History in the Week of July 15
Madera Count Historical Society One hundred years ago, the Southern Hotel, shown here, bit the dust. Mrs. Ray Northern, who operated the pioneer establishment decided to call it quits. As a result, one of Madera’s first landmarks stood no more. The hotel was built in 1893, the same year Madera became a county.
50 Years Ago
Week of July 15, 1968
65 DOGS PICKED UP UNDER LEASH LAW — Some 65 dogs have been impounded by the City Pound since the dog-leash ordinance became effective July 3. Police Chief Horace Dowell reported some of the dogs picked up were found wandering the city streets and some were turned in by people who wanted to dispose of them. On the whole, he indicated, city dog owners seemed to be cooperating with the ordinance as the animal control officer had reported dogs were becoming “hard to find” on the streets. But, Dowell pointed out, it would take time to find out what the real effects of the ordinance will be. Some of the dog owners have gone to the pound and taken the animals home. Others have called asking their dogs be impounded for disposal.
MORRIS ACCIDENT DRIVER’S HEARING DELAYED — The preliminary hearing of a Porterville man involved in the wrong way accident that orphaned the 10 brothers and sisters in the Robert Morris family was delayed here Thursday. A legal technicality over the administering of a blood test to Clifford Salmon, 61, caused the preliminary hearing in Fresno Municipal Court to be suspended. Salmon is charged with felony manslaughter and felony drunken driving in connection with the July 2 crash that took the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Morris. The legal entanglement at the hearing arose when Salmon said arresting officers did not advise him of his right to refuse the blood test.
CUHS HIRES NEW ADMINISTRATOR — James C. Hill was hired as assistant principal at Chowchilla Union High School by the high school Board of Trustees at their regular monthly meeting. Hill, who is 42 years old, comes from Hayfork, where he was principal of the high school. He will replace Clyde Quick, who retired this spring. The new assistant principal received his A.B. degree in 1950 from Pasadena College and his Masters in 1957 from Los Angeles State. He is married and has three children ages 13, 9 and 7. Salary for Hill will be $11,000 for 11 months.
MADERA HIGH MAY HAVE TO LOOK FOR FOOTBALL COACH — Madera High School may be in the market for a new football coach according to reliable reports received at the Daily Tribune today. It was learned that Crane, who was selected to be Madera’s new head football coach last March, has been offered the number one job as offensive coach for Eastern Washington State College. Crane was hired to replace George Farrell, who quit after a 2-8 season. Crane was head football coach and athletic director at Chowchilla High School last year. He compiled a 27-12-1 record in four years at Chowchilla, including an 11-1 mark last season in which the team won the Sequoia League title.
FARMERS OKAY BOYCOTT OF AUTOS AND TRACTORS —- A boycott on the purchase of union-made cars, trucks, tractors and other equipment in response to the boycott of California grapes was urged today by the Madera County Farm Bureau. The bureau’s executive board unanimously adopted a resolution Wednesday night, which parallels the Fresno bureau’s recent call for retaliation against Detroit. All farmers and ranchers are urged to notify the AFL-CIO unions through dealers that they do not plan to buy any automotive equipment or other rolling stock for three years or until the grape boycott is lifted. Farmers supporting the action already have cancelled orders for tractors, trucks and other farm equipment and pledged themselves to make do with present units, according to the announcement. 100 Years Ago
Week of July 15, 1918
LOCAL MAN DESERTED THE ARMY — The first case of desertion from the army in which a local registrant has figured, was reported today to the local board. Notice has been received that Frank Armenta, a Mexican boy who was sent to Camp Lewis on January 18th from Madera County, deserted from the base hospital at Camp Bowie, Texas, on the 9th of July. Armenta is not in reality a Madera County boy. He was picked up by Deputy Marshal March at Chowchilla on a charge of stealing some clothing, and it was discovered that he had not registered. The case was carefully considered and Justice Cornell decided to dismiss the pettit larceny charge so that he might be sent to war. This was done and Armenta was sent to Camp Lewis. It is believed that he took advantage of his nearness to Mexico and escaped across the border.
SOUTHERN HOTEL TO GO — The Southern Hotel located at the corner of B street and Yosemite Avenue and one of the oldest structures in this city, having been in existence for the past 25 years, will soon be a thing of the past. A few days ago Mrs. Ray Northern, who has run the hotel for a number of years, gave it up with the idea of moving to Fresno. At that time the hotel ceased to furnish meals to any of its guests. Miss Mary W. Carey of Oakland, but formerly of this city, arrived the last of the week and announced today that she would tear down the old building. The fact that the building will be removed immediately was borne out today by the notice served upon all the parties who have been rooming there to vacate their rooms as soon as possible.
ANOTHER FINE IMPOSED — Rose Paravagna, the owner and operator of a restaurant and hotel on F street which has been familiarly known as “Rosie’s Place” for a number of years and which is an Italian hang-out, pleaded guilty before Justice G. W. Raburn Sunday to a charge of violating the new liquor license requirement of this city and was fined $500, which she paid. The fine imposed is the maximum fine, although a jail sentence could also have been imposed. This the Paravagna woman escaped by entering a plea of guilty. The crime committed was the sale of liquor without a meal as provided for in the ordinance, she being a holder of one of the restaurant licenses recently issued by the city trustees. S. Oliver, the owner of the Barsotti Hotel, was also arrested on a similar charge but he entered a plea of not guilty and declared his intention of fighting the case.
BIG FLUME HAS BEEN REPAIRED — Probably the quickest repair that was ever made in this county, the extent of the break being taken into consideration, was that made by the Madera Sugar Pine Company in the rebuilding of a full mile of lumber flume which was completely wrecked last Friday morning in a lumber jam. Work repairing the flume was immediately started and the workmen were kept on the job just as long as there was daylight. In a little over three days’ work the entire break had been repaired and water is again running in the flume this evening. The mill at Sugar Pine was only compelled to stop work for one day, laying off Saturday. This morning the mill resumed work as usual, water was turned into the flume and they started shipping lumber.
BOYS WAGE WAR ON THE BIRDS — A band of small boys in the northern part of town declared war this week upon all of the pro-German birds in the neighborhood that have been devastating the gardens and the fruit trees in that part of the city. Arming themselves with 22-calibre rifles, the big bombardment started early and lasted late. While the intent of the youngest might be all right, they did not take into consideration the danger attached to the sport, and the bullets that rained on the house roofs and rattled down around the smaller children. It has a tendency to frighten the mothers and the more nervous housewives of that part of town. It was also decidedly against the law. The matter was finally reported to Constable A. J. Russell, who made an investigation and located the boys with the guns. He gave them a little friendly advice and they promised to lay down their arms and surrender for the sake of the people at large. No arrests were made.
