Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/104301
8A Daily News – Friday, January 18, 2013 Opinion The ramblings of an insomniac 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 After three hours of tossing and turning the other night, wrestling with the problems of the world and work I had waiting for me in the morning, I admitted sleep wasn't likely to happen. As luck would have it, there was a folder full of Why I Love Corning essays sitting in my home office that needed to be read before the winners could be included in our annual publication of Corning 2013. Two birds with one stone. The essays were generally well written and did a great job of portraying the small-town feel and friendliness of Tehama County's hamlet of the south. Some were very specific, going so far as to list favorite menu items from local eateries, and others more sweeping, taking in the feeling one gets when part of a true community whose members genuinely care for each others' well being. It sounds obligatory, but it really was tough to choose just three winners. If space allows, I'll plan to include some honorable mentions with tidbits worth sharing. Thanks to all who took the time to put their feelings down in words and the Corning Chamber of Commerce for helping to promote the contest in the community. Aside from the chance to read some honest expressions of hometown pride in the wee hours of the morning, reading the entries quieted the speculation and anxiety that rattled around my head, keeping me from slumber. It was nice to be reminded how lucky I am to live in a relatively small town where people really know and look out for one another. Don't know why this was necessary, because I brag to my big city friends about it all the time. Guess we all need a reminder from time to time. It was nice to be reminded how important the little things are — a friendly waitress who knows my name, a crowd cheering for a team because it wears the local school's uniform and carries the pride of that school and even an afternoon spent at the local library. It was nice to be reminded I'm not the only one who has moved here from elsewhere and been lucky enough to recognize what a local connection I special place this is — a could find with a place so special generaquick search — Parktions call it home and er Griggs heads a wouldn't think of going band called Moscow elsewhere. Radio, which recentSeems all the fretting ly released the song over problems and work "Rancho Tehama piling up just isn't so Airport." important after all, conIt's a pretty good sidering all I have to be jam and I was happy about. impressed that it was *** properly pronounced Fast forward into in the lyrics. Parker cyber-connectivity and Chip now lives in San strange coincidences. I am signed up for a Thompson Diego. Not exactly local service called Google 545 Diamond news, but if Parker is Alerts that scans all the Ave. out there reading information picked up this, the folks of by the Google search Tehama County engine and alerts me to anything with the key words would be interested to know whether you were once part of Red Bluff and Tehama. About 90 percent of the alerts the tightly-knit community we come from the Daily News and call home. I've already read them, but once Chip Thompson can be in awhile I pick up on a story we reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112 missed or one I never expected. by email at "Rancho Tehama Airport" or editor@redbluffdailynews.com. falls amongst the latter. him on Twitter Former Northern California Follow native — that's the narrowest @EditorChip. 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) 558-3160; E m a i l : 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) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Time machine We have recently been transported back in time courtesy of D. Dale of the illustrious Dale Insurance family. Doug has lent us a 14" by 22" book titled "FIRE INSURANCE MAP" published by Sanborn-Perris Map Company 426 California St., San Francisco. This edition, July, 1900, depicts the buildings and vacant lots in the town of Red Bluff for that moment of our history. It does so, block by color coded block, of every establishment in operation at that time. What we are seeing are not photographs, but a bird's eye view of the city at the turn of the century. The heading of the book is of interest. It reads, "Population, 3500. Prevailing winds NW & SE. Water furnished by Antelope Creek 8 miles east and the Red Bluff Water Company through 12" and 11" riveted pipes, and also, during the summer, from the Sacramento River. Gravity and pump pressure 35 LBB in business district. Surplus water goes into 2 steel tanks of 100,000 capacities. Most pipes laid 1898-99. Supply said to be plentiful. 60 hydrants of which 10 are engine connection only." The introduction continues with a tally of men and equipment available for fire fighting including 2 horses during the day and 4 available at night. It does not give the names of the horses. A pasted-over revised index of 1902 indicates that the town extends from High Street on the east to Grant Street on the west along Brickyard Creek, with Root, Potter and Cowles situated south of Walnut. Willow Street is the southern terminus and Breckenridge the northern most with an appendage to the northwest showing Luning and Walbridge. This then delineates, for purposes of quizzes, the outmost reaches of "Old Red Bluff" at the turn of the century. A cursory inspection of the book reveals, on the south east corner of Main and Walnut, our building which was then the Fashion Livery Stables with an additional roofed corral across the alley. Continuing to the south we note a millenary and jewelry store, a barber shop, drug store (must have been Brooks), a hardware store (Lyon & Garrett?, and across Pine; tea, coffee and crockery, harness and carriage, a bank, G.F.G.T (?), liquor, grocery and a bowling alley! North of Main and Walnut, on the east side, an insurance company (surely Dolling), printing, marble works, a Chinese laundry (Star) and a store selling tamales! Across the old Red Bluff were named for easy reference. street on the Main and Walnut northwest corner, His said those running north and south were is a bank, (Angelo Calif. or Tehama?) with a named after Presidents...and those running east and west after trees. Well, garden to the north and then yes, that is the usual response. the Tuscan Livery However, upon further scrutiStables, with corrals west of ny, there were exceptions to the bank. To the south of the those running north and intersection is, of course, the south: Main, High (which Cone & Kimball building and became Rio) and, when tower...and advancing south , speaking of Presidents, we the venerable Tremont Hotel, must exclude Franklin. Those then a cigar store, a tailor, a running east and west we find barber, a saloon and grocery are named after trees up to store. Cedar...but then continue Well, you get the idea. Robert with Union, Crittenden, DouReaders are welcome to glas and Breckinridge, thus peruse the book as long as breaking the tree spell. As to Doug allows us to keep and the other two questions, Hal display it. Those who see it 9000 was the computer in will experience an enlightKubrick's film "2001 A ened trip into the past. Space Odyssey." and GUM is the name of the *** Speaking of the past, in the DN section "90 large department store in Moscow. Good show YEARS AGO" was the note that "Jack John- John. This week's quiz: "Hail To The Chief" is the son, the name known by a colored man, about 35 years of age, is missing from his accustomed official song of the President. There are lyrics to haunts in the Hooker District which he was the song. By whom? What happened the year homesteading 4 miles west of Hooker. His Samuel Clemens was born, and what was the property contained no well and he was accus- corresponding event in the year he died? What tomed to asking neighbors for water from time did Xaviera Hollander do for a living? *** to time." Thus another mini-drama unfolded A doctor in a London hospital examines his many years ago in a remote corner of our county. Such stories seldom continue to resolution, Cockney patient, and then asks, "What about and we know not of the fate of Jack Johnson. this ear?" The patient replies, "This 'ere what?" Was he a victim of the elements or a bear or a A draftee was being questioned by an army mountain lion...or was the Ku Klux Klan demonstrating their hatred of the blacks by psychiatrist. "What do you think of the army?" "I love it," said the draftee. "I want to wear doing away with Jack far from prying eyes? I the uniform proudly. Write that down." guess we will never know. "Will you be a capable soldier?" *** "Give me a gun and I will show you. I'll A little kid in the 1st grade was asked by his teacher to identify an animal in a photograph. shoot until the gun melts! Then I'll go after The kid replied, "It is a frickin' elephant." The them bare handed! Write that down." "You sound a little crazy." teacher took him aside and asked why he "Write that down also." described it as such. The kid answered, "That's what it says under the picture: A FRICAN ELERobert Minch is a lifelong resident of PHANT." He had learned to pronounce it phoRed Bluff, former columnist for the Corning netically. Daily Observer and Meat Industry *** Last week's quiz was answered almost cor- magazine and author of the "The Knocking rectly by J. Yingling, former head of the Cham- Pen." He can be reached at ber of Commerce, we asked how the streets in rminchandmurray@hotmail.com. Minch I Say