Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-19
THE CITY'S BIRTH.
How Los Angeles Came Into
Existence.
Its Name Given It From the
Church Calendar.
The First COl0nists We're a Mixtie
Mixtie Motley Squad.
Eleven Families, Comprising Forty Four
Souls, the Original Settlers-How
the Town Observation-Disclosures
ing Details of its History.

|
| IBy B. A. STEPHENS, Secretary of the Southern
California Horticultural society,"
The origin of many cities is lost in the
uncertainties of unverifed traditions !;
not SO that of the city Of Los Angeles,
for the records of the first explorers.of
the regions, as we'll as those of the found
ers of the city, are extant today, and are
in nearly as good condition as when
they were first penned. Of the genuine
ness and authenticity of these docu-
ments there can be no question, for1the
originals are in the official archives OF
Seville, Mexico, San Francisco, Santa
Barbara and Los Angeles, and in the
private records of many Spanish fami-
lies of this country; besides there are
many living witnesses who knew and
conversed with the Spanish pioneers OF
| California.
1t has, therefore, been comparatively
easy matter for the members Of the his
torical society to ascertain the truth
about the early history of this city, and
to cut away many Of the parasitic errors
that have fastened themselves to its
simple story.
Although the California coast had been
explored by Spanish navigators as far
north as latitude 40 degrees as early as the
year 1912, and it's shores had been
sighted many times by the richly laden
galleons bound from theP PHILIPPINE islands
| to Acapulco, no attempt to occupy the
country was made until the year 1853,
when, prompted by the fear OF Russian
encroachment from the north and de-
sire to christ.anize the aborigines, the
Spanish government extended its do
minion northward to San Francisco
bay.
That year, Don Casper de Portola,
having left Father Junipero Sierra at
San Diego to found a mission, pushed
northward to rediscover the bay of Mon
terey. With soldiers, priests and SER
wants there were altogether sixty-foul
persons in his party. Leaving San
Diego about the middle of July, 1859,
they followed the seashore along the
same route that the Santa Fe railroad
follows today. Father Juan Crespi, g
Franciscan friar, accompanied the expe-
ditlon, and the historical society has a
verified copy of his diary from the Sc
| WIG dICIlVCSs EIOA 1llb uO5CIlRtlOA VI
the trip, it is very easy to identify the
Juan Capistrano they left the seashore,
following almost identically the Santa
Fe route, and crossed the Santa
Ana river near where Anaheim
now is, at which place they were greet
ed by some earthquake shocks. Their
next camping place was at Coyote
springs, where they were on the 29th of
July. They struck the Los Angeles
river about the center of Nadeaus vine
yard, and on the wsy had fine sport
killing antelopes. They gave the river
the name of Porciuncula, after the
famous Franciscan convent of Italy.
Following the river up, they camped on
the I'd of August about where Sonora
town is now, and celebrated the feast oi
Nuestra Sonora, la Reyna de Los Ange-
les-Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels.
From this fact the town founded on this
spot eleven years later took its name.
1t was a custom of Spanish explorers
to name their camping places or specia
geographical features they discovered
after the name of the saint in the church
calendar of the day they were there. In
this manner it is nearly possible, with 9
chart and a church calendar, to trace
the exact course of the explorers up the
coast. Thus one popular error is dis.
posed of, namely, that the town received
its name from its angelic climate.
The next day, August 3rd, Governor
Portola continued his journey north
and passed around the base of the hills
in what is now the southwest part OF the
city, and camped at the little creek, be-
yond Westlake park, where are the pc.
troleum springs. Some sycamore trees
were standing there at that time, and
Springs Of the sycamores of St
Stephen. Crossing over the Cahuengs
valley, they went out through the past
of that name, and the Encino ranch
and over the Santa Susanna mountains
and continuing north discovered Sar
Francisco bay. On their return to San
Diego, the next January, they came
down the San Fernando valley and going
out through Pasadena and the Ranchitc
country, left Los Angeles to the south
Governor Portola and party were the
, first white men upon the ground where
is now the city of Los Angeles, but they
, found at this place village of th'
Cahuilla Indians called Yang. Of thes.
Indians, their traditions, customs anc
appearances "a full account has been left BY
Don Perfecto Hugo Reid, an eccentric
but learned Scotchman, who lived among
them many years. His original manu-
scripts, which have been published
} many times, are in the Coronel museum
: Of this city. A glance at contempora
, neous events among our American ances
| tors on the Atlantic coast shows tina
west of the Allegheny mountains DAME
Boone that year was just beginning hi
explorations of Kentucky.
For several years the only source o.
supplies for the forts and missions o
California we're annually forwarded bl
sea from San Bias. This was very un
satisfactory both to the soldiers an(
priests in California, for often tht
! amount was insufficient or slow in com
! ing, and several times they were reduced
to the extremity OF living ON wha
! scanty food they could find in th'
country. Hence, in 1775, when Cover
nor Felipe de Neve was ordered to trans
fer the capital of the CALIFORNIA; from
Loreto to Monterey, he was also in
structed to look out for suitable place
to establish agricultural colonies, in or
der that the Oalitornia establishment
MI NJ IA h x l M