Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Looking Back is a regular feature of the Modoc County record, published weekly in Alturas, California. The following is transcribed from the October 5, 2006 issue. Looking Back 116 Years Ago – 1890 LAFE BILLUPS was over from Bidwell to inform us he sold 140 head of two-three year old steers. We made a guess at the price of $26 per head and Lafe says we aren’t far off…. Quite a number of Goose Lake folk wagoned to Alturas Friday to attend entertainment advertised by the Alturas Dramatic Club. The play had been cancelled but in order to allay the disappointment, a jolly crowd of young people congregated in the hall and tripped it right merrily until the wee hour of 12:30….Last Sunday evening as we were taking a walk in the lower end of town we spied two young ladies out for a ramble. They were laughing and chatting in great shape when suddenly, seeing a cow coming toward them, they started to run for a fence. We watched in silent anticipation. But what was our amazement when the young ladies, above referred to, placed their hands on the top board of the fence and jumped clean over. 92 Years Ago – 1914 A PLAN is in the making to link all of the county seats of northern California with a lateral, connecting highway…. Quite a furor is about these days over where the NCO should locate it depot. At least five separate locations are being vigorously supported…. The lowest temperature in Alturas during September was 27 and the highest was 91…. More than 60 cars daily are being traveled along the line from Reno to Lakeview. It can be said that the railroad has caused the area between Madeline and Lakeview to be among the most prosperous in the United States. 70 Years Ago – 1936 CALIFORNIA WILL have the shortest open duck season of any state in the nation with 22 days of shooting on weekends only through October 22 to December 30. The limit is cut to 12 with 24 in possession…. The Arizona wranglers famed radio entertainers, will perform at the Alhambra Theater…. Nine hundred and fifteen deer have been killed in the first two weeks of the season and the sensation to date is a black deer taken near the Crom Mill. Arthadus Rachford will mount the entire animal free of charge for Donald Pellasco of San Pablo…. Five Modoc boys left for the CCC camp at Burney AND INCLUDE Otis Sweeney, Fort Bidwell; John Smith, Canby; Walter Smith, Likely Roaine Methvin and George Morley; Alturas. 52 Years Ago – 1954 THE D.F.G. reports 605 tags returned for the first 12 days of the 1954 season in Modoc…. Construction of a summer youth camp at Blue Lake was assured this week with the lease of 4.5 acres of land at the south end of the lake by the Modoc Larger Parish…. The winding section of road between Ravendale and Secret Valley will be made into a straight-away, super highway. 32 Years AG0 – 1974 THE FRONT page OF THE Modoc Record read with eight stories of out of the area hunters who were involved in fires, injuries and deaths during the opening week of hunting season in Modoc…. Two or three deer hunters were involved in the intentional and senseless killing of Ken McGarva’s’ prize Hereford bulls on rangeland at Cold Springs. Arthadus (Arthadius) Rachford mounted the full body of that black deer and exhibited it in his butcher shop in the old Basket Grocery, now the location of Walt’s Market, for quite some time. Fitzhugh Creek, east of the old Clark Ranch on the Likely highway, became quite famous for having many black mulies. They were not coal black but grayish black which are most unlike the color of deer nationwide. These deer were called Melanesia deer for their coloration. Hope to see you all next week. Ron Morgan