Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/103831
6A Daily News – Wednesday, January 16, 2013 Opinion DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 New Year babies Editor: What a wonderful surprise Tehama County has two New Year's babies that have parents that are married and working. Congratulations. Linda Richards, Cottonwood Concert thanks Editor: I'd like to say thank you Red Bluff family for your outstanding attendance and support regarding the Night of the Fire Flies Benefit concert for the Red Bluff and Antelope school districts' music departments. It was a magic night of fun inspired by music and dance, that allowed us to raise $2,400 to donate to the schools. So once again a warm thank you to all of the folks that bought tickets and our more than generous sponsors Wheeler Logging, Red Bluff Auto Center, PremierWest Bank, Cornerstone Community Bank, Growney Motors, ReMax Top Properties, Patty Glaspy Massage Practitioner,The Copy Center, Rolling Hills Casino and the Red Bluff-Tehama County Chamber Of Commerce, adding a special thanks to the musicians and great sound by Casey Hickok. Have happy and prosperous New Year Patty Glaspy, Red Bluff Antelope water issues Editor: We live about half a mile north of Antelope Boulevard up Chestnut. Last August our well ran dry. We had to tear a fence down, cut down a fruit tree and remove our pool filter to allow the drilling company access to the new drill well site. They drilled down to 170 feet. With the drilling and cleanup and replacements it cost us $16,000. It has been 5 months and we still cannot drink our tap water as the new well water is filled with orange silt, soil and clay. Showering in the water because it is so hard it causes skin irritation and rashes. It has fouled our brand new washer, water heater, toilet tanks, plumbing, showers, sinks, refrigerator, which are all going to have to be replaced now. We bought a brand new water softener and purifier but we can't use it because it would be fouled in a week with soil and silt. We cannot get service to install a soil and silt trap filter that we bought because the Editor: drilling company is so busy I thought Ms. drilling new wells out Cressy's perspective Antelope every day. Your of Congress in her So we have had to pay Jan. 12 letter was dearly for the ill right on target. advised and imprudent However the phase, decision to raise the "and when the money runs diversion dam and out and even the poor and lazy suffer," I lower Lake Red Bluff. That one idea is going to must take exception to. First of all being poor is not cost every home in Antelope $16,000-plus pre-filtration always the result of laziness as many equipment and RO for the hardworking individuals have run nitrates. Can somebody recom- into hard times through no fault of mend a local plumbing compa- their own. Being financially successny that could install our sand, ful doesn't just dependent on your soil, silt and clay filter before willingness to work hard. Plain old our water softener at the well dumb luck plays a bigger part in it head? E-mail me at activecar- than many would care to admit. Would Mr. Gates be the bon@jps.net. Laurence D'Alberti, multi billionaire that he is today Red Bluff if he had not attended the only elementary school in the country that had computers? Maybe he would but again maybe not. Editor: Many circumstances beyond It's nice to see that we do live your control have put you in the in a great community. financial and social position My thanks to all those who you find yourself today. participated in the ball park The notion that the poor repair. Red Bluff stepped up to don't suffer is down right asithe plate. nine. Do you actually believe Get her done. Let these kids people enjoy being penniless, play ball. starving and homeless? Sam Collins, Red Bluff Orval Strong, Gerber Poor is not the same as lazy Turn Ball field fixed Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 280 Hemsted Dr., Ste. 110, Redding, CA 96002, 530223-6300, Fax: 530-223-6737, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Lessons from the 1940 Census My great-grandmother Jane Purcell had a wonderfully full life. Part of her story is revealed in the 1940 U.S. Census, which the National Archives and Records Administration made available online to the public in 2012 at 1940census.archives.gov . In 1940, Jane and some of her extended family resided at 1509 Orchlee in Brighton Heights. She was 71 then and listed as "head of house." Her place of birth was listed as "France." She was born in Alsace-Lorraine, after all, and came to America with her family as a girl. Her parents ran a North Side tavern. That's where Jane met her husband, Thomas Purcell, an Irish immigrant who would become a mill foreman. Jane and Tom married in 1886, when Jane was 18. They would have seven daughters and one son — and face their share of loss. One daughter, Adele, died in 1891, at age 3. A second, Stella, died in 1916, at 19. A third, Mary, would give birth to sons Johnny in 1909 and Thomas in 1911, but Thomas would die in 1912 — and Mary would be taken the following year, at 25. Jane would take her grandson Johnny in and raise him. In 1927, Jane would lose her husband to cancer. He was 65. They'd had a good life and he'd provided well for her. She was 59 then and fortunate that her only son, Tom Purcell Jr. — my grandfather — would help support her. A charming fellow with a head for numbers, he would soon become a personal accountant working directly for the Mellon family. He'd marry my grandmother Beatrice and have two children, my Aunt Jane and my father, Tom. The stock market would crash in 1929 and Jane's family would suffer its effects. With companies going under and jobs being lost, her children and their children would be forced to share homes — some moved back in with her. Her son Tom was a savior during these years. He enjoyed a secure income, though he spent much of it providing shoes and other necessities for his mother, siblings, nieces and nephews. But in 1937, Jane would lose her only son, too. My grandfather died of strep throat at the young age of 34, a tremendous blow to Jane and her family. All of this took place before the 1940 census. The Depression lingered and many households were comprised of extended-family members living together to make ends meet. According to the 1940 census, Great-Grandma Jane's household included: Her youngest daughter, Jean, 29, whose occupation was listed as "stenographer." She earned Helen would save enough money to buy their own house $900 that year. Her grandson Johnny, 31, a in 1943. When they did, carpenter by trade, who Great-Grandma Jane could find no work in would sell her old his field. My grandfahome, which held a ther had gotten him a million wonderful job as a bank guard. He memories. She'd listed his income as share the proceeds $2,506. with her children. Her daughter, Helen, She'd move in with 47, and Helen's husCornelius, Helen and band, Cornelius, 48. their sons. Her grandCornelius was a pattern son Johnny would maker, also unable to move in with them find work in his field. when he returned His occupation was listTom from the war. ed as "substitute For the next four teacher," his income as years, she'd enjoy the $1,100. company of her chilHelen and Cornelius' sons, Jack, 12, and Tom, 10 — dren and grandchildren, most of whom lived within blocks and now 85 and 83. Jack told me the house was would visit her often. Her health always full of activity. There suffered during her last few was always someone at home. years, and in 1947, she died quiEvery other Saturday, all of etly at home at the age of 78. So there you have it: a snapJane's remaining children and their children would gather. As shot of the wonderfully full life the adults played cards upstairs, experienced by my Greatthe children played in the fruit Grandma Purcell — a snapshot made possible, in part, by the cellar in the basement. When Jane and her family 1940 census. participated in the 1940 census, Tom Purcell, a humor they had no idea that the country would soon enter the Second columnist for the Pittsburgh World War, that her grandson Tribune-Review, is nationally Johnny would be drafted early syndicated exclusively by (he would make it home) or that Cagle Cartoons newspaper her son-in-law Cornelius would syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web soon be working so many hours at www.TomPurcell.com or ehim at as a pattern maker — in support mail of the war effort — that he and Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell