Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-07-28

otter Hunter.
Colorado" the spicy correspondent
of La Cronica, sends the following
letter to that paper, which we trans
late:
SANTA BARBARA, July %, 1874.
The mornings in Santa Barbara are
so beautiful that / started out early
this morning on pilgrimage around
the outskirts of the city. had walked
about half mile when l found N.Y.
self opposite tomb which attracted
my attention.; it was surrounded by
an iron railing, and the whole enclosed
in q lot adjoining the residence of
ARA Porter, Esq, on Chapala street.
To climb over the fence and advance
on tour Of inspection was the work
of minute. Simply inscribed on the
marble monument read the follow
ing inscriptions: "Isaac J. Sparks,
died June 10th, 1867, aged 81 years."
The brief sketch / am enabled to give
you of this early pioneer, is due to his
amiable and intelligent daughters,
who kindly gave me all of my infor-
nation. F
Mr.. Sparks was one of the veteran
band of pioneers, born with the CEN
tury in Bowdoin, Maine. He in COM
pany with Captain Smith, J. J. War
ner (nOw much esteemed citizen of
Los Angeles), young man by the
name of Minturn, and several others
left st. Louis, Missouri, for Santa Fe,
New Mexico. They were greatly har-
rassed by the Pawnee and Comanche
Indians on the way, and two of their
h<v~ fall snfi 70 hn trnn tn.,
of these savages, Captain Smith and
Minturn. At last they reached Santa
Fe, and from there Mr.. Sparks in COM
pany with Captain Young started on a
trapping expedition to the Zueretaro
mountains. From there they struck
for Salt river: LETT that and followed
the Gila river to the Yuma village,
where they traded with the Indians.
The party here separated, and Mr..
Sparks with eleven others came
through to California, and arrived at
the Pueblo de Los Angeles
ON THE 10TH OF FEBRUARY, 1882.
Their warfare with the Indians and
wild beasts in their long journey
across the plains being now over, they
thought of no more danger, when to
their surprise they found themselves
prisoners for travelling without pass
port. But Mr.. Sparks was equal to
the occasion, and he soon found an op-
portunity Of making his escape.
Alone, in q strange country without a
rifle on his shoulder, he made his way
to San Pedro on foot. Here he shot
his first otter, and began business
which in after years made him rich
man; and be it here said to his credit,
that few men have done as much good
as Mr.. Sparks, with the wealth that
God places within their reach. Never
beggar went away hungry from
his door, and his hospitality
and liberality was proverbial as
the old Mission, with its venerable
Franciscan Friars can bear witness to
my assertion. But must stop here,
or I will never get through enumerat-
ing his virtues. Well, he first shot
his otter, then swan for his prize
until he could afford to engage a
swimmer; business increases, and he
must needs get boat and more men;
at last we find him at the head of a
company, with four large boats and
twenty men. Mr.. Sparks followed
this business from 1882 to lS49, when
the gold discoveries put everything
topsy-turvy. He married and settled
in Santa Barbara, and at the time of
his death left his three daughters
A HANDSOME FORTUNE.
Flora, the eldest, is married to Capt.
Mark Harloe, who commands the
steamship Constantine, we'll known
. on this coast as one of the ablest navi-
gators, perfect gentleman, courteous
and obliging on deck, below or on
shore. Rosa, the next, is the happy
wife Of ARA Porter, Esq, formerly
Sheriff of Santa Barbara county, who
can be seen at any time at home, car
ing for his pet horses, while he whis-
ties " Yankee Doodle" Sally, the
younger, lately transformed into Mrs.
Hardness, is "hOney-mooning" it at
her ranch in San Luis Obispo county,
milking cows, making cheese and
butter, picking blackberries and COM
ing home full of poison-oak, while her
"A amiable husband II have not the
honor of his acquaintance) wishes the
cows, cheese, berries, etc., were in the
region below, and they safe at their
home in Santa Barbara. And now
comes mater fanailias, Mrs. Sparks.
She like the
-"Old woman who lived In her shoe
She had SO many children she didn't know
what TO do"
Her three daughters represent SO
many happy families, and she il
troubled to know with which of the
three to spend most of her time.
JULY Goth. - This morning
find myself contemplating the
foundations and piles Of loose
brick where once stood an orna'
ment OF Santa Barbara--the College