what happened to the desert town of trona?

Question

half the homes look burned out and some look new. almost every car is new or expensive looking

Answer 1

Located in San Bernardino County, California, in the Greater Mojave Desert, bordered by the Argus and Slate mountains near Death Valley, the valley basin, Searles Lake, is a dry crystal brine lake with over 500 calcareous tufa towers and the world’s richest deposits of chemicals, including 98 of the 104 known naturally occurring chemical elements and the Na3HCO3CO3·2H2O hydrated sodium bicarbonate carbonate mineral from which the town is named. San Bernardino Borax Mining Company started mining here in 1874 and was the first of a succession of business that tried to make money off this land.

The village of Trona was born in 1913 as a company town, necessary for the American Trona Company to house chemical company employees. Employees were paid in company scrip instead of cash to use at the only grocery store. They were given basic housing and a school and library and minimal recreation facilities.

The company was bought by the American Potash & Chemical Corporation in 1926, who expanded production and maintained the town plan. A 1948 brochure describes the company town as a modern industrial village of 2600 people with stores and services operating on the profit-rebating system. Through mergers and acquisitions the company changed hands but remains the largest employer in town.

In the 2000 census, Trona had 1,885 people living there with an average salary of $36,000/year and 20% below the poverty line. People there are poor and spend most of their money on a vehicle to get around in. They don't have the extra money to beautify their property, but sign anything to get some wheels and a cell.

Answer 2

Hush money from the gov't - they found out who let the dogs out.