The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-26
Centennial Service to Celebrate
Its Founding.
UnVeilinS The Memorial Arch and a
Description Of the Same.
Hundreds Unable 10 Gain Admission 10 the
Church or Participate In the Ser
YiCeS-HiStOriGal Retrospect.
Special TO THE MORNING CA11

Cross on the present site at Santa Cruz was
celebrated to-day by the unveiling Of the
granite arch erected by popular subscrip-
tiOns on the spot where the original padres
planted the cross in 1871. The memorial
consists of a central arch of gothic style,
nine feet wide thirteen feet high, fanked
by pinnacles surmounted by gable with
open spandrel work, and finished at the
apex with cross. On either side of this is
smaller arch, five feet wide and eight feet
high, having above an open balustrade.
The whole structure cost $4,000. The loea-
ton is Immediately in front of the present
Catholic Church. High mass was cee-
brated at 9 o'clock. eighteen priests being
present. and hundreds were unable to gain
admission to the church. The religious eX-
ercises were followed by a procession; then
the unveiling of the memorial arch and an
Grafton by Rev. Father Meyers of Los
Angeles. Speeches were also made by Hon.
Elisha Anthony, representing the Phone ers,
and Rev. Hugh McNamee, parish priest
RETROSPECTIVE.
On the 25th of September, 1891. Fathers
Alonzo Salazar and BOldomero Lopez. who
had been delegated to establish mission
for Indians in California, landed and
pitched their tents on about the present site
of the Catholic Church of the Holy Cross.
Rude hutS were provided for the Mexcans
they brought with them and for the Indians
AS fast as the missionaries could persuade
them to accept their teachings and manner
of living. Contributions were sent from the
other missions. San Francisco Mission
Dolores sent five yoke of oxen, sixty sheep,
ten rams and two bushels of barley; Carmel
Mission, seven mules, and Santa Clara
five yoke of oxen, fourteen bulls,
twenty cows, twenty steers and nine
horses. After about a year aud a
half, during which time the hundred or
more Indians which the fathers had gath
cred about them had been taught to handle
the rude tools which they had to make
adobe and tiles, the church was commenced.
1t was. when completed, 112 IS feet long, 90
wide and 25:6 high. 1t took year and
half TO complete II, being ready for dedica-
tiOn on March 10, 1874. The dedication ser
vices we're attended by Hermenegilgo Sal,
commanding officer at tho Preside at San
Francisco, four or five priests from the Mis-
sion Dolores, and Father Tomaz Pena from
Santa Clara. tho time were there ever nlbre
than 400 or 500 Indians under the care of
the fathers, and that was in 1880, when the
mission was at the height of its prosperity.
Santa Cruz Mission was granted all the land
south of the Mission Dolores grant, and
west and north of the Santa Clara aud Car
mel grants.
AS soon as the Spaniards began to settle
up the country. about 1920, they began to
encroach upon these mission lands until, by
the time the Americans came in. very little
was left to them, and in 1919 all was taken
but the church and the garden back of it.
AS late as 1S51-52 there were still about 200
Indians attached TO the mission. and their
mode Of life was as primitive as ever, weav-
ing, cattle-raising tending the garden, rais-
ing vegetables, hunting, etc. Their homes
were
THE TINY ADOBE HUTs
Scattered about the church grounds or next
to the church: the school-houSe and work.
rooms were in the back of the church.
Many of the altar decorations and hnishings
were made by the Indians, and as long as
services were held in the adobe, until 1858,
the Indians sang in the choir. Two of the
original paintings, one of st. Pablo (St
Paul, the other of ST. Peter, are in still a
good state of preservation, and are really
works of art. Two statues, one of st. Mi
chael. the other of Mater DOlOrosa, were
also placed in the old churcn at the time OF
its dedication, and are still fairly well pre-
served. Directly back of the church was
the orchard, and au olive tree or so, a few
messy gnarled old apples, almonds and
grape-yines are still on its sunny slopes, and,
indeed, in different parts of town may be
vines or apple or almond or cherry trees as
large as good-SiZed oaks. The only build
ing standing which was built before 1900 is
an old adobe at the end of Branciforte ave-
nue. in East Santa Cruz.
In 1858 the old church building having be-
come unsafe, handsome wooden structure
was built directly west, a Jew feet only from
the adobe, and again, the needs OF the town
being greater, in 1885 the old adobe was torn
down and handsome $40, 900 brick and stone
ctrr
was dedicated In 1889. A portion of the old
church wall still stands, directly behind the
new building, which has been built partly
on the site OF the old church and portion
of the old burying ground. In digging for
the foundation 1t was necessary TO remove
great numbers of skeletons. Immediately
under the eastern caves OF the new building
is the grave of the mOrganatic daughter of
George ", which from time to time has
been the theme of much newspaper COM
ment or speculation. There are also one or
two vestments of rare beauty and magni-
ficence, mass of solid embroidery in gold,
silver and silk, and the four leather-bound
parchment books clasped over with
LEATHER THONGS
Made by the Fathers and Indians-the book
of marriages, births, bsptisms and deaths,
and another, similarly bound. containing
the Gregorian chant, carefully copied by
the Fathers, with the Latin words divided,
the notes in red and black, and diamond
shaped. The ordained old bell, recast in
1889, is now in the new church.
The Rev. Father guards with Jealous care
the many valuable relics, picture books,
etc, selecting with care those which should
find r place in the elegant new church
built under his direction. 1t would seem q
fitting thing that steps were taken TO pro-
vide for the care and restoration of these old
missions, monuments of the first civilization
in the land, and a fitting place for the few
books or works of art or treasures which
are left.
The cross which was set up upon the
landing of the Fathers in September, 1879,
stood almost exactly where the gateway
leading to the new sacred editice now is,
and it is on that spot that the new cross has
been erected
In this centennial year 1t is interesting to
note in a brief manner the many points of
interest in this city by the sea, this City of
the Holy Cross, with its 5000 people, who
have built their homes on tine hill-tops, on
the rivers edge, in the valley and on the
cliff; its public schools, which lead to the
university;
IT'S PUBLIC KINDERGARTENs;
It's business college, with its pupils from
New Jersey or Mexico or Japan; its Con-
vent of the Holy Cross; its fruit, numbering
and dairy interests, its gas works. electric
light plant; its powder-mflls and asphaltum
beds, and miles of smooth pavement; its
$4,000 water works, its $4,000 new sewer;
its lime, cement and tanneres its SO, 900
Y. NJ. @. A. Hall; its five newspapers, of
which two are dalies; its beautiful flowers;
its fine hotels and inDumerable boarding
houses, all Of which are filled to overfiOwing
each summer with thousands of merry trdv-
eers seeking rest at this gay watering place;
its hunting and fishing; its unrivaled drives
around the cliffs. on the beach, TO any of the
lovely towns along the coast, or into the
primeval forest. redolent with spicy fra
GRANGE, to the "big-tree" grove; its
railroad lines and steamer line; Its
eleven churches and three encamp-
ments, which are on the bluffs just out
of town. Santa Cruz has given to each
| twenty acres of land and a bonus In money.
| The Catholics have just accepted the offer,
| and will begin their building Immediately.