Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-29
Los AxenLes. Cal, April u.

where ycrdure aud bloom meet the eye
at every turn and the hills ars wrapped
in their emerald mantle all Winter long,
il Is a rare delight to sojourn even for
brief while.
The orange groves are sweet with their
delicious fragrance; the peach trees are
IN bloom and the gardens brilliant with
flowers OF every hue. As far as the eye
can reach are stretches Of beautiful green
country failing in to the darker shadows
Of the foothills and the purple glory of
snow capped mountains. In the west q
glimpse OF blue waves can be seen roll
ing away in sapphire wastes to the golden
horizon and over all is that dreamy
IanQuid haze that troods over the land
0f an eternal Summer.
Riding through the shaded avenues of
Pasadena, where one beautiful home fol
low another in almost endless succession
aud where the air il heavy with the
scent Of orange blossoms, the word "par.
ndise" springs involnntarily to the lips
q the one wjrd adequate to express the
peace and beauty of the landscape so
Wohderously lovely. Here are homes
that a king might envy and rare vistas
OF mountain views and emerald hills
that are enchanting.
After the recent rains the mesas and
valleys are covered with rare inagniii-
cence Of floral beauty. There are golden
masses Of escholtzia made more brilliant
BY the blue flowers of the lupin and the
purple hues of the wild violet. Delicate
Blossoms OF pink and yellow bloom un-
derfoot and frail white flowers yield a
faint delicious oder as one passes them
by. In the fair luxuriance Of floral
growth II Is almost impossible to realize
that the SHOWS have scarce melted from
the hiilsides in the East and that the
fair peach blooms will not be seen for
many weeks to come. Beautiful as this
land is in winter, spring clothes it with
m imperial loveliness which cannot be
surpassed.
1t Is rare pleasure to journey through
and south Of this fair city. Leaving
Pasadena one rides over gradual.
'3y rising mountain road TO the
Sierra Madre Villa, commodious
hotel situated among lovely orange
groves at the base OF the mountains
From this elevation a magnificent view
is obtained of the surrounding country
view which extends on clear day even
to ocean and the island Of Santa Cata-
lima, sixty miles away. All kinds Of
fruit are grown here aud the guests OF
this fine mountain Villa luxuriate on
pure air, delicious fruit and sublime
scenery. What more could be desired
for invalids and hcalth.seeking tourists
than climate which knows no winter,
and an abundance Of all the conveniences
and comforts of life?
From the Villa it is but few miles to
San Gabriel, where the old Mission
church is still standing, a pathetic mon-
ument to the zeal and enthusiasm of the
padres. This is one of the most inter
esting Of all the Missions established by
the Spanish fathers along the coast. 1t
is in a state of fair preseryation-in fact,
1t is said to be the best preserved OF all
the Mission churches. The building is
a long, narrow structure, with quaint
bell-tower in which hang four bells, all
that is left of the Mission chimes. Ad,
Joining the church is the low adobe
dwelling of the priests.
The church contains many old paint
ings. many of which are valuable. The
doors and wooden floor are worm eaten
and the steps of the altar are fast falling
intn decay. Services are still held in
the church every Sunday morning and
at eventide the musical bells ring their
solemn chimes recalling the days when
the Indian neophytes left their work
TO listen to the teachings of the holy
fathers.
Under the control of Padre Saladea
the Mission grew to a wonderful pros
perity. He laid out the immense tract
of lald adjoining the church into beau
tiful orange grove and vineyards and
under his supervision the Indian titled
the soil and improved the gardens and
orchards. He was the first priest who
mastered the Indian language, it is said,
and his sermous were delivered every
Sunday in the native tongue. The
grounds of the Mission were enclosed by
a cactus hedge fifteen feet high, portions
of which may still be seen. 1t was Ger.
tainly formidable barrier.
There is Mexican settlement at the
Mission and the curious adobe houses of
the dark eyed people who live there are
quite interesting to tourists. They are
nm Indifferent race, thriftless and unpro-
gressive, though in the main, good |
hearted and hospitable to strangers.
Very few of them speak English and |
they seem TO have but little desire to
cultivate the manners of the Americans.
The white settlers have gradually en-
crcached upon their territory and it will |
not be long before the crumbling walls |
of the adobe dwellings will be replaced
by the modern architecture of substantial
American homes.
Near the San Gabriel Mission are the
beautiful homes OF Mr.. Baldwin, of San
Francisco, l.. B. Chapman and L. J.
Rose. The latter gentleman has one of
the largest vineyards in the State. The
name of his lovely estate is "Sunny
Slope, lifting name for 50 attractive
place. Nothing could be more charming
than the broad acres of Mr.. Chapman's
ranch laid out in symmetrical rows of
orange trees laden downwith their swing.
ing golden spheres. and the rare hospi-
tality dispensed in his handsome home is
to be remembered by those who have ell
joyed it.
In this land OF thriving young settle
ments where new ones are spring up
it is almost impossible to
decide which is the more beautiful or
which has before it the promise OF the
greatest future, bat asus.commercial cen.
nos Aegeles will na1obktedly take
Hsbsrowth has bAen marvel.
~ 1.he past four years, and from
present indications she will make as
rapid n growth-in the future as she has
In the past. She has every facility for
and the various towns SPRING
ing up around her will add TO her pros
perity, though they rival her in beauty
and location. Pomona, Ontario, Pasa.
lena, La Canada, Sierra Madre, San
Gabriel and Riverside are only few of
many colonies within a radius of sixty
miles, and the fact that they are all
proves that Southern Cali
fornia has advantages of climate and soil
which are bound to attract scores of set
Tiers. To be sure there are many who
prefer the four seasons to this perpetual
summer, but the majority of people
come to stay" and seem satisfied with
heir choice.
So 1t is that Los Angeles seems to
'tretch out kindly hand in all directions
10 welcome her younger sisters, their
yrowth seeming but an index OF her own.
While not sea port town, she has all
he advantages of one without its dead I
San Pedro is her barbor, dis
ant but fifteen miles, and connected by
! branch of the Southern Pacific.
Every other day steamer reaches this
,ort from San Francisco, which conn Gets
With all the intermediate points. These
teamsbips are handsome. commodious '
Hairs, built for beauty and fast sailing,
md trip on one of them is a pleasur-
bile experience. This voyage along the
outhcrn coast is almost invariably n
ain one, and with all the comforts and
onvenences OF these fine crafts one
'annot fail to find it enjoyable. The ,
'oyage between san Francisco and this .
'ort, distance of nearly five hundred ,
niles, is made in two days. A great ,
lumber Of tourists prefer this mode of !,
raveling.