The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-06-07

ITO be Contfnuedj
| CALIFORNIA SCENES
| A correspondent of the New York Times
travelling in California, furnishes some
graphic sketches, q few of which we sub.
join:
| AN IRISH GENIUs.-The genius of thif
| valley, and the spirit of the town, is an
Irishman named Mclaughlin, who squeezed
| in here few years ago. He has done more
to urge the place forward and infpse in.
dnstry than all the rest of the people put
together. Speaking of Mclaughlin, there
is a very clever anecdote told at his ex-
pense. 1t seems that friend, ON q visit,
after discovering that the element Mehicano
predominated, accosted Mack with 81 say,
my friend, are there any americans in this
placer "Divl soul" answered Mack,
.eexcept Big Dutch Sam and myself" Mr..
Mclaughlin came to this place as an ostler
three or four years ago; but is now the
thriftiest person in San Juan valley. He
has fine large farm, upon which he raised
large crops of corn and wheat last year.
He is the postmaster, and proprietor of the
hotel, and gives you a nice little meal "a
little too frugal and clean place in the
(born in Ireland) can do in a broken-down
Mexican pueblo.
THE OLD MISSION CHURCH, have lust
paid visit to the old Mission Church, one
of the most interesting edifces, or ruins of
an edifice, in Southern California. This
mission was called San Juan Capistrano,
and perpetuates the memory of on old
Franciscan friar of eminence, named San
Juan, who was born in Capistrano, Naples,
and was at first educated for a lawyer
This profession being distasteful to him, he
Joined the order of St. Francis, and in a
short time became a very holy man, and
died great number of years ago, leaving
none to succeed him in virtue, genius, and
profound wisdom and education.
This site was selected in 1z76, by Padre
Gorgonio. The buildings were a long
time in process of erection, during which
time Padres Amunio and Mugartegin
were the officiating friars, and were not
completed until short time before the de-
struction of the church by an earthquake,
which occurred precisely at seven O'Clock,
Sunday morning, December 8, 1923, killing
thirty-nine persons. l learn from Father
Nut, who is located here at present, and
who gets his information from old records,
which he read to me in Spanish, that not
withstanding the impression that the earth
quake that destroyed this church was a
terrific one, such is not the case. It seems
that the church, when finished, was sur
mounted by huge tower, which when
completed, not only leaned from perpen-
and unworkmanlike. The earthquake itself
destroyed nothing else in town, and nothing
about the church except the tower, which.
receiving the vibration, toppled over, and
falling, broke in two, one part crushing in
the roof, and the other dropping on the
outside into the street. A glance at the
ruins proves this to have been the case.
This was one of the noblest edifices reared
by these California padres. 1t was built of
lime and stone, and was one hundred and
fifty feet in length, one hundred in width,
and had corridors two hundred feet long.
The interior of the cathedral was very
spacious, and was nearly eighty feet from
pit to DOME The wallis are of great strength
and are still star ding. They are four feet
| in thickness and tenacious as concrete.
| The corridors are in an excellent state of
preservation, and so is a great portion of
the furniture, which has been in use nearly
hundred years. Father Nut occupies two
rooms, and the rest are appropriated for
educational and devotional purposes. He
is IL young priest, born and educated in
Spain. We managed to converse together,
Notwithstanding his bad English and my
ditto Castilian. This church is owned by
the Roman Catholic diocese. Father Nut,
besides officiating as priest, teaches the
school, and otherwise devotes his time to
labor, and lives upon the hospitality of the
people, receiving no remuneration from the
diocese. The last padres connected with
this mission during its Franciscan days
We're Francisco Sunea and Jose Barronna.
| There are two beautiful gardens connected
with this mission, containing nearly three
hundred olive trees, all in splendid bearing
order.
We should forget that there was any
| such thing as suffering in the world, were
| sNt xlnI ~