Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-18
SOME HISTORICAL RELICS.
Their Permanent Preservation
Under Discussion.

Their Permanent Preservation
Under Discussion.
The great interest taken by visitors to
the recent Chrysanthemum Fair in the
collection of relics Of this section in the
Mexican booth has started anew the dis
cussion among old settlers as to what
will be the best final disposition to make
of articles of this sort. The number of
the articles was not large, but many of
them were very interesting by reason of
their intimate connection with various
important epocbs in the history
of the State. A sample arti-
Gle, for instance, was the cannon
which was carried to Upper California
by the first expedition that came into the
territory, in charge of Governor Junipero
Sierra 120 years ago. This cannon was
used in solemnizing the founding of the
missions OF San Diego and San Gabriel
and the Pueblo de Los Angeles.
1t is we'll known fact that among the
Spsnish-American families and those of
the early settlers of the State there are q
large number of these relics. Ii they
were all collected together they would
form the nucleus at least of valuable
and interesting historical museum. It is
much to be regretted that many of the
most interesting of them have either
been lost or have been given away to
people who have carried them out of the
section where they gained their histor-
ical value.
The question is frequently given dis-
cussion among a clique of the older
generation of the Spanish American
residents of this city as to whether some
plan might not be adopted whereby all
these relics should be collected together
and preserved in suitable manner. 1t
happens that in many of these families
the younger generation exhibits no inter-
est in the articles of this sort, which have
been handed down through number of
years, and it is believed that unless
something is done many of them will
be lost. An undertaking of the sort that
is suggested, that OF collecting these
articles in some sort of safe place
where they can be properly cared for
and exhibited to the public,
would seem to be within the
province of the Historical Society,
but as yet this organization has
never had the means to go into such a
work. The Directors of the Public Lii
brary have been considering the matter,
| and it has been proposed that a room be
SGT apart in the City Hall (Which, being
practically 6reproof building, would be
safe receptacle) for the storing and ex-
hibition Of these articles. 1t is scarcely
to be hoped, at the present time, that
enough money could be raised for the
construction of building, aud Los An.
geles has no structure Of special histori-
cal interest like Independence Hall in
Philadelphia or the old South Church in
Boston which could be used for such q
purpose.
The interest which is taken by people
in the northern part Of the State in his
torical relics is aptly illustrated by the
effort which is now being made to pre-.
serve Suffers Fort, in Sacramento.
which was just on the point of being torn
down by the owner Of the land on which
it is situated. A recent San Francisco
paper records the fact that Mrs. Leland
Stanford has subscribed $500 to the fund
that has been started to purchase the
building. General Sutter was the owner
of the mill where the first discovery ol
gold took place in the State, and the fort
was built as protection against the In
dams in 1914.
1t is believed that if proper effort
We're made among the people of Los An.
geles, similar spirit might be devel-
oped. It is stated that the old families,
many Of them, stand ready to donate the
relies which they have been sealously