of the tunnel. What the public was not aware was Grant Smith Company, the contractor to build the tunnel, only built three foot below the lake level at the inlet, versus the eight feet agreed upon with the irrigation districts. The company refused to allow water through the tunnel,, until an agreement was reached. The legal wrangling went on all summer until a settlement was made. In the short and long term the Baxter Creek and Tule Irrigation District were big losers. First, they lost the 1923 irrigation season. They would spend a decade trying to correct the inlet problem, and finally gave up.
Viewland, 1974. Photograph by and courtesy of D.B. Martin
The turn off for this road, for those not acquainted, is a right turn off Highway 395 north between Viewland and Mud Flat. The first road in that section going to Nevada was Noble’s Emigrant Trail of the 1850s. Over the years, the route was slowly modified. The road we know today was constructed by the Secret Valley CCC camp in 1937. These men also did significant work on the road across Mud Flat, as well as road work between Ash Valley and Madeline.
An interesting NCO billboard, with the Caloreta School in the background, 1920–Lenala Martin
You probably have never heard it, because it was a short lived designation that would later become Wendel. When the Fernley & Lassen Railroad was being constructed to Westwood, when it crossed the NCO railroad’s tracks, north of Amedee it created a dilemma to name its new station at that point, due to the fact the. NCO kept changing their station’s name for that location. While today, many might not think it was a big deal—but it was—so much of the nation’s mail traveled by rail.
The Fernley & Lassen decide to name the crossing Caloreta, it being a combination of names that stands for the California and Oregon Transfer. In 1914, Manuel Jose of Alameda County, California had the Caloreta Townsite laid out at the present site of Wendel. On June 6, 1914, Jose leased a lot that was adjacent to the Fernley & Lassen to Gail H.V. James for $10 a year, which was the site of the Purser Post Office. On February 10, 1915 the post office name was changed to Wendel and Caloreta went out of existence.
Employee entrance at Red River Lumber Company’s mill, Westwood
Since it is Labor Day, it is only fitting to have a topic about the labor movement. With the events leading up to World War I, demand for lumber soared. It was in the Pacific Northwest that two labor organizations—the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and the American Federation of Labor (AFL)—gained momentum in union organizing in the lumber industry.
The IWW had an image problem. It was considered radical in its
thinking for the time. Some considered it a communist organization. It gained notoriety for its strikes that were marred with violence. It
was from these and other factors, and with the emergence of the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumberman that hindered its movement.
After World War I the lumber market plummeted. This weakened labor’s leverage to organize unions. Yet, by the early 1920s, Fruit Growers Supply Company and the Lassen Lumber & Box Company established sawmills at Susanville. So these operations combined with Red River Lumber Company at Westwood, the IWW saw a lot of potential in Lassen County. IWW members worked very hard to recruit there, but with little success. It could be perilous duty and arrests and convictions of suspected organizers occurred. Case in point is the story of Charles Griswold, alias Thomas B. Miller. A Red River employee, Griswold worked the green chain at the mill. He was arrested and charged with the violation of the Busick Injunction for recruiting members for the IWW—the Busick Injunction deemed the IWW was a part of a communist syndicate. On March 25, 1925 Griswold was taken to Susanville and a short jury trial was held. The jury deliberated for ten minutes before they came back with a guilty verdict. Griswold was sentenced to six months in the Lassen County Jail. He could consider himself fortunate for many who were charged with the same offense never had a trial and were automatically sent to prison.
The biggest problem IWW faced in Lassen County was that all three
lumber companies paid the prevailing wage, if not above, and provided better housing than found in other regions on the west coast. The employees had few grievances, so there was no incentive to be a part of the labor movement. It was because of these conditions that Lassen County sawmills remained union free during the 1920s.
