Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-13

Twenty years ago the countrymen of this man
owned the whole OF California; the land, the
cattle, the horses and sheep were theirs Today
the majority of them are poor; in fact, very
lew retain even part of their old possessions
They were not business men; they liked to live
free of care; and they found it easy to borrow
money or TO obtain anything else on credit They
know nothing of interest; even Senior M, to-day
probably buries his coin, or hides it away in
some secure place. As for the most of his fellow
landowners, in the old time they squandered
their money; they borrowed at two, three, and
hye per cent. month; they were ready to have
their notes renewed when they fell due. and
borrow more on top of them; and it is said of
them that II was perfectly safe 10 lend them
money, for they would pay, il TO pay ruined
them. /
Oiecourse il did ruin them. One great land
holder in Los Angeles county, when his settling
day came, was confronted, among a multitude
of other accounts, with a bakers bill for SIS
900. He paid all--but his children are poor peo-
pie to-day. On the other hand, the country
merchants with whom they chiefly deal, are
Jews. They abound all over California, and are
Justly respected as highly honorable, fair deal
ing and pa6lIc spirited class; and their thrift
and prosperity strikes men like Senior NJ. as
something very admirable and enyiable The
style of living, poor and mean as it looks to us,
which l have above described, is that usual
among the old Spanish or Californian popula-
ton. Their food is chiefly beef "cGrne secO"
or dried beef, beans, tortiUds, which are
wheaton or corn cakes, in shape like Scotch
soonest and coffee. Senior NJ. being a careful
man, had cow mean a mich cow. His
house had wooden floor; but in Santa Barba-
ra the last Mexican ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS lived in
an adobe house with mud floor, and he was
man of wealth and intelligence. Earthen floors
were almost universal in the old times. and are
so yet, indeed. Curious tales are told of the i'm
providence of the old Californians in their last
days. When the Americans from the east
rushed into the country on the discovery of
gold, cattle suddenly became valuable for their
meat-before then only their hides were sold;
and have myself, in 1S47, in Monterey
seen fat steer sold for three dollars,
TO the ships butcher, who later sold the
hide for one dollar, thus receiving the whole
carcase for only 50. The Yankee demand for
beef made the cattle owners suddenly rich. aud
they made haste to spend what they so easily
got. Saddles trimmed with solid silver, spurs
Of gold, brides with silver chains, were among
the fancies OF the men; and a lady in Santa Bar
bara amused me by describing the old adobe
houses, with earthern floors covered with costly
rugs; four-post bedsteads with the costlest lace
curtains, and these looped up with lace again:
and the sonora and senoritas dragging trains
Of massive silk and satin over the mud
noors. 1t must have been an odd mix
ture OF squalOr and splendor An adobe
house, no matter what is the wealth or condi-
uon OF the Californian who lives in it, is simply
long range ofrooms. 1t is one story high. has
piazza roof in 'front.' an eartben floor nsnallv
no celllng, tile roof, and each room, or ali but
one in houses where there are grown and mn.
married daughters, has door opening on the
yerandah. One room, at the end of the lone
row, has no outward door, and only narrow
window. In this room it was customary for
respectable people in a town like Los Angeles TO
lock up their unmarried but marrageable
about sunset, TO preserve them from
the temptation of young men; a custom which,
enriously enough, did not prevent weddings,
". Y. Tribune.