March 13, 2005 Looking Back is a regular feature of the Modoc County Record, a weekly newspaper, published in Alturas, CA. The following is transcribed from the February 24, 2005 issue. Looking Back 111 Years Ago 1894 ALTURAS FOLKS planning a trip to Lakeview should allow at least two and a half days for the trip. The snow is now very deep and the best progress that can be made is 20 miles per day�. Temperatures have been below zero all week in Alturas. This is unusually cold weather for mid-February in Modoc�. George Washington�s birthday was not unlike all other days, except the school children and the teachers had the day off and a flag was flown over the courthouse and the school house. 91 Years Ago � 1914 WESTERN PACIFIC has finished laying a track from Susanville to Westwood and it is now believed the Southern Pacific will extend its track north through Modoc County soon�. J.P. Callaghan has been elected president of Engine Co. No. 1 of the Alturas Fire Department�. J.W. Crowl has announced plans to build a bathhouse at the hot springs on Kelley Ranch near Canby. He will no doubt reap a fair profit from it during the summer season, as it is just a nice auto ride from Alturas when the roads are good. 71 Years Ago � 1934 THE CWA (Civil Works Administration) will demobilize its workers. About 55 men will be out off work in Modoc because of this and the 30 cents per hour (per worker) payroll will be badly missed in the community�. The Alturas Rifle and Pistol Club has planted 100 grown pheasants on the XL and Cy Kelley ranches. My Record is just not arriving in any sequence this past month. I have contacted the Record office about this matter but as yet, have had no reply form them. Spring has sprung here in the Sacramento Valley. This past week the temperatures have been in the mid 80�s and it actually felt hot. However, we understand that rain is on the horizon and that the temperatures will drop to their regular levels of 60�s starting this next week. Kelley baths were one of three developed hot spring swimming operations, near Alturas, when I was a youngster. The other two were the Williams baths, just on the Alturas side of Likely, and the Essex baths at Cloverswale. Each had good attendance in the summer when Dr. Stiles would put the Pit River off limits because of typhoid fever threats. The old Pit River really slowed down to a crawl during the summer month Kirk Williams had a dam on the river on his property; just a continuation east of Modoc Street, and it was a delightful place to swim. Unfortunately, Kirk did not like anybody trespassing so our swimming there was after he was abed and hopefully asleep. Kirk was really an extremely nice and considerate man, and I am sure he knew of the swimming. Hope to see you all again next week. Ron Morgan