Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-01-14
CALIFORNIA.

me aclHc hall IaoadS are laSC 3p-
preaching each other and completion.
With this consummation will the
continent be bound together by iron
bands which shall be inseparablc, aud
that shall be a perpetual preventive of
the secession of one portion OF the
country from the other With the
progress of these international rail-
ways, the interests of the people of the
east and centre in the affairs and
knowledge OF the great Pacific Slope,
increases. On the western edge of
the American Continent are being
built up vast and wealthy states, rich
in mineral resources, in the fertility
of their soil, and in the activity and
enterprise their inhabitants. At NJ
distant day San Francisco will be the
great entre pot of the East Indian and
Chinese Trade, as New York has
heretofore been, and is now. OF nearly
all the foreign trade. San Francisco
will then, of necessity, leap forward to
a aposition, Of greater note than she
has heretofore enjoyed. In this event
we are all more or less, interested.
" hen the iron rail shall reach, uninter-
rupted, from oceanic ocean, the impor-
tance of the great ceatral sta, es OF,
the Union will rise in Importance. A
market will then be afforded us on
each hand. In the study OF Caiitor-
MIA, and in the acquisition OF iniovma-
ton regarding her history and her re-
sources, we must all be interested.
The valuable work OF Mr. Cronise,
lately published, gives an immense a
mount OF interesting information. We
extract a few facts bearing upon her
history, and few statistics, regar-
ding her resources, fsr The editication
OF such of our readers rs may feel dis
posed to give moments attention to
that state which few years ago was
a terra iaeogmte.
The territory at present comprising
the State of Calit, rnia, was first dis
covered, and partially described, in the
year 1912, by Juan Rodriguez Cahril-
10, Portuguese by birth, but, at that
time, in the service of the Spanlards,
as pilot or navigator. Thirty six years
afterwards, in 1878, Sir Francis Drake
took possession of a portion OF the coast
in the name of the English Govern
ment. under the idea that he had dis
covered new territory. In 1902, Gen.
Sebastian Viscayno, under orders from
Philip l l of Spain, made an extended
exploration Of the coast, OF the lower
part OF the country. From 1910 to
1860, upwards OF twenty attempts
were made to explore and take pos
session OF the country, under a vague
impression that it abounded in vast
deposits Of gold, silver, pearls, dia
monds and other precious stones.
No settlements, however, were
made in California. nor was but little
known of it, until 1867, two hundred
and twenty-five years after its discov-
cry 10y Cahrillo, when the Jesuit Mis-
sionaries. being expelled from Lower
California, passed to upper California,
and in l1GS established colony at
San Diego. When Mexico declared
and maintained her independence OF
the Mother Country she retained Cali.
tornia by the right ofrevolution.
For many years prior to the ces
sion of California to the United States,
Russia, England, France and the Uni
ted States had each discovered the
advantageous position of California
an.l each country was making strong
efforts to out maneuvre the other anu
secure the prize. Each had her secret
agents at work among the people, and