Friday, November 24, 2006 Looking Back is a regular feature of the Modoc County record, published weekly in Alturas, California. The following is transcribed from the November 9, 2006 issue. Looking Back 92 Years Ago – 1914 THE HONORABLE John Raker of Alturas was reelected to Congress in the Second District by a 15,000 vote majority…. Sugar continues to drop in price. The best grade has dropped during the last few days from $6.70 for the hundred pounds to $6.20. The closing of British ports to sugar is responsible, together with over production of sugar beets in the U.S…. Traffic in Souls,” a six reeler on the subject of white slavery, is showing at the Empress theatre in Alturas. Parents should be advised that this is not a showing for children…. Mr. and Mrs. Helms of Chico are here to purchase the Morse Hotel in Alturas….Abbot Green has returned from the Lava Beds where he has been collecting artifacts of the Modoc War. He said he found several cartridges and a cannon ball. 72 Years Ago – 1934 GOOD WEATHER has prevailed to bring out 80 percent of the Modoc voters and gave Frank Merriam a two to one plurality for Governor. Smelcer won over Hays for Fifth District Supervisor and Ernest Server defeated Tom Denson for Alturas constable…..Liquor inspectors were in the county this week and are reported to have confiscated and destroyed 12 cases of hooch…. Sugar was on sale at Lightners for $1.55 for a 25-pound bag and $5.83 for a 100-pound bag…. Donald Flournoy was a defensive standout for Modoc on Saturday when they beat the tough Westwood Loggers, 12-7. 52 Years Ago – 1954 MODOC HIGH School’s first homecoming game saw the Braves blow a half time lead and lose 14-13 to LAKEVIEW. Hich Yamagata and Gene McManus were captains for the inaugural event…. State Senator Dale Williams addressed nearly 200 rain soaked spectators who turned out to witness the dedication and unveiling of the VFW’s War Memorial In the park…. Mrs. Fred Reich has been named the count y champ in a contest by Modoc Cattlemen’s Association…. Modoc ranked 14th in the state deer kill with a final buck total of 1,926 deer. That compares to a total in 1953 of 964….Temperatures were in the 70’s for the first week of November. 37 Years Ago – 1969 HUGH PADDOCK, a Marine veteran of three wars, addressed the AES student body on Veterans Day…. Goose Lake has been Okayed for year around fishing, but no one knows where the fish are….The federated Church celebrated a burning of the building mortgage Sunday….Gary Spicer was named “Player of the Year” (football) by the Modoc Record....The Modoc Record will convert from letter press to offset printing in their weekly production of the newspaper. 31 Years Ago – 1975 MODOC COUNTY’S 60 year perfect voting record was blown down the political tubes Tuesday when a big majority of Modoc’ers sided with the losing candidate for California’s Governor, Houston Flournoy…. A renewed effort to gain the Elks Hall for a county museum, release the present museum in Veterans hall for a community building, and building a new home for Alturas Elks was packaged before the Supervisors. A note about John Raker: there were two Raker brothers in Alturas and both were attorneys. John was the peacock of Modoc County. I still remember him walking down Main Street with a gold headed walking stick and top hat; his jacket was a swallow tailed frock and he wore spats along with his striped morning trousers. He was a spectacular dresser for this little remote town in the mountains of California. The Raker families were prominent citizens of our town. The first elementary school that I attended was named: The Mary A. Raker Grammar School. See you all again when the next publication reaches my home. Ron Morgan