Monday, January 08, 2007 Looking Back is a regular feature of the Modoc County record, published weekly in Alturas, California. The following is transcribed from the December 14, 2006 issue. Looking Back 97 Years Ago – 1909 ALTURAS SCHOOLS will close next week for the holiday vacation. We have a most efficient corps of teachers and we believe patrons and pupils are well pleased with the management. More than 200 pupils are enrolled and the average attendance has been excellent. We have come a long way in the past three years. We even predict the day that Modoc will no longer have a single one room schoolhouse…. The teams belonging to the Hall Construction Co, consisting of about 100 mules, were driven through town yesterday enroute to Oroville. There they will be used in construction work. They were certainly a sight to behold. 92 Years Ago – 1914 THERE IS heavy speculation this week that the Lassen-Fernly Railroad will now proceed north through Alturas. That is because the application to make Big Valley into a reservoir has been denied, giving a track line through the valley some future assurances…. It is believed that the pesky ground squirrel has been about wiped out in Modoc because of the county’s payments over the past few years. But it has been a drain on county funds, with many thousands of dollars paid, so now that the ground squirrel is no more, the bounty has been removed….The below zero weather in the past week has made ice skating dandy and horse -sleighs are more in evidence for the holiday season….Fred Huffman’s Vaqueros passed through town driving about 100 head of horses to Surprise Valley. 72 Years Ago – 1934 THE BANK of America was robbed by a lone gunman last Friday during the noon hour. The bandit made his getaway in a 1930 Ford coupe with $472. The holdup was witnessed by bank employees Beth Walls and Ove Nielson. The gunman ordered Nielson to carry the money out the door and hand it to him in his car. Yells of “Bank robbery” fell on deaf ears and it was some time before the Sheriff, John Sharp, could be found. Eventually the word was dispatched to Susanville and Lakeview, but there has been no response to the appeal….The Highway Patrol says that it will increase the legal speed limit after January1. The old speed limit is 45, but few people pay attention to it. The patrol says the new law will be strictly enforced. 32 Years Ago – 1974 MALPRACTICE INSURANCE for the two Modoc Medical Center’s will increase by 75 percent in January; according to hospital administrator Ericsson….Some nocturnal assailants have caused damages estimated in excess of $2,000 at the Alturas Elementary School on fourth Street. The vandalism described: More than 80 pounds of sugar and flour spread through the halls and wet down with a fire hose; fire extinguishers were ripped off the walls and emptied; a fire was started on the carpet of the new annex building still under completion; soap powder was slashed and spread about; new “bean bag” chairs in the annex were ripped open and their contents spread in the halls to a depth of 18 inches; the store room was broken into where flour and sugar sacks were slashed; a room clock was smashed.. Sorry this so dated, but I will catch up. Ron Morgan