The New York herald., 1850-04-29

them them in ownership cit being understood that they
they should descend by inhertanceo
On the Soth March, 1876, the A,.sembly passed
I. Authorizing the gove-.o, 1, ,,asr 20 make .e
;eus ~ ne should believe most expe-
San CAN, -ss the total ruin of the missions OF
fo"nS ;.el, San Luis Rey, San Diego, and others
.ans of said establishments had large debts against
them, if the existing property not sufficient to
cover the same, they might be put into bankruptcy
3. That if, from this authorization, the povernnr
in order to avoid the destruction to which the said
missions were approaching, should determine to
sell them to private persons, the sale should be by
public auction. T. That when sold, If, after the
debts were satisfied, there should be any remain
der, il should he distributed TO the Indians of the
respective establishments. B. That, in view OF the
| expenses necessary in the maintainincc OF the
| priest, and of divine worship, the governor might
| determine portion OF the whole property, whether
of cultivable lands houses, or of any other descrip-
ton, according to his discretion, and by consulta-
| thus determined should be delivered by sale,
but subectto perpetual interest of four per cent
| for The uses above Indicated T. That the present
act should not affect anything already done con-
tracts made IN pursuance of the decree of 18th May
| last, prevent anything being done confomable
| to that decree. 3 That the governor should pro-
vide against all impcdments that might not be FORE
seen by the act, and in six months, at tfarhes. give
an account TO the assembly, OF the results OF its full
| filment.
| Previous to several of the last mentioned acts,
that is, on the 2ith August, 1914, the Departmental
| Assembly, IN anticipation OF war breaking OUT.
passed law authorizing the governor, on the hap
pening of that contingency, either ''to sell, hypo
thecate or rent the houses landed property and field
lands of the missions, comprehended in the whole
| extent fthe country from San Diego 10 Sonoma,"
except that of Santa barbara, preserved for the re-
! These comprise all the general acts of the autho-
rites Of California which was able to meet II on
| the subject OF the missions. Of the extent or
| ner in which they were carried into execution, so
| far the missions proper that is, the mission
| buildings and lands appurtenant--are concerned,
but little information is afforded by whit could
| find in the archives. A very con siderable part,
however, of the grants made since the OF secu-
larization of 1888, Comprising the bulk of all the
grants III the countryO are of lands previously re-
cognised as appurtenances of the missions, and so
| used as grazing farms, or for other purposes. In
some cases, the petitions for such grants were re-
| ierred to the principal priest at the mission to
which the land pettoned for was attached, and his
| opinion taken whether the grant could be made
| without prejudice to the mission In other cases,
| and generally, this formalty was not Observed
This remark relates to the farms and grazing grounds
(rd1chos) occupied by the missions apart from the
| lands around the mission buildings. There are,
| however, some grants in the immediate precincts
of the missions, and some titles to Indians, pursu-
ant 10 the regulation of Governor Fgueroa, and the
| proclamation of Governor Pico, of record in the
| hle of erpedientes of grants before noticed
| What have been able TO gather from the meagre
| records and memoranda in the archives, and from
private information and examination of the actual
state Of the missions, is given below. II is neces-
sary to explain, however, still farther than have,
| that in speaking of the missions now We cannot un-
derstand the great establishments which they were.
Since 1893, and even before, farms of great (many
| leaeues) extent, and many of them, have reduced
the limits they enjoyed, in all cases very greatly,
and in some instances into a narrow compass and
while their borders have been thus cut of, their
| planting and other grounds inside are dotted to a
greater or less extent by private grants. The ex-
tent 10 which this has been the can only be as.
certained by the same process that is necessary
everywhere in California to separate public from
private lands, namely, authorized surveys Of the
grants according TO their calls, which, though not
definite, will almost always furnish some dstin-
gnishable natural object to guide the sIrveyor.*-
The actual condition of the establishments, under
standing them in the reduced sense above shown
was, at the time the Mexican government ceased
in California and according TO the best information
could obtain, as follows
Missions. Where situated.
San Diego. ...... 32s4S' Sold to Santiago Arguel-
10, June &. 1876.
San Luis Rey. J3 03 Sold to Antonio Cot and
1886
San Juan Capistrano. 80 % Pueblo and remainder
sold to John Foster
and James cXnley,
December q. 1sl5
San Gabriel. 81 10 Sold to Julian Workman
and Hugo Reil, June
SAN Fernando. "a 10 Rented to Andres Pico,
cember, 1875 ami sold
to to Juan Cells, June
San Bucnavcntura 81 80 Sold to Joseph Arnaz
Santa Barbara. "a 4S Rented for years from
june S, 1910 to Nicho-
Santa Ynes.. "a So Rented to joaquin Ca
rlo.
La Purislma. ..... 50 90 Sold to John Temple,
December q, 1876.
San Luis obi'po.. % 80 Pueblo.
san Miguel. - As Uncertain.
san Antonio. 20 80 Vacant.
soledad d....... 80 IS House and garden sold
to sobrdnes Jan. 4,
Carmel. :...... % "A Pueblo
Juan Bautista. % 5s Pueblo.
santa Cruz. 3. 90 Vacant.
santa ela'a- .. 70 In charge ot priest
san san Jose. '....'.'.. 81 ~ In charge of priest.
Dolores: .;...... 80 IS Pueblo.
san Hafaei'.. u 90 Mission in charge Of
San Francisco solano IS 80 MISSION in char, Of
priest
The information above given concerning the con-
dillon Of the missions. nj the time OF the cessation
Of the lormer government, IL partly obtained from
documents m the archives, and partly from private
sources What Is 10 be traced in the archives is
on lcose sheets opaper, liable 10 I've lost aud parts
quite likely have been lost there may also be some
papers concerning them, which, in The mass ofdoc-
un.nis. escaped my examination. | have no doubt
however, of the cxactness Of the statement above
given, as far as il goes.
II will be seen, then, that the missions--ih. prn.
cipai part Of their lands cut oil by private grin;s
but sil no doubt, each embracing considerable
uact-pcrhaps flom one 10 ten icagucs--hsyp. some
OF them, been sold or granted under The Iormer
government, and become private property some
converted into villages and consc ,ucativ granted
in the usual orn in lots to individuals ana heads OF
families; PER- are in the hands oi fcnircs. aud az
the disposal Of the government when these con-
tracts expire; and the remainder al IL present dis
posal
IL il were within my province to suggest what
would be an equitable disposition ct such of the
missions a. remain the property OF he government
should say, that The churches. with all The church
property and oinancnis; p0rtiol on the principal
building for the residence of the priest. wtih "A
piece OF land equal to that drsicTrrt IN tho crir;