Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-06-05
ORIGINAL MODE OF MAKING
surveys OF Lands ia tine vicinity
OF Los Angeles.
written for the HERALDl


From the center all around to the sea,
lam lord of the fowl and the brute
So wrote the author Of the immortal
poem entitled, "Alexander Seekirk, so
often quoted aud so frequently recited
in school defamation. Although the
early surveyors of this vicinity were not
the original lords of the soil, and there
were more disputants to possessory
rights than was the solitary exile OF the
island of Juan Fernandez. upon whose
experiences De Foe founded his inimita-
BILE story Of Robin ION Crusoe, yet their
modes Of procedure were original ana
novel, and in striking contrast with the
more exact and, as matter Of course,
more accurate measurements OF land IN
these later days.
The following account of one of these
surveys, made by gentleman now
citizen Of Oakland, but who first arrived
in California early in l54l, making Los
Angeles his first stopping place This
gentleman, who was one Of a large party
who left Independence. Missouri, on the
25th OF May, 1910, after visiting ana
remaining for some time at Monterey,
San Jose and Suffers Fort. returned to
his home in Ohio in lS43, and again
Joining the ''innumerable caravan that
moved TO California "the plains over,
s'the Horn around" and "the lsthmus
across, by the discovery OF gold at suit
s so ~a;n returned 10 California in
1879 as a,rvsved for Sutter the town
,o-O' IN T,ava Hslvetia. which name,
ioss =, sdonted in honor of his home
ss',,i;1srIspd was very properly
IA ~ Sacramento. taking the name
s. ths river upon which the present
canital 81 our State, after its many wan
-. i;ka the dove sent out BY Noah,
a. lat fauod its present permanent rest
Inc Mace.
IRE following extract from the journal
of his trip TO this point. by the Santa
Fe route. having among his companions
the prominent pioneer settlers named,
will be read with interest by many of
the citizens not only of Los Angeles, bat
other portions of California.
A few DAYS after leaving Santa Fe we
were oyertaken by a party of New Mex
loans some twenty in number. half of
whom were women and children, who
desired nermission TO travel with US. As
thsv wars INIT scantiIy supplied with
nroyiaions thew had. OF course. to sub.
s;st mon onr bounty lent. az we forum.
a,alv had laid In an abundant supply in
savsnce. tbera was no suffering on the
tr;n This Marty made themselves quite
nstt,l 20 n. in = variety 81 ways. As
ono ~ the number had previously made
.sveral iournevs 10 California over the
ro,ta see nr,nosad Ia travel. we found
hin, an ;nteilioant ouide. thoroughly
nna,a5 rnon the most ELIGIBLE canning
pp,aces srb.ra ,boss most essential reoui.
s;,ss ,gater wood and grass. were TO be
sorna i, sut, ciens quantities. The route
salact.a rndar his Guidance was a rather
,iro,itnn. ana nnrnoaalv making de-
,onrs IL ordsr to avoid meeting nreda-
.os.,aaa has,;le b.nds ~ Ind;ans. whose
bsb;t Il was Ia roam the rich valleys
th-a,uh s.b,eh nassed The mora direct
route ~ travel. TrayersinQ the most
sontb.riv n he passes through the ST.
- Nssada manntains. known as the
Tsion we reached the settlements
h california in November. wen.
ried with our long and arduous
;o,,r,sv We tarr;ed sorne two months at
t.. Angeles now one Of the most popu-
In. sn3 flonr;ab;no c;ties of California.
~, ,i,er, /. mare Gin Ter Of adobe build
Inc. During this lime we did not 40
MIA IN anv direction from the house oc.
-,,r,;ad 10 NJ I.vman TONNES Hamp.
~, yv;isoo IN n Gamble and mvseif.
Povland and Workman. who were
n,;ddle.soad man. were The only man.
bsrs ~ o,r marty who oarne 10 the coun.
trv With ths intantion AZ ramainipo per.
..sna,t;, TN remainder bsino vonno
80, vars ,oaralv aaveptprers with nj
S.ss';,a obisct in visw .swa;tinu for
snrns.bi,e ~ tnrn nm" The frat named
osr,ls,oa9 had been living for years At
re- IN New Mexieo.-some ninety
n,;lss north ~ santa Fe. where thew had
bssn sngaoed IN business together. and
bsJ sccr,nnIstad consjdersble means.
Ths, soon discoverad that a very yalua.
lie i-sct ~ land which had formerly
bseo attached 10 the Mission San Ga.
hr;aI ,gss awaiting somebody's location.
~ =. Isnd r.s az desirable. and Al.
.ho,ab rnsnv nat;ve californjsns had
hssn for long years anxious 10 locate
th;. tract M single apnlicant had ,uffi.
Gent influence over the combined oppo.
,ition 10 enable him 70 secure il. Row.
land and workman having lived long
enough in New Mexico to secure the
rights OF citizenship, and having also
aconired thorough insight into the
.vstam Of surveying land. one
n them nuietlv visited Monterey.
the then oapitai OF Alta California,
where the Governor. Micheltoreno. re.
s,dsd md Who aIona was empowered to
give = valid title to lands. and who for
5obsvr,fn Of 4 thousand dollars "to
him IN hand well and truly paid. no
rsce;n, bs;no reonired ar acknowledged
nrom;s.d ta do All that was asked OF
MIN Rs;no emnIoved 10 survey this
rsncho cont.;ning ~ the hest Of NV re.
~uo'