The morning call., 1891-12-26
MISSION SAN JOSE.
1t Has Not Much to Show for a
Century of Prosperity.
Neighboring Towns-Wonderful Development
Of the Wine Industry Miles of
Vines-Thrifty Villages.

and at this stage of California ,eyents ex-
cites no more interest than Milpitas or Pet
aluma. But its position in California his
tory marks an important event. 1t one of
the points where civilization gained foot
hold in the Far West almost 100 years ago.
ana many Of the evidences of that bold
achievement still survive. 1t was in June,
1877, when the San Franciscan friars, who
had long before invaded the lower portion
OF the Stale, then Mexican territory, estab-
llshed Catholic mission at the place which
still bears its name. The structures they
quit were OF adobe. and the principal one
at this point still remains, a gloomy old
monument to the zeal of its founders. 1t is
a low. rectangular Enclosure, with walls
three fe ct thick, now covered with mod
ern single roof, and almost obscured from
view with shrubbery and cinging vines,
though right in the center of the town. A
lew yards to the north was the old mission
church, built in like manner and of the
same material, but it was not such a
sturdy building. The severe earthquake of
1868 shook it to pieces, and on its 70 unda-
ton was erected the present Catholic
church.
Some ten years ago the Catholics at
tempted to esta Dllsh on the same premises
an Institution for the ordination OF priests,
out 1t never lr0ved success and was finally
abandoned. The building was quite I'M
| posing, OF brick and three stories, occupying
one OF the slightest eminenccs in the town.
| A short time ago, after Ii had lain idle many
years, 1t was purchased by the Dominican
Sisters, newly and nicely retitted, and will
| be opened the first of the coming year as a
female seminary. 1t is said to have applca-
tlons already that Will nearly fill it.
THE POPULATION.
The town is not large. probably not more
than 900 population. nor is it attractive in
Itself. 1t happens to occupy quite an emf
nence as compared with the valley sur
| roundings, and affords magnificent view
On clear day the streets in san Francisco
ana the shipping OH the bay are easily dis
cernlble. The town is laid out upon the
very simplest plan Imaginable. 1t really
has but one street, and cannot even wear
Inc dignity oil CROSSROADS, although about
midway OF the settlement a road branches
on TO the nearest neighbor The buildings
are more or less tlme-worn and storm
beaten, but appear to give ample shelter to
The self-Salishtd villagers. Besides the
Catholic church, there is a Congregational
church in the opposite end OF the town,
though simply of pioneer pretensions, yet a
neat, cosy edlfice, and well sustained
The surroundings of Mission San Jose
are sight to behold. After leaving Oak
land one sees little but orchards, or III ards,
orchards, till arriving at lryington. There
the scene suddenly shifts, and one sees
nothing but vineyards, vineyards, vineyards
The Mission IS surrounded on all sides by
vines, and Vine-prOducing is the chief in-
dustTy. 10 get an idea of the extent of vine
| growing in this section the visitor should
| scramble up the mountain sides back of the
| Mission, toward the summit of Mission
| Peak, which towers grandly above the beau
| tiful scene. He will then wonder. as he did
| about the orchards, where in all the world
can market be found for so many grapes
| Astronomers deal with bodies SO remote
| that the distance between this earth and
the sun Is used as yardstick TO reach them
with; they are SO many hundred or thousand
suns away. The iniuitesima mile is abso-
lutely of no use. TO some extent this is
true OF the vast stretch of vineyards sur
rounding Mission San Jose; the ordinary
unit OF measurement the acre, Is so small
comparatively that it serves no purpose,
and the area has to be measured by miles or
townships. Five or six large wine-cellars,
equal In capacity and efficiency to any IN
the State, are butt in this wonderful grape
producing district, and their excellent prod
ucts have gained them reputation as wide
as the patton.
A WARM BELT.
The secret of so many vines in this sec
tion of the country is The existence of a
warm belt, within which 1t is said there is
seldom frost. Vast as have been the i'm
provements within this favored belt, the
boaStful MissiOnite is daring enough TO say
that the Industry IS as yet hardly more than
in its infancy, that In ten years more the
present area Will appear like simply good
beginning. In talking thus courageOusly he
points to the majestic hills back of the
town, and prOphesles that in few years
more every foot to the summit will be
covered with vines. The awe-stricken visi-
tor finds it hard to doubt, for already
thousands of acres on slopes that horse
could not scale are in full bearing and at
the wlne-cellars they show that tile mountain
product makes by far the best wine.
When the proposed electric railway,
which is to tap all the little towns between
Haywards and San Jose, is completed, Mis-
sion San jose expects to take a new shoot
into the world, aud see If it cannot cover
larger and more conspicuous page in history
Mt the end Of the next hundred years than
for the century now closing.
Irvington is about two and one-half miles
northwest of Mission San Jose and three
miles south of Niles, on the branch railroad
extending from Niles to San jose. A S it
enjoys the advantages of railroad commune
cation it has made a little better showing
than the Mission in the race for village hon.
orS, although the latter has many years The
start. While not laid ont in the most shapely
and systematic manner, the avenues are yet
more or less attractive, and from some of
the higher emiuences of the town the view
is delightful. Iryington is the home of the
Washington College, an institution that has
gained Statewide reputation, and Is al
WAYS well patronized. To this the town is
indebted for much of its social and intel
lectual life. Families settle there to give
their children the benefits of the school, and
to this extern they assist in building up of
the community.
A WINERY.
The huge Gallegos Winery occupies the
most commanding location in the town. 1t
Is magnificent brick structure. and a great
deal OF capital has been expended in beauti-
Tying 1t and its surroundings. Just across
the road from the winery and adjacent to
the depot are two immense warehouses, pro-
tected from outward exposure by corrugated
iron, aud stored inside with the bountiful
harvests of the valley.
The mercantile interests of the town are
not enormous, but of course they are regu-
lated by the demand. One or two general
merchandising establishments, hardware
shop, two or three blacksmith-shops
| Postoffce, newspaper Office and an occa-
si0nal saloon about comprise the CONNER
| cial interests.
Mr.. Gallegos, the founder of the large
winery, has proposed splendid water sup
ply for the place, but has not yet carried it
out. 1t may be completed in year.
Inree miles northwesterly from Irving
ton, and surrounded by some of the fairest
rural scenes on the face of the earth, lies
the comely little village Of Centerville. 1t
derives Its name from its location, as it is
right IN the midst of and almost equidiStant
from the four surrounding towns-Niles, IT.
vington, Newark and Alvarado In natural
beauty and comeliness it impresses the
transient visitor much more favorably than
any Of its more pretentious neighbors.. 1t is
built on the perfectly level plain of the val
ley 1t adorns and its avenues are as even
and regular as kitchen floor. Its apparent
thrift, in spite Of its isolation, is what im-
presses the visitor. Even though the build
ngs are old, they are still in a fairly good
condition Of preservation, and betray the
evidences of ManV of the buildings
are not old; they are new, and would be an
ornament to city. They are the very pict-
ure of rural comfort and prosperity. OF
handsome design themselves, their sur
roundings are correspondingly so, and the
too-frequent air IF village shiftlessness is
absolutely wanting
PLEASANT SIGHT.
Thu fret MI .;.,lk e, h.