Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-03-18
cMAFrEY collrcr Or AcRIc vlruRE
Laying the Corner Stone at Ontario
Yesterday-A Large Attendance
A Beautiful Day = Sumptuous
Faro-Ipterestipo Ceremonies.

Gut OF the lowering mlsts mat NUM-
over the city yesterday the morning
train of the s. P. r. r. bore larg,
number Of ladies and gentlemen, repre-
senting the educational interests of Lol
Angelo, out into the emerald bills thai
skirt the San Gabriel valley, ON through
the valley by the Old Mission church
where hundred years ago the Francis
can Fathers established the first schoo
Of agriculture and horticulture. Her,
the good fathers planted lemons, olives,
oranges, grapes, and the fruits that wer,
adapted to Southern California. They
plowed the ground, opened lime kilns
built mill and introduced agricultur,
and horticulture with irrigation as prac
ticed by Europeans hundred year.
ago. Here the train >passed the first
agricultural college, venerable with age
but only now leaf Of horticulture
history. on up the fruitful vale of Sar
Jose and the thriving settlement Of Pc
mona to the high plains of Cucamonga,
where the excursion halted to partici
pate in laying the foundation stone o.
the second school Of agriculture in
Southern California.
i The first was laid in l77l by the pioui
franciscan friars, with devout rites in
the interest of religion, and the names o.
the founders thereof. men Of pure lives
and holy zeal aud indomitable industry,
are venerated in history and tradition,
The fathers "builded better than they
knew" and established the arts of peace
and o knowledge of revealed religion
among race Of barbarians. Their work
was arduous and thankless.
Yesterday, instead Of the long foot
march Of I'LL, and the privations of q
land Of barbarians which the fathers
had, the company from our city glided
swiftly over rails Of steel in palace cars
to the place Of dedication Of the new
College Of Agriculture at Ontario. thirty
eight miles east of Los Angeles.
On arrival at the place it was found
that the Pacific Press Association had
arrived at Ontario beforehand, and pro-
oeeded up the straight broad avenue Of
seven miles to the base Of the mountain.
By the liberality of the Chaffey
Brothers, carriages for four hundred
visitors had been provided to convey
them TO the base of the mountains at
the mouth Of the San Antonio canon. As
the long procession drove up the avenue
the clouds rolled away and the land
scape was revealed in soft loneliness that
delighted every eye.
Onward and upward the visitors passed
till the high plateau at the base of the
mountains was reached, when scene of
loveliness was presented that captivated
every beholder.
Above, the snow crowned the Sierras
with alabaster, while at the base the
flowers Of summer were in bloom. To
the left the San Bernardino and San
Jacinto mountains peered through fleecy
clouds, while in front and on the right
rolling hills in deepest verdure clad,
stood soft as the sorrows Of the past
and sweet as the hopes Of bliss to come.
In this beautiful spot long table was
spread beside babbling brook, and sup
piled by Eckert L Klaffki. of this city,
with one OF the finest and most sumptu-
ous out door meals that we have ever
seen. The viands were OF the best
quality and prepared in an excellent
manner. There was more than enough
for all, Of the best the land affords, and
under Bob. Eckert's personal supervis-
ion all were helped and all more than
satisfied.
After delightful repast and ramble
the long procession returned down the
avenue to the site Of the proposed Agri-
cultual College near the railway. where
the ceremony was performed Of
LAYING THE CORNER STONE
Rev. A. NJ. Hough called the meeting
to order, after which the grand anthem
"ol Thou Whose Power"
Was finely rendered by Mr.. and Mrs.
Book and Mrs. Beeson.
Prayer was then offered by Rev. M.
+. Colburn, OF Riverside. Mr.. Z. J.
wixom, of the Pacific Rural Press then
delivered carefully prepared address,
for which we have not space.
Judge R. NJ. widney, Chairman Of
the Board Of Directors Of the Univer-
sity, then delivered the following admir-
able address:
SPEECH OF JUDGE wIDSEY.
Ladies' and Gentlemen Many CEN
tuies ago Syrian king, by night, sur
rounded a city in which was one of the
Prophets OF Israel whom he wished to
kill. When the morning dawned, q
young man who was with tina prophet,
seeing the Syrian army, cried out in
despair, "Alas, my master, what shall
we dor Elisha prayed that the Lord
would open the eyes Of the young man
that he might see, and his eyes were
opened, land he saw; and, behold the
mountain was full of horses and chariots
of fire around and about Elisha" With
the natural eye you look upon these
surrounding uncultivated and unsettled
plains, and you say why lay tho founda-
ton stone and build college here and
now. II Is premature and must fail.
But let us draw aside the vail and be-
hold the unseen future. pray that
your eyes may be opened and that you
may see the things THAT must shortly
be-"
The United States is rapidly populat.
ing in every part. By immigration and
birth, the country will be as densely
populated as the countries Of Europe.
The desirable places where climate,
scenery, soil, water, commerce and edu-
cation combining. will settle up most
quickly. These circumstances combined
Ell 9 long will populate Ontario withihomes
and a teeming population. Not only
Ontario. but all these extended plains
stretched out before You, will be densely
populated in the years to come. Water
will be stored in these mountain caiions,
or drawn from deep wells, or brought in
pipes from distant mountain streams and
rivers, and cause these valleys TO bios.
som as the Garden Of the Lord. Not
only is 1t true of this place, but of all
Southern California. A heavy popula-
ton will yet tread this sunny Southern
land.
About half q century ago, enc of the