Will Speegle Column - "Remember When..." For many years Hum. Co. was the home of two very important tannery plants. The Devlin Tannery was in Arcata. Another tannery, established by John M. Sass, was located 2 mi west of Freshwater Corners alongside a bend in the OAR. This one closed shortly after WWI. A short time later the bldgs. burned. The Devlin plant closed around 1925.