Los Angeles Times
$20,000 worth of marijuana harvested, burned
Sept. 8, 1948: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Smith drags a load of marijuana from a roadside patch in Rosemead. The plants were later burned.
A story in the next morning’s L.A. Times reported:
Marijuana valued at $20,000 went up in smoke yesterday — but not puff by puff.
An even dozen “trees” of the narcotic weed, some as high as 10 feet, were burned by Lt. Ray Huber and other members of the Sheriff’s narcotic
squad and Federal Agent George R. Davis. Apparently growing wild, the stuff was gathered from two places–beside the fence of a slaughterhouse at Rush St. and Loma Ave., Rosemead, and in an alley behind 6800 Alameda St.
Lt. Huber disclosed that the narcotic squad’s attention was first called to the Rosemead marijuana patch two weeks ago. Since then, he said, there has been a “stake-out” there to nab anyone who attempted to harvest it. When no suspicious characters appeared, it was decided to destroy it under Federal supervision as required by law.
This photo was published in the Sept. 9, 1948, Los Angeles Times.
Now strangely, if you look at the picture real close, everyone seems to be puffing on something.
Hmm...that last guy looks familiar