25 Years Ago

Y2K An update, outlook

County officials returns from regional workshop, says prepare, don’t panic

By Nick Ellena, Staff Writer

OROVILLE — Awareness and preparedness are the keys for meeting the looming Y2K bugaboo, according to Butte County Emergency Services Office Mike Madden.

“This biggest problem we have is we do not know what we do not know,” Madden said Monday.

While the unknown hovers as a threat, preparing for it at the household level can reduce a potential technological calamity to an inconvenience, Madden said. …

Y2K refers to some computers’ inability to distinguish the year 2000 from 1900 because they use only the last two digits of the date.

Conclusions drawn at the workshop were that, while the actual impacts remain unknown, they can be minimized for the highest reaches of government and industrial operations down to individual households, Madden said.

Participants included federal and state cabinet level representatives, city, county and state emergency managers, fire marshals and Y2K coordinators from Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and Pacific island jurisdictions. …

“The power might go out in a small area, say in Durham, but nowhere else, just like it may happen in a winter storm,” (Madden) said. …

“If prudent people prepare for Y2K, everybody should not suffer any more than they do in winter storms,” he said. “The public should know it is only going to be as serious as they allow it to become.” …

Additional worries Madden said, include:

• An increased risk from “cyber terrorists” or “nuts who are going to be out there and who are going to use this as an excuse to cause problems …

• Millenium night parties that will likely see a significant displacement of people traveling to party sites that may be impacted by traffic disruptions.

“Right in the middle of it there will be the world’s biggest parties,” Madden said. “Remember when the millenium changed over in 1900 they were still partying a year later. We expect some impact from that during this change.

— Enterprise-Record, March 31, 1999

50 Years Ago

Fraternity Contempt Charge Set

OROVILLE (E-R) — Butte County Counsel Dan Blackstock was authorized yesterday to initiate contempt proceedings against the Tau Gamma Theta fraternity at Chico State University for alleged violations of an agreement reached last February.

The agreement allowed the group to retain its use permit for a fraternity house … under special conditions that included … limitation of weekend parties to a maximum of 100 persons …

The fraternity became the focus of complaint following the strangulation murder last May of Patricia C. Farish, 18, of Chico following a beer bust at the house that was attended by an estimated 2,000 persons. The victim’s body was found the following morning in a neighboring orchard. She and Aden Rohrbough “Trey” Miller III, 23, of Chico, who was arrested for the murder, reportedly attended the kegger. Miller later hanged himself in his jail cell.

The board rescinded the permit but then entered into an agreement with the fraternity to restore it if the special conditions were observed. …

— Enterprise-Record, April 3, 1974

75 Years Ago

Chico Man Advises Doomed Oklahoman to Drink Whiskey

A daily drink of whiskey was the advice offered yesterday by an unidentified Chico man to Mrs. Heart, the Oklahoma City woman who is suffering from a heart ailment and has only one year to live.

He sent her this wire after reading of her plight in Thursday’s Chico Enterprise-Record: “Just take one little drink of the best whiskey money can buy each and every morning.” …

Mrs. Heart apparently had no comment on the Chicoan’s suggestion. The Associated Press reported that she was headed for a sanitarium today — to get away from it all and nurse her peculiar life and death problem in secrecy. …

With heart trouble, and only a year to live, what should she do with the $10,000 she has set aside to spend as she pleases? …

The response was astonishing. The Oklahoman answered nearly 1,000 telephone calls yesterday — many from far-distant states. …

The letters touched every extreme and covered all the middle ground. They ranged from pleas to seek comfort in God to the Chico suggestion for whiskey drinking.

But the ones that impressed her most told her to see more doctors.

“I just might,” said Mrs. Heart.

— Enterprise-Record, April 2, 1949

100 Years Ago

Feathered Smudge Saves Tree; Chickens in Demand

YUBA CITY, MARCH 28 — Smudge pots emit heat and smoke and save orchards from injury when the countryside is in the grip of frost. To say that chickens are on a plane with the black, sooty smudge pot in preventing the freezing of growing fruit seems unreasonable. But in Sutter county it has been proven that the unpretentious, ordinary farmyward variety of fowl really is.

Henry Kleinsorge owns an orchard of prunes in the Bogue section … The cold wave of last Friday killed virtually all of the fruit in this orchard, and when one French prune tree was found untouched by the biting frost, those who saw it were puzzled.

Then it was remembered that a few years ago chickens had begun to make the tree their roosting place at night. …

On the morning of the recent frost there were twenty or twenty-five chickens asleep in the tree. And they saved the tree, for as it is figured out now, the heat generated by their feathered bodies kept the cold from reaching the blossoms containing the young prunes.

— The Chico Record, March 30, 1924

125 Years Ago

Skeletons Found

Yesterday afternoon while a gang of workmen were engaged in grubbing out trees at the Morehead grove they came upon the skeleton of a man about two feet underground. It was supposed to be the skeleton of an Indian buried many years ago.

This forenoon the workmen found another skeleton a few feet from where the first was discovered, and in carefully examining the earth found a brass button, a bone button and a leather belt. This would indicate that the bones are more likely those of white men.

— Chico Weekly Enterprise, March 31, 1899

150 Years Ago

Hailstorm

Oroville was visited on Saturday last with one of the liveliest hailstorms ever experienced in this vicinity. It seems to have been pretty much a local affair, although there were slight storms of hail and showers of rain-fall elsewhere. Two clouds driven by adverse currents of wind met and poured down a perfect torrent of hail, the shower lasting for nearly an hour. The ground was covered with hail during the night.

— The Weekly Butte Record, April 4, 1874

Meriam Library was named after both a father and son. The library was named after Morrison E. Meriam, who was a Chico State professor of psychology from 1902 to 1934, and Theodore “Ted” Meriam, a community leader, alumnus and friend of the university, according to Chico State Public Relations Manager Andrew J. Staples.

Ted Meriam was also a member of the California State University Board of Trustees from 1961 to 1971 and served as its chair from 1968 to 1969.

Meriam Park is also named after Ted Meriam, who also served as mayor of Chico from 1949 until 1957.

…

25 Years Ago

Downtown clean-up gets sentencing award

By John Michael, Staff Writer

If you do the crime, you will do the time.

But not in the county lock-up.

Under Chico’s award-winning downtown clean-up program administered by Butte County’s Consolidated Court, litterers, loiterers, drunkards, urinators and other urban environment violators are sentenced to 68 hours of community service work maintaining downtown’s squeaky clean image.

“If you foul the downtown area, our community, you will clean it up,” said Judge Darrel W. Stevens.

“It’s interesting. Young people say ‘I’ll pay the fine,’ he mused. “You should see the look on their faces when I say ‘You can’t pay a fine.'” …

“We’re getting a real sense of pride from downtown owners. They’re very, very happy,” said Katrina Davis, executive director of the Downtown Chico Business Association.

So were officials at the Judicial Council of California who named Steven’s program this month as one of 12 recipients of the Ralph N. Kleps Award …

In 1998, court work referral placed 1,227 violators, including juveniles, on the downtown clean-up detail.

Supervised by the DCBA, defendants worked seven hours each Friday, Saturday and Sunday, contributing 1,500 hours of labor to defouling the downtown area, said Susan Cavanagh, work program director. …

— Chico Enterprise-Record, March 27, 1999

50 Years Ago

Roach Rolling Is Feature Subject in CHS Student Paper

Chico High School’s newspaper The Student Voice today embarked upon what should surely prove a controversial course.

It takes little if any imagination for the reader to figure out what student journalist Jerry Allen and photographer Dan Quinn are getting at in their “Crafty Corner: column.

By implication — but never by name — it’s roach rolling made easy.

“This column has been designed to represent all you cool freaks somewhere who I feel have been poorly represented on this newspaper.”

The piece starts with the selection of the rolling material and ends with a picture of the finished product.

Newspaper adviser Barbara Copeland is fast to point out that nowhere is the word roach used, but she readily admits that is the implication.

She said she allowed the article run after deciding that “it contains nothing illegal, libelous or obscene.”

“Some students will laugh at it. Others could care less. But it is sure to cause controversy,” she said.

— Chico Enterprise-Record, March 22, 1974

75 Years Ago

Wild House Cats Rated At Top of Contest List

The Feather River Rod and Gun Club has announced the staging of a predatory animal killing contest. Prizes will be offered for the most points in killing these predatory animals — such as coyotes, skunks, rats, coons, mice and wild house cats.

The cats have been placed on the top of the list, with 30 points being offered.

— Chico Enterprise-Record, March 26, 1949.

100 Years Ago

Card Mailed in 1918 Received Here Yesterday

A postcard mailed in France, August 7, 1918 was received yesterday by H. E. Ward of Chico after it had wandered for nearly six years to various addresses, finally being forwarded from Ward’s former home in Washington. The card was written by Ward’s youngest brother, Jack, while he was in a French hospital, convalescing from wounds. Ward was stationed at an aviation training camp in California at the time. The two men have met since but yesterday was the first knowledge Ward had of the card being written.

— Chico Enterprise-Record, March 28, 1924

125 Years Ago

Bad Whisky

OROVILLE, March 17 — The heavy downpour of rain yesterday morning seemed to have a peculiar effect upon several of our young men, and the more moisture there was on the outside the more they seems to crave a like degree of wetness inside. But the internal moisture was of the liquid hilarity kind, and toward noon several of the young men were, in the language of the street urchin, “shot all to pieces.” The liquor also seemed to arouse their combative natures and a half dozen fights occurred during the day, Fortunately no heads were broken and no arrests were made.

— Chico Weekly Enterprise, March 24, 1899

150 Years Ago

The fine buildings

The fine buildings erected by John. R. Kennedy on the corner of Broadway and Third Street, have so nearly reached completion that Mr. Kennedy is prepared to rent the same. The upper story contains twelve elegant rooms, suitable for offices or sleeping apartments, while the rooms on the ground floor are built expressly for business rooms. The entire building is hard finished throughout, which every room is furnished with gas, and the provisions made for heating each room is perfect. We understand that it is Mr. Kennedy’s intention to rent these buildings at very moderate prices.

— The Northern Enterprise, March 27, 1874

Shimon Peres in Chico

Israeli leader sees ‘world of horizons’, age of hope

Peace Prize winner talks of freedom for Palestinians

By Roger H. Aylworth, Staff Writer

If the history of men and nations can be seen in definable epochs, the last half … of the 20th Century may be the opening of a new age of peace and hope, according to former Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres.

Peres was in Chico Thursday for a lecture in the Laxson Auditorium on the Chico State University campus.

He said the … shift of power in South Africa, the … easing of tensions in Northern Island, the … conflict in Bosnia between Christians and Muslims, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and even the peace accords between Israel and the PLO and the pact with Jordan, are all part of a “major departure in human annals.”

He asked the near capacity auditorium if there was a “common denominator in all these changes.”

He answered his own question by saying, the world has gone “from an economy dependent on land, to an economy dependent on brains.” …

“I don’t say everything is rosy. The dangers are global, as well as the economy.” …

During the question and answer period a Chico State student who identified himself as a member of the General Union of Palestinian Student, asked Peres to comment on current Israeli policies that seem to encourage Jewish settlement on previously Palestinian lands.?

“There are no hopeless situations, only hopeless people,” responded Peres.

He also said he is not impressed with the performance of his country in the last three years.

“I can only justify myself by saying I did not work for (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netenyahu.”

He said during his talk that when you begin to make the compromises necessary to achieve peace, “Your own people come to you and say, ‘What the hell are you doing?'”

— Chico Enterprise-Record, March 19, 1999

50 Years Ago

Chico Meat Dealers Predict Beef Price Hikes

By Vanessa Mollenberndt

In spite of national reports that beef prices — which are not currently declining — will not go up for another two to three months, Chico stores and meat dealers say they expect prices to climb back to February or December levels within the next week to 15 days. ..

Many butchers say prices are now lower because of the old supply-and-demand law …

Ken Kimble, manager of the Wentz supermarket … said his maker has reduced beef prices “considerably” since March 4, but added the packing house prices of meat could start upward again as soon as next Monday.

Kimble and John Gast … both said that at present there is a “good” supply of beef available to them, but Gast said “choice” cattle were still hard to find. …

In sum, if Chico meat-eaters hope to take advantage of this wave of reduced beef prices they should make their move soon, or wait and hope for another price dip before too many meatless weeks have passed.

— Chico Enterprise-Record, March 20, 1974

75 Years Ago

Drunks Are County Jail Problem

The problem of what to do with the Oroville crop of itinerant drunks is under intense study here by city councilmen as a result of continued prodding by the supervisors. …

Supervisor Dan Pellicciotti, of Oroville, reported that the city council was planning to use an abandoned bath house as a “drunk tank.”

The supervisors acted to request Oroville to construct its own jail after recipt of a report that ORoville police had housed 179 drunks in the county jail during the 30 day period from Jan. 25 to Feb. 25. …

At one time last month … there were 139 prisoners in the jail that is constructed to house only 63 persons.

Pellicciotti told the board … that some councilmen had expressed the view that Oroville “had a stake” in the county jail and that it did not seem necessary for Oroville to build its own facilities.

“This subject has come before the supervisors for many years,” Supervisor Dan Corcoran of Biggs, told the board members, “and it is my understanding that the city has been on record for construction of its own jail since before the war.” …

— Paradise Post, March 18, 1949

100 Years Ago

Gold Leaf Used Lavishly In Decoration of Bank

The interior decoration of the banking rooms of the local branch of the Bank of Italy has just been completed by Constantino Faggioni and his staff of interior decorators. The effect is described by Faggioni as “Italian Renaissance” and while gold leaf and blended colors were used lavishly the result is probably the most pleasing interior in any public building in Chico. Over $500 worth of gold leaf was used in the work.

Faggioni and his staff are now engaged in the decoration of the interior of the Butte County Savings Bank which, when completed, will rival the attractiveness of the Bank of Italy. This work will be completed within a week.

—Chico Enterprise-Record, March 21, 1924

125 Years Ago

A Female’s Wrath

Wall Street Dame Speaks her Mind in Loud Tones

Yesterday morning Mrs. Maude Stockdale, an inhabitant of one of the shady resorts at the north end of Wall Street, wen to the home of Mrs. Schrimpf … and created such a disturbance that the latter swore to a complaint charging the aforesaid Maude with disturbing the peace.

Readers of the ENTERPRISE will remember that some time ago Mrs. Stockdale brought suit for divorce against her husband; also for the custody of a minor child. …

Yesterday the wife heard of his return and hied herself to the Schrimpf home to “have an understanding.” It is evident from the remarks of those who heard the flow of language that there is no misunderstanding the irate female had to say, but her manner of imparting views was rather noisy …

… Mrs. Stockdale pleaded guilty and paid a fine of $5.

— Chico Weekly Enterprise, March 17, 1899

150 Years Ago

A Woman In The Snow

On Wednesday last a man named Richards was crossing the mountains on snow shoes, and when near Mrs. Lee’s station on the Humboldt road, discovered a woman, whom he recognized as the widow Franklin, laying drunk in the snow. It was some distance from any habitation, and he did his best to arouse her from her stupor and get her to some place of protection. He was unable to do so, and hurried on the the Lee station and reported her condition. A company of men went out to look for her.

— The Northern Enterprise, March 20, 1874

The Stansbury Home Preservation Association announced it would give $5,000 to anyone who shares information that leads to the stolen medical equipment being returned to the museum. The announcement issued Wednesday by the association said the items stolen go as far back as the mid-1800s.

Those who may have information can call the established tip line at 530-897-5820. The notice said callers can remain anonymous.

“Our main goal is to get the collection returned to the Stansbury Home,” said Dino Corbin, the association’s president. “Antique and vintage medical equipment doesn’t have a lot of value on the street unless it’s a private collector but our goal as far as myself, the board and the people in the Stansbury Home Preservation Association are concerned, we simply would like to see the return of (Dr. Oscar Stansbury’s) medical collection.

“If anyone knows or has any information that leads to the return of that, a reward will be issued and no questions will be asked.”

25 Years Ago

Leaders issue plea, warning to St. Patrick’s Day revelers

Plea: take it easy; warning: if you don’t, you could be arrested — or worse

By Roger H. Aylworth, Staff Writer

St. Patrick Day’s revelers were given some advice and a promise Thursday: Drink responsibly, and if you don’t, you may find yourself in jail or worse.

A coalition of business, city, university, college and student leaders along with representatives of law enforcement turned out in an almost unprecedented show of community solidarity Thursday for a news conference on the City Council Chambers’ steps.

The core message was everybody is getting tired of alcohol-lubricated celebrations that get out of hand, and the culprit is drinking to excess in general and binge drinking in particular.

In recent years, while there has been no formal St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Chico, the event has been an unofficial opportunity for many young people, often Chico State University and Butte College students, to begin drinking green beer at many of the bars that open at dawn, and to continue drinking into drunken stupor.

Chico Mayor Steve Bertagna said the community is not asking for an end to St. Patrick’s Day drinking.

He called on the young people to celebrate if they want, but if the celebration includes drinking, then drink responsibly.

Chico Police Chief Jim Massie said his officers will be visible working on “prevention, intervention and, if necessary enforcement.”

While he said enforcement was a last choice, his department is prepared to push things harder than in the past. …

“It is not the alcohol. It is the irresponsible use of alcohol,” said the chief.

“It’s a national problem,” added Chico State President Manuel Esteban. …

— Chico Enterprise Record, Mar. 14, 1999

50 Years Ago

Brown Rips Reagan, President

By Len Steinberg, Enterprise-Record Staff Writer

OROVILLE — Edmund. G “Jerry” Brown Jr. touched all the bases yesterday during his campaign sweep through Butte County — Watergate, Gov. Ronald Reagan, oil, huns, the governor’s mansion, his record in office and the death penalty.

Brown, 35, secretary of state and son of former Gov. Edmund “Pat” Brown, spoke last night during a Democratic fundraiser dinner at the Stanford Avenue school here.

“I’m the only candidate for governor who ever lived in the old mansion,” quipped Brown when asked about his future home in Sacramento. “I don’t know if that qualifies me or not but I’ll make this promise … that if you elect me I’ll take my old room back.”

Brown said there is “nothing wrong” with the old governor’s mansion and chided Reagan for wanting #1.3 million to build a “Taj Mahal” with sauna bath, wine cellar and bombshelter.

“The state of California hasn’t been governed too well in the past eight years but it’s not because Reagan doesn’t have a sauna bath … it’s because he has the wrong kind of philosophy,” Brown said. …

The youthful candidate, one of 34 running for governor this year, spoke for more than half-an-hour to the 130 persons who showed up for the dinner, then fielded questions from the floor for another 30 minutes. …

— Chico Enterprise Record, Mar. 13, 1974

75 Years Ago

Planning Commission Explained

Rumors that the Butte County Planning Commission will force restrictions on the people of Paradise are not true, Dr. Lew Oliver, planning commissioner, stated in a talk before the Paradise Property Owners Association in Community Hall last Monday evening.

The Planning Commission is an advisory body, he emphasized, which merely makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors after a study of the facts. Before a plan is proposed, hearings will be held to determine whether the majority of the people is favorable or opposed to measures under consideration. The commission does not want t o go faster than public opinion dictates.

Planning, he said, is postulated on the theory that there is going to be growth. …

— Paradise Post, March 11, 1949

100 Years Ago

Machine Is Burned as Party Starts on Tourist Trip

A fire, which destroyed their automobile yesterday morning, cut short the plans laid by Mr. and Mrs. John Nordgrin, 967 Orient Street, who were packing the car in preparation for a move to the state of Washington.

The machine caught fire at the Shell Oil station, Seventh and Main streets, and efforts on the part of the fire department to extinguish the conflagration proved fruitless. The machine, loaded with camping necessities, was pushed out onto the street, as it was endangering the oil station. A short in the electrical connections ignited gasoline overflowing from the tank, caused by the float valve being out of order, started the blaze which soon enveloped the car.

125 Years Ago

An Attempt To Abolish A Bawdy House Near Magalia School House

The Inmates Sharp Enough to Disappear During the Time the Grand Jury Is in Session

The Citizens of Magalia, and especially the mothers of the families, are much wrought up over the fact that a house of ill fame is situated very near the school house. The sights and sounds that occur from the bawdy house tend to contaminate the children, and the people have made several efforts to have the nuisance abated. When the grand jury is in session the women of the house skip out to unknown quarters, but when the jury ends its session they resume their former habitation and mode of life.

We have learned that several families will request Judge Gray to take drastic steps in this matter for the prevention of contamination to the young, and this he will probably do unless the owners of the house move it or compel the women to seek other quarters. If the owners are sensible they will at once take measures to put a stop to the nuisance and force the inmates to seek a place remote from the school building. …

— Chico Weekly Enterprise, March 10, 1899

150 Years Ago

Railroad Lands

These lands are rapidly selling, and along the line between Gridley’s and Chico every foot of it is being appropriated. These lands are of the most productive character, and the new settlement will soon assume an importance in the way for trade. Let our merchants and tradesman look to it.

— The Northern Enterprise, March 13, 1874

25 Years Ago

Down comes the tower

Pieces of leaning tower to be stored so it can one day be restored

By Michelle MacEachern, Staff Writer

A crew pulled the top section off the Senator Theater’s celebrated leaning tower Wednesday afternoon, just a day after the City Council agreed to the demolition permit.

With a crack and a few falling planks of wood, a huge crane lifted the globe-topped tower section a few inches at 5 p.m. so it leaned slightly to the south. Then the crew members on the roof stopped, and waved to those on the ground to stop Main Street traffic.

A few minutes later, the tower was pulled away and lowered to a few feet above Main Street. People took advantage of the chance to get a close look — standing in the closed traffic lane as a flatbed trailer was pushed beneath it.

The jewel-shaped globe had what appeared to be bullet holes in places and live pigeons still inside. Dropping-covered wood supports were visible inside the top tower section.

Crew members slapped each other on the back and shook their fists in the air, celebrating their success.

The job apparently turned out to be “more dangerous” than originally thought, according to City Building Official Dave Purvis. It put several crew members at risk, he added, since there was much more “rot” in the top section of the tower than originally thought.

One crew member said the guy who did the sawing was the bravest man he knew.

For some, the tower’s partial destruction was an all-day event, understandable since it’s been part of the downtown landscape for a long time. Designed by architects Miller and Pflueger in 1927, the tower is its main feature and a part of downtown’s quirky style. …

The crowd, dozens of people strong, was largely quietly watching the show at 517 Main St. Others were upset that more hadn’t been done to save the tower, yelling “put it back!” as it was borne skyward. …

Bute Councilman Rick Keene said elected officials felt they’d done all they could Tuesday night.

“We couldn’t have forced them to rebuild it, according to our legal advice,” he said. …

Purvis said the tower would be taken down to its roofline. The sections are being stored at the city’s corporation yard, behind the Humboldt Road police station. United artists proposed to store the sections in an unfenced yard, which the city judged unsafe, Purvis said.

At present, all the city has is a letter from UA agreeing to cut down the tower in sections and store it, then allow the “community” to put it back up after it’s rebuilt. They also said they’d paint the facade of the building, and show movies at the El Rey theater for free for an event to be used as a fundraiser for the group raising money to put the tower back. …

— Enterprise-Record, March 4, 1999

50 Years Ago

3-Year Housing Cost for County Nearly $1 Million

OROVILLE (E-R) — The cost of housing provided by the Butte County Housing Authority for 1970 to 1972 totaled nearly $1 million, according to an audit federal officials want kept confidential.

According to county Auditor William Lawrence, there were no serious discrepancies in the audit performed by the firm of Matson and Isom Accountancy Corp. of Chico and what irregularities were noted are being corrected.

In a report to the Board of Supervisors, however, Lawrence recommended that annual audits be made of the housing authority and also that the information developed be available to the public.

L. G. Melton, executive director of the housing authority, was advised in a letter last month from Keith Axtell, director of the housing programs management branch of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development that the information be given only to persons with an initial interest in the matter or who must act on it.

The HUD official stated the audit was found to be satisfactory.

Lawrence took issue with Axtell on the confidentiality issue.

He said both the budget of the housing authority and the audit should be public information “in the same manner as the county governmental activities.

“That’s an awful lot of money to handle and keep secret,” Lawrence said. “I know of no provision of law requiring secrecy. I feel the other way. Audit information of public agencies should be made public.” …

The audit showed tha the three-year cost of housing administered by the authority, comprising owned housing and leased housing subsidized by HUD, totaled $958,367. Owned housing cost the authority $180,293 and leased housing $778,074.

The audit indicated the net public cost increased for the three years from $188,443 in 1980 to $312,722 in 1971 and $475,202 for 1972. The costs are offset by rents.

— Enterprise-Record, March 7, 1974

75 Years Ago

U. S. Plane Circles World, Non-Stop

Giant B-50 Refuels in Flight During Historical 94-Hour Global Journey

By Elton C. Fay

FORT WORTH, TEX. (AP) An American Air Force bomber today completed history’s first nonstop flight around the world.

The Lady Luck II, a B-50 bomber, set down at Carswell air force base at 7:30:55 a.m. PST — 94 hours and one minute after it left there Saturday.

Refueling on the fly, it circled the globe at nearly its greatest girth, covering 23,106 miles at an average of 239 miles per hour.

Tired and happy, its crew of 14 climbed down slowly from the silver-nosed ship, convinced that their aerial refueling technice, American bombers, “can go anywhere in the world at any time.”

The top command of the air force came down from Washington to welcome the 14 men. Air Secretary Symington shook their hands, told them “you’ve done a wonderful job, this is the finest team work.”…

Capt. James Gallagher, pilot and spokesman for the crew, in a news conference said: “Everything was quite normal about the whole flight. Everything worked out well.”

There was “not a bit of trouble” in the tricky business of contacting the refueling tanker planes and bringing aboard a gash replenishment load.

Yes, said the captain, they were all pretty tired, “but we did very well on sleep” during the four day flight.

The 14 men were two for each position, so they relieved each other at the controls.

The crewmen had support in high places for their belief that this flight showed the combat capabilities of the aerial refueling technique.

Gen. Curtis E. Leman, chief of the strategic air command, was asked if this “means you can use refueling to deliver an A bomb anywhere in Russia.”

The general replied:

“Let’s say any place that would require an atom bomb.

“Now we can put bombers and tankers any time where necessary.” …

— Enterprise-Record, March 2, 1949

100 Years Ago

Street Car Wedding Performed Here Is Given Wide Publicity

Evidence of the wide circulation given the story of the wedding of Miss Mary Partridge and Harry C. Scott, performed on a street car in this city, is contained in three clippings that have been reported from distant points of the United States. Two are in the possession of George N. Beeny, local agent of the Sacramento Northern railroad. One is from the Atlanta (Ga.) Journal and the other from the Denver (Colo.) Evening Post. Both were published February 22, the day following the ceremony.

A third clipping is held by Justice of the Peace J. L. Barnes. It is taken from the Buffalo (N.Y.) Evening Times.

— The Chico Record, March 7, 1924

125 Years Ago

A Smooth Young Rascal

Confidence Scheme Worked Well in Chico

A confidence man, whose work was rank, but who succeeded quite well, visited Chico a few days ago, and after securing a few dollars from various ones about town, departed presumably for the north.

On February 21st this individual made his appearance at the Union Hotel and engaged accommodations. He represented himself as a hard worker and harness man of St. Louis, and told Mr. Alan that he wanted to have a larger room in which to display his goods. After making all arrangements he assumed a very sorrowful expression, and told the landlord a heartrending story about having been robbed in Marysville the night before. He claimed to have lost by this robbery $200 in money, a diamond pin worth $200, and a fine gold watch worth about $1000, together with nearly all of his clothes. But he said his father was one of the wealthiest men in Missouri, employing in his wardware and harness factories over 2000 men, and he would immediately send to the “old man” for a fresh supply of the “needful.” Mr. Allen listened to this story with much uneasiness, and after the young fellow had registered the name W. L. Johnson and gone out to look after “customers,” the proprietor of the Union wrote to L. C. Jacobs of Marysville, at whose hotel the young bilk claimed to have been robbed, and asked about the truth of the story.

Pending a reply Mr. Allen watched his guest closely and found that he was telling the same story to many business men about town, and was raising considerably ready money on the strength of his smooth yarn.

Finally a reply came from the Marysville landlord, stating that a young man, whose description tallied exactly with the fellow in Chico, had been in Marysville where he gave exactly the same story, with the exception that he gave the name of F.R. Burns, and had said he had been robbed in Sacramento. That settled it with Mr. Allen and he promptly “fired” the young beat out of the hotel.

The manner in which the young fellow had conducted himself came to the ear of Constable Geo, and that officer placed the fraud under arrest, but as none of his victims cared to prosecute the case he was permitted to go. …

It is presumed that the young fellow went from here to Red Bluff, as he is evidently working the towns all along the road, and all the parties are warned against him. He is apparently about 26 years old, smooth shaven, and when here wore a light suit and light hat; has an abundance of nerve, and becomes acquainted very fast.

— Chico Weekly Enterprise, March 3, 1899

150 Years Ago

The Old Block

Many efforts are being made to outstrip the old and well established business block on Main street, between Front and Second. For years, it has loomed above all other blocks and now flanked on the one corner Second street, by Harker & Dorn, and on Front by Sanderson, Harris & Co., with their mammoth stocks of general merchandise, embracing all kinds of goods, and in the intermediate space filled up by such establishments as Breslauer & Co., Napoleon Good Day, Peters & Co., and other prosperous and active business houses it still wears the “champion belt.” Second street is working itself up very fast, and Third is beginning to assume serious petitions to win the prize. Such ambition will work wonders in our town.

— The Northern Enterprise, March 6, 1874

Oroville-resident Vicki Paxton is a member of the Sacramento-based Pricilla Alden Chapter of the society and was responsible for nominating the historic home and museum for the designation.

“One of the goals of the organization is to identify and mark historical sites, especially those from the colonial period,” said Paxton. “In California we don’t have any, except maybe some Spanish sites down south, because the period ended in 1783, but we do mark sites if we can justify their historical significance.”

The National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century is a nonprofit organization founded in 1915. Its members are women who are lineal descendants of ancestors who lived and served in one of the original Colonies prior to 1701. The society is based in Washington D.C., and is currently comprised of 48 state societies, which are further divided into chapters.

The Victorian revival style home was built in 1856 by Charles Fayette Lott, a gold-rush pioneer who helped form California’s government and started the first Citrus Exchange in California. The home is one of five city museums and boasts a collection of original furnishings as well as paintings, rugs, textiles, clothes, silver and glassware from the period of 1849 to 1910.

Paxton said she believed the “lovely old home and the Lott family” were historically consequential to the city so began the designation process in 2022 but really got to work in March 2023 after receiving permission from the Oroville City Council to nominate the site.

“The home really epitomizes the life style of well-to-do settlers of the late 1800s. They had fine furnishings, crystal, China and gave dinner parties,” Paxton said. “Judge Lott had property, cattle, the house, a successful law practice and was involved in ranching and agriculture. His wife Susan and his daughter, Cornelia, were also both active in community and in women’s organizations.”

With assistance from Lott Home docents and Heather McCafferty, Oroville cultural facilities curator, Paxton researched and photographed the home for the application packet. She presented the application to the Pricilla Alden Chapter president who approved it and sent it to the state chapter for review. Once the state chapter approved it the application was forwarded to the national chapter in Washington D.C. for the final seal of approval which was granted in June 2023.

“Being recognized by an organization that has a vigorous process of vetting and analyzing  the importance of a historical building is an honor,” said McCafferty. “It recognizes the Lott home and family as contributing to the wider story of America. Receiving this marker is significant because it reinforces what we already know about Lott home – that it’s important in terms of understanding our own local history.”

Suzanne Fichter, national chair of marking and preservation for NSCD XVII, said she processes about 20 historical designation applications a year. While the organization does focus on colonial sites, Fichter said that if a site “has significance and is important to the people who live in the area” that is taken into consideration.

“As of 2019 we had 750 historical sites designated throughout the states. We have well over 850 now,” said Fichter. “And, as of 2019 there were just 10 sites in California.”

With its designation as a historical site, the Lott Home joins other notable NSCD XVII California historical locations including the Hotel Coronado in San Diego, the Donaldina Cameron House in San Francisco and General George S. Patton’s headquarters in Chiriaco among others.

In the recent past, the Pricilla Alden Chapter has also garnered historical designation for a museum in Roseville and a church in Lincoln, said Paxton.

A bronze-cast plaque commemorating the Lott Home’s selection as a NSCD XVII historical site has been made and will be unveiled after installation during a special public ceremony at 11 a.m. March 22 at 1067 Montgomery St.

“Getting the historical designation seemed like it was worth doing,” said Paxton, who will be speaking at the ceremony. “I really love that old home.”

Ted Weiher, Jack Madruga, Jackie Huett, Bill Sterling and Gary Mathias were all friends and lived in Yuba County. They attended a basketball game at Chico State to see their favorite team, the UC Davis Aggies, play in a championship game against Chico State. They left the game around 10 p.m. and never came home. What happened to them has been a mystery for 46 years. Madruga’s Mercury Montego was found abandoned on a snowy road.

Author and archivist Tony Wright wrote a book published early in 2024 called “Things Aren’t Right: The Disappearance of the Yuba County Five.” He became interested in the case after watching a YouTube show about it and began a quest to tell the real story about who the men were.

The case has garnered national and international interest and podcasts and shows have been created. Law enforcement has been baffled about it for years. Wright talked to some of the men’s family members and conducted lots of research.

Wright said the men were friends and had taken trips such as this before without any incident.

Mathias’ body was never found and the case was never solved. No one knew why the men, who knew the area well, had ended up in the forest miles away from home in the middle of winter wearing light clothing. About four months after they vanished, four of the five men’s remains were found about 12 miles from the car and one was discovered in a United States Forest Service trailer with enough food and fuel to keep the men alive for months, according to the book.

Mathias was a patient in psychiatric hospitals during the early 1970s and Sterling was institutionalized at times during the 1960s, said Wright.

Wright is the author of four comic books and a graphic novel. This book is his first true crime book.

“The story was incredibly heartbreaking but eerie. It was a mystery that caught my attention and I wanted to know more about the five and why they vanished. The videos I watched and podcasts I listen to from 2018 until 2019 told a story but not a complete story. I knew there was more to them as people and the case,” Wright wrote in an email.

Wright reached out to a bunch of mental health professionals to get their thoughts, but no one returned his calls or emails.

“I decided to read medical journals, reports, and articles from the 1960s/1970s to the present about disabilities and mental illness, especially schizophrenia. They were excellent resources for understanding treatments at the time and how people perceived mental illness and disabilities,” Wright said.

He researched the case in many different ways.

“I also watched numerous YouTube videos created by people living on the autism spectrum and those living with schizophrenia. It was beyond helpful and gave me a glimpse into their everyday lives. I also tried reaching out to the YouTube creators, but they too did not respond to my messages,” Wright said.

His goal was to tell the story about the men and who they really were.

“I wanted people to know who the five were as individuals and as a group of friends. I wanted people to know more about them and what happened. It is important to examine the lives of the five, their disappearance, and the investigation,” Wright said in an email.

Mental illness and intellectual disabilities were not as understood and discussed in the 1970s, according to Wright’s book.

Wright wrote that Mathias had been taking medicine for the schizophrenia and “was doing a good job taking care of himself.” He said the other four men had part-time jobs and were “productive in the community.”

Wright said he thinks someone took advantage of the men because of their disabilities.

“They were sociable men who were easily manipulated,” Wright said. “People with disabilities and mental illness have a higher risk of being victims of a crime.”

Wright said Mathias had gotten into a fight with another man at a party in 1978 and there could have been some bad blood and perhaps someone had a dislike for one of the men. He said there was no solid evidence about this theory though.

Wright said mental illness and disabilities are more commonly talked about and understood today.

“I do believe we have a better understanding of mental illness and disabilities in this day and age,” he said.

Dallas Weiher Jr. was 11 years old in February 1978 when his uncle Ted Weiher and the other men disappeared. He is grateful to Wright for writing the book.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Weiher said. “Everything covered up will get uncovered. My belief is when the perpetrator comes out and tells the story, that’s how we will finally know.”

He remembers his uncle fondly.

“My uncle Ted was a teddy bear,” he said. “I think the boys were running out of fear. They may have been threatened and told their families would be hurt if they didn’t do what they were told. They were simple minded in a lot of ways.”

Weiher said his uncle was very innocent.

“He wanted to have a good time and enjoy himself. He was a man with a boy’s mind somewhat,” Weiher said. “He didn’t have logical skills. But he could function.”

Weiher has read Wright’s book and listened to some of the podcasts. He experienced “waves of emotion” and wept several times recalling what happened.

“He died in the trailer alone by himself. Someone lured them there and has not been punished yet,” Weiher said.

Weiher said he also cried when he heard his grandmother’s voice on the podcast pleading for the men’s safe return and had to pull his car over.

He hopes the book does well and he forgives whoever did this, but he said that person needs to receive punishment for their wrong doings.

Claudia Huett, who is married to Jackie Huett’s brother Tom Huett, has supported Wright from the beginning regarding the book. Wright interviewed her and her husband.

Tom Huett said people who reported the case before didn’t look at who they were and Wright did that.

“We wanted to tell the truth about who they were,” Claudia Huett said. “I’ve been an advocate for all of them. Each man was so much more than what was stated at the beginning of the book. People used the word ‘retard’ to describe them which I hate.”

Claudia Huett believes if the men were referred to as “five athletes it would have changed everything.”

Tom Huett also trusted Wright.

“People said five retards got lost in the mountains, whoop de do,” Tom Huett said. “It was discrimination. They worked their asses off. Each one had a job. People who didn’t have disabilities were jealous of them. They had communities and neighbors who supported them.”

If law enforcement had visited the trailers, he said, his “brother would be alive.”

Some people believe someone in the Yuba County area may have been responsible for the men’s disappearance.

Wright’s book is available on Amazon or can be purchased at  https://geniusbookpublishing.com/products/things-arent-right.

Roaming the property was Stansbury Home Preservation Association President Dino Corbin, taking stock of the damage and loss left in the wake of the burglary.

“All of this is irreplaceable,” Corbin said. “I mean there are certain things you can buy, but it’s irreplaceable in that it was Dr. Stansbury’s.”

Corbin said the thief made their way to different parts of the carriage house, which doubles as the home’s visitor center and began collecting belongings from nooks and crannies from old medical supplies to household kitchen items and even a commemorative plate that was still in its box. One particular display that was broken into had two combination locks, the codes of which were known by few people. Corbin said it was discovered that the burglar had used tools to pop a pin out of the door’s hinge to get enough leverage to open the door.

“We figured he had some knowledge of what was going on here because certain items were taken,” Corbin said, alluding to one box that the thief seemed to have abandoned in a hurry that had a sign for the house. “Why would you take Dr. Stansbury’s signage? Other items we know were targeted because in another world, they would have some application for drug use. Glass tubes, medical equipment, things of that nature.”

Chico Police Department Public Information Officer Kelly DeLeon said the burglary occurred sometime between 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Tuesday.

“We do not have a suspect currently, but officers are still investigating and gathering information,” DeLeon said.

The thief seemed to have only targeted the visitor center as the house itself did not have signs of a break-in.

After doing a walkthrough Wednesday morning, the next step for Corbin was to take stock of the items still at the center and do a deeper dive to figure out what items were missing.

“I’m going through my inventory this afternoon to literally identify what is still here so I can determine what is missing,” Corbin said.

While it’s still unclear what the motive was for stealing items with historic value, it’s possible that the thief had the intention of selling some off.

“(The suspect) could sell it to a collector or sell it to a pawn shop,” Corbin speculated.

Corbin said he would need to talk to the board to dial it in, but it’s possible the association could issue a reward for information leading to an arrest.

“As long as we allow this kind of nonsense to continue in Chico, this is just going to continue to get worse,” Corbin said. “We as Chicoans need to say enough is enough.”

Pawn shop ins and outs

When property is stolen, whether it be from the Stansbury Home or off of someone’s front porch, one of the go-to assumptions is that the thief is looking to sell it, potentially at a pawn shop.

Often this assumption is warranted. When stolen property is reported to law enforcement, information about the item, such as descriptions and serial numbers, are put into a database and sent to pawn shops throughout the state.

On Park Avenue, southeast of the Stansbury Home is Chico Cash Exchange, a local pawnshop whose owner and employees have a good working relationship with the home’s association. Corbin said the crew at the shop have been supporters of the Stansbury Home in the past.

Cody Lovin, who has worked for the company for seven years, said pawn shops are heavily regulated by the state, though it can be more complicated when it comes to people selling goods.

“There are laws against us assuming things are stolen,” Lovin said. “There are discrimination laws. If somebody comes in and signs our contract and says it’s theirs under penalty of fraud, I have to believe it’s theirs.”

Despite these laws, Lovin said there are other systems in place to determine if items are stolen.

“Everything we take in, everything any secondhand shop in California takes in, has to be uploaded every single day to a system called CAPS,” Lovin said. “It all goes through the Department of Justice and they cross reference any police reports with any pawn shop in California, Gamestop and really any shop that takes in goods.”

CAPS in this case means the California Pawn and Secondhand Dealer System. Lovin said stolen items identified within the system are taken by law enforcement and given back to the owner.

“It’s mostly just trying to keep watch out here in the community,” Lovin said. “There are laws saying we can’t discriminate, but if I have a police report and then somebody comes in with that item, I can still call the cops and say to the person who brought it in, ‘You’re not getting this back.'”