by Susan Couso
From the time Isaac Roop built his cabin, in 1854, the necessity for a water supply became evident. Roop traced Paiute Creek (then called Smith Creek) about one-half mile back up the stream from his cabin and began improving the water supply.
He built a small dam and channeled the creek to come closer to his cabin and the emigrant road. This began the quest for clean fresh water for Roop’s new town.
As the town grew, its water needs continued to be met by open ditches and wells. But in the 1860s, as diseases such as typhoid and diphtheria ravaged the area, local citizens began to recognize the need for a secure, safe supply of water.
Charles Nixon filed a claim on the springs west of town in 1866. In 1869, local doctor Z. N. Spalding, along with A. A. Smith and W. H. Crane filed a claim for the same land just west of town that encompassed a small spring.
On June 5, 1869, they incorporated Susanville Water Company for the purpose of supplying the town but did little to actually bring the water within reach of the community.
In 1872, attorney E. V. Spencer, W. H. Crane and J. C. Partridge file a claim on the same land and formed the Susanville Ditch Company.
The Susanville Ditch Co. actually constructed open ditches, flumes and bored out logs to convey the water into town. There it was distributed via iron pipes.
At this point the ownership of the springs was in contention, with W. H. Crane having an interest in two of the contesting parties! The confusion grew when, in 1875, the U.S. government granted a patent for the land to Isaac Robinette, who then sold it to W. H. Crane.
Perhaps the great need for the common good caused the conflicting parties to come together. They joined forces and, in 1879, sold the entire thing to Alex T. Arnold, Susan Roop’s husband.
A. T. Arnold owned and operated the water system for about six years before he sold the company. It went through several owners until 1896, when it was sold to Frank and Rilla Cady.
Through Cady’s efforts, the last three-quarters of a mile of the three miles of open ditch, exposed to pollution from livestock, vagrants and all forms of reptile life, was finally enclosed with wooden pipe.
There were two small wooden water tanks to hold up to 3,500 gallons of water. With the water secured in piping, plans went forward to generate electricity, and a small electric plant was built near the storage tanks.
At this time, the Susanville Water Works became the Lassen Water, Light and Power Company, and son, Leon Roy Cady operated the electrical part of the business.
From that time, the Cady family worked to optimize the water supply by improving the springs, enclosing the remaining ditch and building new sanitary tanks which could hold 235,000 gallons of water.
In 1930, Frank and Rilla retired and sold the Susanville Water Company to what was to become, California Pacific Utilities Company.
Today, Cady Springs is still a vital part of the water system that supplies the town of Susanville.
