Author Archives: David L Stevens

About David L Stevens

David has been the creator and maintainer of Trona on the Web since 1996. He has been creating websites since the beginning of the World Wide Web. He is not the best person to be the webmaster for a Trona Website but someone needs to do it and Doug Polly isn't with us any longer. David worked in maintenance for the San Bernardino City Schools, retired from Honeywell, worked in IT for a while, as school bus driver until COVID-19 made it too dangerous. David is now retired and spends his time gardening, collecting stamps and learning to cook.

Jimmy Ewing – Class of 1953

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Jim Ewing, class of 1953, passed away in March of 2012. In looking for information about Jim’s death I learned that in 1940 Jim’s grandfather, James Ewing, was the fire chief in Trona and that Jim’s father, Arthur, died in Trona in 1951 at the age of 38.

My brother Joel told me that Arthur was and electrician for AP&CC and while he was working inside a product elevator someone turned it on. If I remember correctly it took several days work to recover the body. “Lock-out, Tag-out” seems so obvious now and I am sure it has saved a lot of lives. Still I remember a similar accident occurring at Kaiser Steel where the lock was cut and the tag removed. I was told by someone who worked there in the 70s that Kaiser Steel averaged an on the job death a week.

The following is an email from Jim’s daughter, Tami, to George Sherman:

“My dad had some health issues but was very diligent about seeing his doctor and taking his medications and was living happily in San Diego. My husband and I visited every other weekend as he was yearning to spend more and more time with family as he was getting along in years. I mention that as there was no outward indication of any serious health issues.

Sunday, March 4th, I received a call from my dad letting me know he had been admitted to Scripps hospital in San Diego. He took a bad fall in his condo, (evidently from ‘blacking out’) and broke 4 ribs. My dad fought to recover from his injuries, for awhile, but doctors informed me they were more concerned about his other ‘health issues’ than they were his ribs. He had liver disease and while admitted, hospital doctors learned he was having heart trouble (which explained why he had the black out). As each day passed, he got progressively worse and the rib injuries were extremely painful for him.

I spent day and night at his hospital bedside until he was finally to weak to fight, He passed away peacefully on March 21, 2012, I held his hand, prayed with him, and we watched the sun setting over the San Diego Bay as he took his last breath.

Sorry to ramble, I loved my dad very much and it gives me some comfort to share a little with his friends. My dad loved his friends very much, especially those he kept in contact with from Trona. I know because a) he told me so and b) he always talked about them. *smile*

Tami”

David (Harral) Fuller – Class of 1960

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David (Harral) Fuller and his brother Richard went by the name of “Harral” when they were in high school but their real name was Fuller. After high school they went back to using their real name. David was born on September 7, 1942 and died on October 23, 2013. The last address I had for him was Los Molinos, CA but apparently he had moved to Louisiana. Linda Monroe said he had lung cancer but did not know if this was the cause of death or not. The arrangements were handled by Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Blvd, Metairie, LA 70006. David’s brother, Richard, died in 1995 and is buried in Trona.

Trona Bloody Trona

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Trona Bloody Trona is a book that was recently published about the 1970 strike. Linda Monroe emailed me and told me about it. If you are from Trona you should read this book.

I will never think of Trona in the same way again. Kerr McGee changed Trona. The 1970 strike changed Trona. Time changed Trona. My memories of Trona are childhood memories of wonderful teachers, Austin Hall, the club house, the sables and the fish pond at the railway office. I really don’t want the images of Trona this book has put into my head.

In 1970 I was working in San Bernardino and apparently I was so busy living my own life that I was barley aware of the strike in Trona. I can remember visiting my parents in Trona a short while after the strike was over. We sat in my mothers kitchen on Argus Ave. and I listened to them and my brothers talk about the things that happened during the strike. Some of the stories they told were different versions of the stories Paul Abrams tells about in his book. They were different versions of the stories that were on the news during the strike.

One of the stories we talked about while sitting at my mother’s kitchen was the fire at Zimmerman’s Lumber. I had forgotten all about the fire until recently and was doing research for a story I wanted to write about the stables. Someone I asked about the stables mentioned a fire in the barn. I wrote to Mary Bermani to ask her what she knew about the fire. Well, that was the wrong thing for me to do. Her memories were about the fire I had forgotten. The fire that changed her father’s and her families lives.

There were many families that lost all they had before the strike was over in spite of what this book implies. The strikers were sold out by their union and all I can say is that if corporations were people Kerr-McGee would have died and gone to hell.

I know that most of those that were involved have forgiven and forgotten. That is the way Trona people are. I also know that there will be some with long memories that will never forget or forgive. I am a big believer that forgiveness is very important but I also know that it is something that I often find hard to do.

I see Paul Henry Abram as the hero he makes himself out to be in this book. He wrote a good book. I enjoyed reading it. My only regret is that it may tear a scab off a wound that that will never totally heal.

Thurman Clifton Peterson – Class of 1961

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Thurman Clifton Peterson was born March 2, 1943. He left us on March 28, 2010. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Viki Carol Peterson and three daughters, June, Pam and Becky; three son-in-laws, Phil, Dave and Anthony; seven grandchildren, Kayla, Ashley, Kassie, Eric, Drew, Brandon, and Jordan; and two great-grandchildren. Chuck and Kaydn. Pete was a beloved man. He was friend and father to all his nieces and nephews. He may have left us in his body but his memory will with us through his friends and family.

Published in the Modesto Bee

This is more old news that is new to me so I am passing it along. I didn’t know Thurmnan that well. I remember him as being even shyer than I was. That may be just an impression that I got or a result of how we interacted with each other. He, I and Ken Hall spent a week together at a LDS orchard helping with the peach and pear harvest whe we were about 16. The orchard was in Littlerock near Palmdale. The other thing I remember about Thurman was how good he was at high hurdles. Coach Long kept wanting me to run them. I tried but I could never overcome my fear landing on one the wrong way.

Linda Billy Darneal – Class of 1959

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This is old news but is new to me so I thought it was worth passing along.

Linda Billy (Darneal) Jones was born on August 11, 1941 in Ventura, California and passed away on January 12, 2010 with her family by her side.

Billy traveled down many paths in her life. She worked in the gaming business as a dealer and pit boss for over 40 years. She loved the game of golf. Billy worked at the golf course (that she adored so much) and accomplished two hole-in-ones. For many years, she owned the Ryndon Quarter Horse Ranch in Elko, Nevada where she bred and showed championship horses. Billy was also a very talented artist and enjoyed being on a bowling league for several years.

Billy was outspoken, courageous, and fearless. Her spunky personality and incredible ability to tell a funny joke would always fill the room with smiles and laughter. Her Fideaux joke will never be forgotton.

She was very passionate about her children, grandchildren, family and beloved animal friends. They meant the world to her. Billy had a tremendous love for her friends and always took care of them whenever she was needed.

Forever missing her love and warm heart are her mother, Wanda Darneal, sister Dinah Daane (John), children, Lyn Cerminaro (Mike), Jason Jones (Charlotte), Holly Jones, Erico Bisquera (Lori), grandchildren, Kayla, Logan, Ellie, Peyton, Koen, and baby Boies (to come), many loving friends, cousins, nephews, and her loyal companion Chasey.

She will be reunited with her father Calvin Darneal, brother-in-law Tony Cavalli, her best friends Myrt and Joan, and beloved horse Pardner.

A celebration of Billy’s life was held on January 28, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the Christian Fellowship Church, 95 S. 1st Street, Wendover, Utah.

Published in Elko Daily from January 25 to February 26, 2010

The 5 Cent Coke Machines

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You must be an old timer if you can remember Trona’s Coke machines. I don’t know why but the seemed to attach young boys like like a magnet. There was something magical about a machine that could dispense such a wonderful product. I still remember what it sounds like when it was dropping into the opening. The fact that it was a machine and that we were boy probably had a lot to do with the magic.

I still remember the taste of my first six ounce vending machine Coke in a glass bottle. Today’s Cokes and Pepis don’t even come close. The machines kept the Cokes super cold and on a hot day there wasn’t anything better to cool you down. The fact that my mother forbid us from drinking Coke made it taste even better.

Each bunkhouse had at least one Coke machine and some had two or more. A nickel doesn’t sound like much today but in the fifties coming up with a nickel wasn’t easy for a young boy. The word hacker didn’t exist back then but Coke machine hackers sure did. Some of us tried slugs but the machines had magnets and gaps that deflected iron slugs and coins that were too heavy or light so if anyone did get a slug to work it was exceptional luck.

Probably the best hack I’ve heard was waiting around a machine and then complaining to the first adult that came by that the machine ate your nickel and didn’t dispense a coke. I don’t think I ever did this but someone who did told me that it worked every time.

There was one daring young man that I know that learned he could stick his hand up the opening, tug on the bottle a little and out it would come. One day he did this and about 15 bottles came out at one time. Most of them broke when they hit the floor and most of the kids that were watching immediately scattered.

Since the machines had moving parts there was a risk of losing a finger or maybe a hand but no one ever got hurt by doing this that I know of. I’ll confess that every once in awhile this is the way I got my forbidden cokes.

Eventually they changed the machines to a different style that made it impossible to pull a Coke out without paying but there were hacks that worked with limited success on these too.

When you think about it being able to deliver a bottle of Coke for a nickel in a bottle that was washed and recycled came pretty close to being magic.

John C. Heter – Class of 1963

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John C. Heter passed away on June 19, 2013 in Ontario, California. He was 68 years old. John resided in Ridgecrest, California since 2010, having moved from Valencia, California. He was born May 3, 1945 in Trona, California. John was a geologist before retiring in 2010, and served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. John will be missed by his Facebook friends.

Robert Moses – Class of 1961

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Robert Moses 1943-2013

Robert Moses 1943-2013, Trona High School class of 1961 died in Tennessee. He had been in ill health for a long time. No obituary is available.

Gerald Smith “Jerry” Eyre – Class of 1950

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Gerald Smith “Jerry” Eyre died Oct. 15, 2012. He was 81.

Jerry was born July 15, 1931 in Lovell, Big Horn, Wyo. to Orton Berdette and Helen Lovevoize Smith Eyre. The Eyre family moved to Randsburg in 1935. Jerry was one of seven children. His father was employed at the famous Yellow Aster Gold Mine in Randsburg as a hard rock miner.

A strike closed the mine in 1940/1941, so the Eyre family moved to Ridgecrest and lived for a short time in one of the Joe Fox properties situated near what is now the IWV Water District office.

Jerry’s father found employment at the American Potash and Chemical Company in Trona, now called Searles Valley Minerals.

The family moved to Trona in 1942, where Jerry attended the Trona School System until he graduated from high school.

Jerry married Mary Ann Beach of Ridgecrest.
The marriage was blessed with three sons Jerry, Vince and Brad.

Trona’s First Pool

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Trona’s first swimming pool was not Valley Wells. It was Crawley Pond and was located by the plant near the Number Two Evaporator House. The first photograph of it below is from a scrapbook put together by Elisabeth and Peggy Gauslin while they lived in Trona in about 1915. It was sent to me by Elisabeth’s son, John Whitelaw. The second picture is from the files in the SVHS Library and was sent to me by Lit Brush. The third picture is the new Trona pool and the picture was stolen from the Trona Alumni page on FB. Pools in Trona have come a long way haven’t they?

Crawley Pond with members of Gauslin Family — J. Whitelaw Collection Circa 1917
Crawley Pond — Courtesy SVHS Circa 1917

Trona’s New Pool – Courtesy Facebook

Westend Pool

Valley Wells