Let’s spur our ponies toward the vortex and no posting while you ride through. It’s viewed as excessive.
WAY, WAY BACK WHEN —
— Back around this time in 1837, the most unlucky Peter LeBeck was killed by a grizzly bear up in the Fort Tejon area. There has been much speculation as to who Pete was. Some say he was a trapper or mountain man. Others say he was part of a band of outlaws from the New Mexico area which marauded the southwest. Some say the town of Lebec (where a posh hotel resort stood just north of Frazier Park) was named after Pete, and that somehow, the “k” just fell off the town name. Others point out there was another man, a grocer, who lived in Lebec and his name was Lebec, without the “k.” Go figure.
OCTOBER 16, 1919 —
— One of Southern California’s largest car theft rings was broken up here in the SCV. The heistmen used a huge cave up Big Tujunga Canyon to store auto parts and stolen cars. The cave was found by two small boys hiking up in the wilderness.
— A local doctor penned a poem that appeared in Farm Bureau Monthly magazine. It was entitled: “Oh! Henry, why is it?” It goes a little something like this: “The Ford is my chariot. I shall not want Another. It maketh me lie down in wet places. It destroyeth my soul. It leadeth me into deep waters. It leadeth me into the pathos of ridicule for its name sake. It prepareth a breakdown for me in the presence of mine enemies. Yea, though I run through the valley at twenty-five per, I am towed up the hill. I will fear more evil when it is with me. Its rods and its shafts discomfort me. It annointeth my feet with oil. Surely to goodness, if Lizzies follows me all the days of my life, I shall dwell in the house of the Nuts forever.”
— With a name like this, would you trust your business to this guy? A.D. Shaftmaster was a Newhall real estate and insurance agent in 1919.
OCTOBER 16, 1929 —
— From the “WHOOPS. THAT’S GOING TO COST YOU AN ENTIRE PASSEL OF PAPERWORK” Dept., or, if you will, “IN THE DAYS BEFORE RODNEY KING,” Newhall Special Deputy Albert Senator caught Lew Whitney breaking into a cabin in Acton. Deputy Senator said he “fired accidentally.” Whitney died from his wounds.
— On this date, they finished putting up a fence around Newhall Elementary. The puppy was 8-feet tall, “… on iron posts and heavy.”
— U.S. Telephone dismantled their office in downtown Newhall. They hadn’t been in business for several years, having sold their interest to some company named Pacific Telephone.
OCTOBER 16, 1939 —
N It was one of the most prophetic statements any local law enforcement officers has ever heard. Back 60 years ago, CHP officer Al Ashton wrote up Frank Witcosky for running a stop sign at a high rate of speed. Witcosky was defiant and said, “I’ll never appear on this ticket!” And so it came to pass. Ten minutes later, Witcosky ran right over two emergency flares and smashed into the back of a disabled truck. Witcosky died on the spot.
N Bob Gibson (the local egg farmer; not the St. Louis ace pitcher) bought himself a brand new incubator. It serviced 18,000 eggs. Bob was owner of one of the world’s largest egg ranches, Eggland, which was just over the hill in Happy Valley.
OCTOBER 16, 1949 —
— Personal pal o’ mine and Hart High principal George Harris was named the SCV’s official registrar for the military draft.
— The valley was hit by a gang of check forgers. For all their work, they might as well have gotten a regular jobs. The rubber check gang usually passed bad paper in amounts less than $20.
— Lower Placerita Canyon was the hottest petroleum spot in California. Dozens of wells, owned by dozens of companies, pumped out oil around the clock. Two rigs, from two different owners, were just 18 inches apart.
— Cary Grant’s “I Was A Male War Bride” was the featured film at the American Theater.
OCTOBER 16, 1959 —
— On this week, 50 years back, the historic Walker Ranch was sold to the state and county to build something called Placerita Canyon Park. The 288-acre parcel, perhaps the most pristine and peaceful in the valley, was sold for $151,000. At one time, the Walkers had owned most of the land in upper Placerita. The property had been acquired in 1883 by Los Angeles photographer, James G. Evans, who also bought up all of the gold and mining deeds. Evans and his family would dabble in gold panning. His grandson, Frank Walker, said: “On our best day, we made $22. On our worst, we made nothing.” For years, Placerita was considered one of the earliest if not THE earliest place where gold was first discovered in California. That would be in 1842 — seven years before the big strike up north. Back on March 9, 1930, a contingent of LA’s rich and powerful gathered at the Walker Ranch to dedicate a bronze plaque to honor Don Francisco Lopez, who discovered that first gold nugget in Placerita.
— It was quite a hoot getting all those dignitaries down to the Walker cabin. Before they build the dirt road connecting Sierra Highway to Sand Canyon via Placerita, it was a tough trek getting through. The old road ran by the Walker place, right along the stream bed. Frank Walker recalled that he always carried a very large crowbar with him to pry boulders out of his way.
— The November of a half-century back was one odd puppy. We had a spate of near-100-degree days followed by 10 inches of rain…
OCTOBER 16, 1969 —
— On this date, actor Fred MacMurray crowned 15-year-old Newhall lass Teri Brown as Miss Great Western Dairy and Livestock.
— Today, he’s a big time stockbroker at Dean Witter but 30 years ago this weekend, little Lee Harris, 12, won the local Punt, Pass and Kick Contest. Doing his Dean Raynor imitation, Lee threw the football 14 feet. Just kidding, Lee. No apologies to Raynor, who actually COULD only threw a ball 14 feet.
— Back in its swashbuckling days, the local newspaper’s editorial, penned by Scott Newhall, was a rather simple and short one on this date in 1969. It was entitled, “How About Those Mets?” and congratulated the Cinderella team for winning the World Series. The Signal likened the event to man walking on the moon just three months earlier.
OCTOBER 16, 1979 —
— Thirty years ago, we had one video rental outlet and that was owned by Larry Haupt of Home Video Movies in Canyon Country. Larry offered “everything from ‘Hello Dolly’ to ‘Deep Throat.’ While VCRs were relatively new to local homes, Mr. Haupt rented them for $40 a month, with a $200 cash deposit. For a four-evening rental, for first-run or recent movies, HVM rented them out for a measly 12 bucks. $12. Ouch.
Thanks for visiting The Beacon. Hope you folks have a good week and until next Sunday, vayan con Dios, amigos!
John Boston is the valley historian. Go out and buy his book, Images of America, The Santa Clarita Valley, published by Arcadia. It’s at bookstores and retail outlets throughout the valley and makes a dandy present.