Thank goodness, as fellow saddlepal John Duarte points out, that, “… time, like your uncle, is relative.” It can’t be May already. Wasn’t January just 20 minutes ago? This morning, we’ve a most interesting adventure ahead, what with a pair of heinous kidnappings, movie stars, a visit to one of our last Civil War vets, rodeos and the World’s Largest Randy Wicks cartoon.
And a big, giant sigh and “eeeeesh,” on that last item. For you newcomers, we were blessed to have on Signal staff, literally, one of the planet’s best political cartoonists. He went on to his reward coming up on 30 years ago this year, back in August 1996, at the most young age of 41.
Let’s do a little lazy moseying …
WAY, WAY BACK WHEN
MOO-LESS IN SCLARITA — The cattle market collapsed and mayor of Los Angeles and owner of the Rancho San Francisco (today, much of the Santa Clarita Valley), Ignacio del Valle, was forced to sell his home. In a complicated land deal, front man Thomas R. Bard bought the rancho on April 29, 1865. Imagine. Owning the entire valley. On the bright side, Ignacio wasn’t in charge of personally watering or pruning it.
THE GREAT NATIVE AMERICAN TREASURE TROVE AT PRE-CHIQUITA LANDFILL — On May 2, 1884, two teenage brothers, McCoy and Everette Pyle, climbing around the hills of what would be Val Verde, discovered one of the most significant Indian artifact sites in American history. The cave they found would be named, oddly, Bowers Cave, in Chiquita Canyon, named after the Ventura amateur archaeologist and newspaper publisher who bought the boys’ cache. Bowers later sold his goodies to the Peabody Museum at Harvard where they still rest today. Poor “Mac.” Perhaps he suffered some Tataviam curse for raiding the tomb. When he first entered the cave, he wrote, in smoke, “Mac Coy, 1884.” He would become a local lawman and, just a few years later, some skunk snuck up behind him in Castaic, put a revolver to the back of his head and shot him dead.
MAY 2, 1926
FROM COCONUT GROVES TO THE HIGH CHAPPARAL — Henry Clay Needham sold off 2 acres from his big spread that today would be the Needham industrial park just east of Downtown Newhall. Needham, our oft-presidential candidate, made a few bucks selling the land to Mr. July Paka, who just sold his coconut groves in Hawaii and started buying up land in the Santa Clarita Valley as investments. Needham, by the way, was a semi-major presidential candidate, representing the Prohibitionist Party. Interestingly, Hank was a beloved figure locally but never once carried his hometown at the polls.
THE NAVAJO RODEO OF A CENTURY AGO — Of course we would be famous for the big Newhall-Saugus rodeo. But another big wild West shindig that went on was Harry Carey’s big barbecue and rodeo show. Carey, one of Hollywood’s top silent stars, had a huge spread up San Francisquito Canyon. He hosted a party for about 2,000 folks, which included a rodeo manned mostly by his Navajo riders.
TREED BY A PANTHER — John Hossack was putting a new roof on his Bouquet Canyon home and took a moment to take in the beauty of spring. He almost fell off the roof. Seems a pure black mountain lion, estimated to be about 7 feet long, was sitting nearby, acting as sidewalk supervisor. Hossack didn’t come down from the roof for a while, although we doubt if he’s still up there.
SHOULD THIS BE FILED UNDER HISTORY, OR, TALL TALES? — Let’s just say this was from the lips of John B. McCheeney, long-time resident of Agua Dulce. McCheeney was a Civil War veteran whose claim to fame was he was captured by his brother, who was fighting on the side of the Confederacy.
‘THEM’ HUSBANDS OR ‘THOSE?’ — On this date, the Newhall Girls Recreational Club put on the play: “Those Husbands of Ours.”
MAY 2, 1936
I GUESS HE DIDN’T NEED THE MONEY — But on this date, the Hay King, Bill Mayhue, found an old check dating back to the early 20th century from Saugus’ leading citizen, O.W. Bercaw, of Bercaw’s Store fame. Mayhue cashed it.
MUSSOLINI VISITS SAUGUS — In 1936, the Newhall-Saugus Rodeo was also called the Hill Rodeo. A little footnote: while cowboys from all over North America competed, our local young boy and stuntman, Fox Callahan, took first in the bareback bronc riding. Interestingly, a horse drew more attention than the humans. The sunfisher (that’d be a high-spirited horse) named Mussolini kept his “never-been-ridden” streak intact. Nobody could stay on him for the count.
MAY 2, 1946
TWO-GUN BILL VISITS HIS LAST RODEO — Our valley’s icon, William S. Hart, made one of his last public appearances, taking a standing ovation when he was introduced at the 20th annual Newhall-Saugus rodeo. (Hart would die in June 1946.) The Jauregui boys, Andy and Bob, supplied both the rodeo stock and some on-hand thrills. Both placed in the bronc riding competition, which drew a smidge of ire from some of the competition.
AMERICAN LEGIONNAIRE TAKES OVER THE AMERICAN — On this date, Henry Dreher bought out his partner, Hal Hall, as the sole owner of the American Theatre. Hal had been busy with something called World War II the previous few years. Today, our historic movie house, built in 1941, is the American Legion Hall. It’s behind the Newhall Library parking lot on Spruce Street.
MAY 2, 1956
IN THE MIDST OF THE BARBERSHOP WARS — Ed Holmes, who owned the shop by the post office, said he had been visited by four burly men who had offered none-too-veiled threats about his safety. They, or someone, poured poison on the door handle, burning the hand of Holmes when he opened the next morning. Then, another barber, Bud Hesselius, reported someone had poured motor oil on the sidewalk in front of his shop, causing an elderly lady to slip. The culprits may have been working for a Los Angeles barber union, which was trying to control business and prices.
THE CAMPTON/BRICKER GENERAL STORE — Not too many people know the name of Harry W. Bricker. He came over Beale’s Cut in the early 20th century, bringing his family here in 1914. He opened a small grocery store in what would later be the telephone company building. He would also buy the Campton General Store on Spruce Street.
KIDNAPPED AND NO ONE CARED — For hour after hour, Frank Ford listened as cars roared by him on the Weldon Canyon portion of Highway 99. Bound by rope and wire, it took hours for him to free just one arm. He rolled down the window and waved a newspaper at passing motorists. Finally, someone stopped. Ford had been kidnapped by two thugs, robbed of $113 and tied up and abandoned in his car.
LIFE IMITATES ART IN THIS CAPER — Llewelln Cobb was arrested for stealing nearly $1,000 in tack from Melody Ranch on this date. They were filming a movie and while the good guys were chasing the bad guys on the set, Cobb liberated several saddles.
HMMMM. WHAT WAS THAT TELEPHONE NUMBER AGAIN? — I’ve shared this one before, but the old Newhall/Hammond Lumber Co. had the easiest telephone number in town to remember: 1. Yup. 1.
MAY 2, 1966
SPEED KILLS — The stars must have not been in our favor. Forty years back this week, there were five major traffic collisions, three of which resulted in fatalities. Another wreck involved two youths drag racing on Newhall Avenue. One car flipped and it was estimated it was doing 105 mph. In the fifth accident, a sheriff’s patrol car was smashed during a pursuit of a speeder when a housewife made an illegal left turn across double yellow lines right in front of the chase vehicle.
SURF’S UP! — I wish I could bring some of these cars back to the future. Hugh Johnson had a big sale at his Ford dealership. He was clearing inventory and offered such deals as a 1960 Nomad wagon (the classic station wagon for surfers) for $48 down, $48 a month and a ’59 Chevy Impala convertible for $38 down/$38 per month. Of course, ol’ Hugh didn’t say how many months …
MAY 2, 1976
A SPARK & PETROLEUM? WHAT COULD GO WRONG? — From the Well-Duh Department, a fire started in Placerita Canyon when an oil worker was taking apart a very large holding tank for petroleum products. The guy was using an acetylene torch. Hmmm. Giant barrel full of oil residue — acetylene torch … Giant barrel full of oil residue — acetylene torch … Naaaaahhhh … What could go wrong?
HIS LAST DRINK, HIS LAST KIDNAPPING — Betty Fithian was at the wrong place at the wrong time. That would be at work. Betty owned the old Shamrock Lounge in Castaic for 50 years. She closed up early and was kidnapped by an occasional patron and transient, 60-year-old Harvey Cox. After holding her at shotgun-point, he consumed a large amount of whiskey and demanded she give him all her money and drive him out of town. Cox kidnapped a second elderly man en route and had them both in Betty’s car. While she was stopped at a gas station on McBean Parkway, a friend spotted her, walked up to her window and asked if everything was all right. That’s when Betty simply said, “No.” The friend drove to a nearby fire station and the sheriffs rushed to the scene at the proverbial 11th-hour, 59th-minute, 59th-second. The male kidnap victim had fled the car as the deputies arrived. That’s when Cox, in the back seat, raised his shotgun and said he was going to kill Betty. She wrestled with the felon, grabbing the gun barrel. That’s when two deputies ran up and pumped three shotgun shells and all six rounds from a service revolver into the back of the car, hitting Cox. After all that ordnance fired into him, he was taken to the hospital where he was listed in good condition. That night, however, was his last kidnapping and last whiskey.
THE LOST FREEWAY — We lost yet another cross-valley connector. On this date, Caltrans said they were X-ing out any plans to extend Highway 126 and make it a freeway directly connecting to Highway 14. The route was originally put on the map in 1963.
MAY 2,1986
TOXIC FIRE — After two years, the Space Ordnance Systems case finally reached a verdict. Two SOS executives, Joe Cabaret and Michael Murphy, entered a no contest plea to two misdemeanor hazardous waste dumping charges. The district attorney — ahem — dumped the other 84 charges. The execs also did some weekend community service. The company, set back on pristine Placerita Canyon Road near Sand Canyon, also agreed to pay $300,000 of an original $2 million fine, half of which would go for cleanup of the sight.
ONE BIG-ASTERISK CARTOON — On this date, our beloved and fabled cartoonist, Randy Ray Wicks, set a world’s record for the largest single cartoon ever printed in The Mighty Signal. It was nearly the length of the entire opinion page (16 inches) by 6 inches wide. It was about the previous SOS verdict.
HMMM. WONDER IF THERE’S AN ORGANIZATION OUT THERE CALLED THE ENEMIES OF HART PARK? — On this date, a county court finally gave the Friends of Hart Park permission to open up a souvenir stand. For years, the county incorrectly interpreted Hart’s will, feeling that a gift shop benefiting the park WAS a commercial venture and against the silent film star’s wishes. A higher court ruled that was rather silly, with benefits of the small store going right back to the upkeep of the park.
• • •
Well. By those familiar lights ahead, we’re back in 2026. After we cool down our mounts, I trust the rest of you will enjoy the rest of the weekend. I’ll see you next Saturday back here at The Mighty Signal hitching post with another wonderful set of stories from our rich past. And, until then, be good and — vayan con Dios, amigos!
Local historian and the world’s most prolific satirist/humorist John Boston has launched his new eclectic bookstore — johnboston-books.com. His hilarious adventure/family/supernatural sequel to the national bestseller, “Naked Came the Sasquatch” — “Naked Came the Novelist” — is on sale now. Ditto with his two-volume “Monsters” series about the supernatural in the SCV.
