The surrounding countryside was covered with abundant agricultural endeavors, and the populace was well supplied by the many commercial opportunities in the city.

But it never happened. It was all the chimerical adventure of a small group of men, who had hoped to make a new metropolis, and a fortune. And it was dashed by poor planning, mismanagement, and good old Mother Nature.

When the water was delivered to their land, they would pay an additional $5.00 to the promoters and the final $1.00 would be paid to the Land Office in Susanville within four years. The promoters would handle the paperwork for the new Lassen County citizens.

Purchasers were also ‘allowed’ to buy water rights for an additional $5.00 per acre, with yearly fees for water delivery set at $.25 per acre for the first year and ascending to $1.00 per acre for year three and beyond.

The best part of the entire promotion for many was the offer to purchase this land and water by working. The men could pay $5.00 down to enter into a working contract where they would be paid at the rate of $60 per month. Fifteen dollars per month was deducted for ‘room and board’, and $40 was credited on payment for water. Men who brought their own teams of work horses were paid extra.

So, the deal was set. It was reported that over 1,000 lots were sold, and construction was ‘fast and furious’. Men came from all over and many brought their families, their teams of horses, and everything they possessed. Their dreams of ownership and prosperity propelled their arduous, difficult, dusty work.

The small cabins provided by the company were made of rough unpainted lumber and constructed hastily. Families crowded into some of them, and some were shared by single men. They all had berths fastened to the walls where the higher bunks were reached by climbing a small ladder and then through a hole to reach the bed. It was rough at best. Some of the hopefuls chose to camp in tents, looking out on their land.

It soon became apparent that the prospectus presented by the company was not plausible. The costs far exceeded any predictions, and the Honey Lake Land and Water Company was near bankruptcy. Workers were not being paid, but they clung to their hopes. Mostly, they had no money to leave, and their only chance was to continue working.

Workers began to complain about the provisions provided at the store. They had a $15 per month allowance for food, but often there was little available. Basic staples were missing and things like meat, sugar and coffee were unavailable.

By the fall of 1892, work was progressing, but many onlookers were beginning to worry. Rain was coming, and the dam was not ready to hold any quantity of water. Some questioned the preparations and studies done by engineer Taylor. He was the chief of the entire project, and yet, he seemed to take minimal care in his work.

The rains began. Although warned by local residents, who had seen the power of Long Valley Creek in its fury, the promoters held confidence in their engineer. But in November, the powerful, uncontrollable creek won. The surging water tore through the unfinished dam and destroyed the many months of work.

The company, in an effort to save their money, came up with a new plan. They determined that they needed an additional $150,000 to finish the work, and then sent out notices that the land purchasers needed to pay more. Most, if not all, of the men who had been working for their land, had not been paid. Many had learned that, after paying the initial costs to the company, their land claims had not been registered. Now, they were in a position where they had no wages, no land, and nowhere to go.

The Honey Lake Valley Land Company notified the land purchasers that now water rights would cost $10 instead of $5, hoping that those duped by the company would, for some unknown reason, come to their rescue. The purchasers realized that if they did not pay, their land would be as dry as the surrounding desert, and their hopes of a verdant farmland were gone. It was, quite simply, ‘blackmail’.

There was no future in Honey Lake City. The company had placed white stakes in the desert to mark the streets and avenues, along with; University Avenue, the opera house, and the First Episcopalian Church, among others. But nothing more. There were only white stakes.

The miles of canals lay in idea only, and Long Valley Creek went just where it wanted. It was a complete loss. But the biggest loss was to the people involved in the Honey Lake Valley Land and Water Company scheme.

As the project died, thousands of dollars of hard-earned money were gone. Families were left sitting in the desert with nowhere to go and no money to get there. It was feared that these people would starve if help did not come. And those that could, bitterly left Lassen County to begin again somewhere else, poorer but wiser.

Most of the blame fell of Taylor, whose perfunctory methods of engineering caused it all. The dream was gone, the work was over, there was no Lake Greeno, and there was no Honey Lake City.

At this point, LMUD has not identified a specific date when they will occupy the building, however, it is believed the modernization of the building will take up to two years.

“As part of LMUD’s long-term plans, and in line with our commitment to the community we serve, this purchase will ensure that LMUD continues to grow and meet the ever-changing needs of our customers, including installing publicly accessible, electric vehicle charging stations. said Pat Holley, LMUD’s General Manager.

“We are pleased to be part of the community’s efforts to revitalize Uptown Susanville and create a public space that will go beyond the basic services that LMUD currently provides.”

The electric vehicle charging stations will be funded by a grant from the California Energy Commission. During the June 28th board meeting, LMUD’s Business Manager, Nick Dominguez, announced that LMUD had received notice that the District’s application to the CEC’s, Clean Transportation Program, “Rural Electric Vehicle” Charging grant had received notice of proposed funding in the amount of $500,348.

According to Dominguez, “The award of this grant represents LMUD’s investment in EV charging technology. The publicly accessible fast-chargers will also promote tourism and economic development in the Historic Uptown Susanville District.”

As these projects progress, LMUD will provide timeline and status updates to the community.

Parade check-in will begin at 9:00 the morning of the parade in front of the uptown Post Office, which is located across from the Masonic Hall, 84 North Lassen Street. Parade entrants will receive their parade number and line-up location at check-in.

Parade participants may distribute candy or other attractive objects to roadside spectators only by hand. No other kind of distribution will be allowed, including, but not limited to throwing, tossing, dropping, pressurized candy-canons etc.

In order to be eligible for trophies and ribbons, entries must be returned by 4:00p.m., on July 15th.

To download an entry form just follow this link. You can also click here to download complete rules for the event.

For information about joining in the fair parade fun you can call the chamber office at 530.257.4323.

Firemen yesterday evening probed the smoldering ruins by a $5000,000 fire in Susanville, searching for the body of a missing hotel clerk who is believed to have perished in the blaze.

The missing man is James J. Daugherty, 50, night clerk of the Lassen Hotel in which the conflagration began. He is believed to have been trapped in a basement room when flames roared through the three-story structure.

The hotel and six business establishments were razed by the fire, which broke out from undetermined cause about 9 a.m. The flames were still burning fiercely by 2 p. m., but spread of the fire had been controlled by that time.

Fourteen pieces of fire equipment battled the blaze to prevent it from spreading even farther in the Lassen county town, but were unable to prevent destruction of several stores and offices. They included a clothing shop, hardware store, real estate office, insurance firm, oculist’s office, and offices of the California State Automobile Association and those of the U. S. Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The last-named office lost all income and federal tax records, according to report.

The blaze began in the hotel basement, spreading quickly to the hotel restaurant and bakery. The entire building, Susanville’s largest hotel, was soon enveloped in flames. Thirty hotel guests were escorted to safety by firemen before the fire reached its climax, and last night were being cared for by the Lassen County Red Cross chapter.

Six firemen were overcome by smoke in battling the blaze, but no other injuries were reported as occurring during the fire fighting. Equipment was sent from Westwood and Herlong to aid the Susanville force, while other fire trucks were dispatched from the U. S. Forest Service facilities, state division of forestry and the Paul Bunyan Lumber Co.