Volume 036-4 - October 1982 (8 pages)

agreed. A special representative, Chandler, sent out by the Reclamation Service to negotiate with the city, reported that the city had a plan which would protect the vested rights of the people of Owens Valley. Chandler however, appeared to have little confidence in the integrity of the city and recommended that the public lands not be turned over to Los Angeles until the city had committed itself to suitable agreements with the farmers of Owens Valley. The Director of the Reclamation Service, Newell, did however not mention Chandler’s recommendations to his chief, Hitchcock. O'Fallon, who worked directly for Hitchcock, recommended that the city not be granted rights of way until adequate protection had been extended to the property owners of Owens Valley. In June 1906, Flint, a Senator for California, introduced a bill which essentially ordered that all Federal land, needed by Los Angeles for its water project, be turned over ata price of $1.25 per acre. The bill went through the Senate without much trouble. In the House however, it was different. Sylvester C. Smith, the Congressman for Inyo County (where Owens Valley is located), proposed an amendment, stating that the Reclamation Service should proceed with the irrigation project. Los Angeles should receive sufficient water for its domestic needs, but surplus water would be used to irrigate Owens Valley instead of San Fernando Valley. This was, of course, anathema for the promotors, a small number of whom had already bought up almost all land in this valley. Consequently, Mulholland, the originator of the project, and some others traveled to Washington D.C., to do something about it. Finding that Hitchcock, the Secretary of the Interior, was willing to accept the Smith amendment, they thought it wise to agree too. Not however Senator Flint, who gained access to President Roosevelt himself and persuaded him to send an urgent request to the 1.cucse Public Lands Committee to drop the Smith amendment. In a letter to Hitchcock, Roosevelt explained his intervention as follows; “It is a hundred or a thousandfold more important to state that this-(water) is more valuable to the people as a whole if used by the city than if used by the people of the Owens Valley.” Flint’s bill passed and the farmers of Owens Valley were sold down the river. The author spends a couple of pages in explaining (though not defending) Roosevelt’s action. We will refrain from comment, but only ask the question: “What would happen if the philosophy: ‘If a large group of people (including speculators) want something, is it justified to take it away from a smaller group’ were generally applied?” Southern California has no more valleys like Owens Valley. But in Northern California we have many. And_ the 32 handwriting is on the wall. Los Angeles is already stating that: “There is no question that in the late 1980’s the Metropolitan Water District will be replacing the loss of its Colorado River water with State Water Project water.” Although history does not repeat itself completely, Mr. Kahrl’s book gives us a glimpse of what may happen to Northern California. And that, in addition to the fact that this is an excellent history, is the reason that everybody, concerned about our water, should read this book. vdP Paul A. Lord, Fire and Ice, A Portrait of Truckee. Truckee; Truckee Donner Historical Society; 1981. Some of the readers of the Bulletin may not be aware of the fact that Nevada County has two historical societies. The other one is the Truckee Donner Historical Society. Although this diversity is regrettable, it is also understandable. While the several communities in the western and central part of the county have much history in common, especially the history of gold mining, Truckee has no gold mining background; its history starts with the building of the Central Pacific Railroad. In addition, there are geographical features which hamper communication between east and west in our county. It must be admitted that the Bulletin has paid very little attenion to Truckee and none at all to other communities in the eastern part, such as Boca or Floriston. On the other hand, it must be observed that whatever has been published in the Bulletin on the history of Truckee and vicinity, was written by “westerners.” That the eastern part of our county does have an interesting history has been shown lately by members of the Truckee Donner Historical Society with the above mentioned book, which was published lately. The book is a “spin off” from a historical study which was made to achieve “historical district” status for part of Truckee. _ The first chapter: A Lawless Boomtown Tried by Fire and Ice discusses the history of the town from its beginning in 1863 until 1889. This period includes the years during which the railroad was built. Much of the wealth of Truckee during this period was derived from providing lumber and labor for the railroad. After the railroad was finished, Truckee served as an important railroad station and as a starting point for tourist trips. Like all early towns, Truckee had its share of fires. ’ As a byproduct of the railroad activity, Truckee acquired a fairly large Chinese community; former railroad workers. The way they finally “got rid of the Chinese” is an event, no present-day Truckeean will be proud of. The next main chapter discusses the history of the town up to 1910. During this time interval, Truckee’s importance as a lumber center waned; all commercially desirable trees had been cut. However, nature had other features to take advantage of; the very cold winters made the rise of a remarkable ice industry possible. A special chapter discusses this industry in detail. When the development of efficient © refrigerating techniques rendered this industry obsolete, the winter cold was again taken advantage of: Truckee became a winter sport center. 1 was somewhat surprised to learn that many early motion pictures, among them Charlie Chaplin’s Gold Rush, had been made in Truckee. I will keep this in mind the next time I have a chance to see this picture again. The present state of Truckee is described as follows in the book: “In the 1970's changing attitudes focused the nation’s attention on the serious problems associated with urbanization and marked the rebirth of many small towns throughout the country. Truckee’s commercial district benefited directly from this new national trend through increases in tourism and a new local building boom.” The book ends with a more detailed description of the buildings of historic interest, classified in ten districts, each with its own map and illustrations. This part is obviously based on the historical study, mentioned above. Fire and Ice is very well printed and illustrated with a good many excellent photographs, historic as well as modern. The Truckee Donner Historical Society should be proud of this achievement. vdP PICTURE CREDITS We thank John Hart of the Union for the portrait of Doris Foley. The portraits of Martin Luther and Emma Marsh were furnished by the Searls Library. The picture of the old Court House comes from a lithograph of Nevada City, dated 1856; the picture of St. Patrick’s Church in Grass Valley from Thompson and West. THE NCHS BULLETIN Administrative Office: Nevada County Historical Society P.O. Box 1300 Nevada City, California 95959 Subscription Fee: $5.00 per year Editorial Office: P.W. van der Pas Pacific Library 212 Hill Street Grass Valley, California 95945

agreed. A special representative, Chandler, sent out by the Reclamation Service to negotiate with the city, reported that the city had a plan which would protect the vested rights of the people of Owens Valley. Chandler however, appeared to have little confidence in the integrity of the city and recommended that the public lands not be turned over to Los Angeles until the city had committed itself to suitable agreements with the farmers of Owens Valley. The Director of the Reclamation Service, Newell, did however not mention Chandler’s recommendations to his chief, Hitchcock. O'Fallon, who worked directly for Hitchcock, recommended that the city not be granted rights of way until adequate protection had been extended to the property owners of Owens Valley. In June 1906, Flint, a Senator for California, introduced a bill which essentially ordered that all Federal land, needed by Los Angeles for its water project, be turned over ata price of $1.25 per acre. The bill went through the Senate without much trouble. In the House however, it was different. Sylvester C. Smith, the Congressman for Inyo County (where Owens Valley is located), proposed an amendment, stating that the Reclamation Service should proceed with the irrigation project. Los Angeles should receive sufficient water for its domestic needs, but surplus water would be used to irrigate Owens Valley instead of San Fernando Valley. This was, of course, anathema for the promotors, a small number of whom had already bought up almost all land in this valley. Consequently, Mulholland, the originator of the project, and some others traveled to Washington D.C., to do something about it. Finding that Hitchcock, the Secretary of the Interior, was willing to accept the Smith amendment, they thought it wise to agree too. Not however Senator Flint, who gained access to President Roosevelt himself and persuaded him to send an urgent request to the 1.cucse Public Lands Committee to drop the Smith amendment. In a letter to Hitchcock, Roosevelt explained his intervention as follows; “It is a hundred or a thousandfold more important to state that this-(water) is more valuable to the people as a whole if used by the city than if used by the people of the Owens Valley.” Flint’s bill passed and the farmers of Owens Valley were sold down the river. The author spends a couple of pages in explaining (though not defending) Roosevelt’s action. We will refrain from comment, but only ask the question: “What would happen if the philosophy: ‘If a large group of people (including speculators) want something, is it justified to take it away from a smaller group’ were generally applied?” Southern California has no more valleys like Owens Valley. But in Northern California we have many. And_ the 32 handwriting is on the wall. Los Angeles is already stating that: “There is no question that in the late 1980’s the Metropolitan Water District will be replacing the loss of its Colorado River water with State Water Project water.” Although history does not repeat itself completely, Mr. Kahrl’s book gives us a glimpse of what may happen to Northern California. And that, in addition to the fact that this is an excellent history, is the reason that everybody, concerned about our water, should read this book. vdP Paul A. Lord, Fire and Ice, A Portrait of Truckee. Truckee; Truckee Donner Historical Society; 1981. Some of the readers of the Bulletin may not be aware of the fact that Nevada County has two historical societies. The other one is the Truckee Donner Historical Society. Although this diversity is regrettable, it is also understandable. While the several communities in the western and central part of the county have much history in common, especially the history of gold mining, Truckee has no gold mining background; its history starts with the building of the Central Pacific Railroad. In addition, there are geographical features which hamper communication between east and west in our

county. It must be admitted that the Bulletin has paid very little attenion to Truckee and none at all to other communities in the eastern part, such as Boca or Floriston. On the other hand, it must be observed that whatever has been published in the Bulletin on the history of Truckee and vicinity, was written by “westerners.” That the eastern part of our county does have an interesting history has been shown lately by members of the Truckee Donner Historical Society with the above mentioned book, which was published lately. The book is a “spin off” from a historical study which was made to achieve “historical district” status for part of Truckee. _ The first chapter: A Lawless Boomtown Tried by Fire and Ice discusses the history of the town from its beginning in 1863 until 1889. This period includes the years during which the railroad was built. Much of the wealth of Truckee during this period was derived from providing lumber and labor for the railroad. After the railroad was finished, Truckee served as an important railroad station and as a starting point for tourist trips. Like all early towns, Truckee had its share of fires. ’ As a byproduct of the railroad activity, Truckee acquired a fairly large Chinese community; former railroad workers. The way they finally “got rid of the Chinese” is an event, no present-day Truckeean will be proud of. The next main chapter discusses the history of the town up to 1910. During this time interval, Truckee’s importance as a lumber center waned; all commercially desirable trees had been cut. However, nature had other features to take advantage of; the very cold winters made the rise of a remarkable ice industry possible. A special chapter discusses this industry in detail. When the development of efficient © refrigerating techniques rendered this industry obsolete, the winter cold was again taken advantage of: Truckee became a winter sport center. 1 was somewhat surprised to learn that many early motion pictures, among them Charlie Chaplin’s Gold Rush, had been made in Truckee. I will keep this in mind the next time I have a chance to see this picture again. The present state of Truckee is described as follows in the book: “In the 1970's changing attitudes focused the nation’s attention on the serious problems associated with urbanization and marked the rebirth of many small towns throughout the country. Truckee’s commercial district benefited directly from this new national trend through increases in tourism and a new local building boom.” The book ends with a more detailed description of the buildings of historic interest, classified in ten districts, each with its own map and illustrations. This part is obviously based on the historical study, mentioned above. Fire and Ice is very well printed and illustrated with a good many excellent photographs, historic as well as modern. The Truckee Donner Historical Society should be proud of this achievement. vdP PICTURE CREDITS We thank John Hart of the Union for the portrait of Doris Foley. The portraits of Martin Luther and Emma Marsh were furnished by the Searls Library. The picture of the old Court House comes from a lithograph of Nevada City, dated 1856; the picture of St. Patrick’s Church in Grass Valley from Thompson and West. THE NCHS BULLETIN Administrative Office: Nevada County Historical Society P.O. Box 1300 Nevada City, California 95959 Subscription Fee: $5.00 per year Editorial Office: P.W. van der Pas Pacific Library 212 Hill Street Grass Valley, California 95945