The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-08-13
Notes From the Summer Resorts of
Southern California.
Preservation of California Missions
Fascinations of Catalina
Island.
LFrom an Occasional corregpondent.l

There are few mountain resorts ad-
jacent, but the salt water woos the masses,
and it is of the tents by the sea that
shall mostly write.
Coronado is'not so gay in summer as in
winter, but always loved by the tourist.
She offers you two-day's excursion at
the end of the week, and ride from Los
Angeles ON the Santa Fe, for half
eagle, and many are the jocund ones who
gather on that strand and in those halls
for the day that lies betwixt the Saturday
and Monday.
Her grand celebration of the last of
September, to which she invites the
world, on the anniversary OF the landing
OF Cabrlllo, the first navigator of the coast,
Will be an interesting event. A vessel
modelled after that old Spanish galieon
will glide into the harbor, and on the
beach will meet village of tule wig
vans such as those voyagers saw along
the coast.
No doubt there will be Indian games
and dances under the shadow of the old
mission ruins, for Father Ubach. the
friend and aid of II. II. in all her re-
searches, the head of the Indian school.
and the man who knows more about
the Indians than any other man in
California, is one Of the leading
spirits OF the prospective celebration, and
he has but to hint to the Indians to have
them leap to his command. This will be
an suspicious beginning for this wear Of
celebrations that even lures old Mars to
look on.
Oceanside is the next summering place
up the coast. 1t welcomes a Riverside
constituency mostly, being very access
IDLE thereto. Besides its beach it holds
the key to the lovely old mission of San
Luis Key, now fast speeding to decay, but
soon TO be restored to some of its former
grandeur, or at least stopped from active
dissolution by the coming of the Fran
clscans once more to their own-the
Francscans who built the mission and
made the olden glory of California, only
to be robbed Of home and even thanks
by the civic powers of Mexico. The per-
secuted brethren will turn again from
that lnhospitable land, and establish here
novitate, for in Mexico the decree is
that no two Franciscans shall dwell to-
gether.
Close by the San Luis ruins and or
chards, some of which are still in bear
ing, notably the oliviaries, there are
thrifty colonies of English and German
| farmers and orchardists. Some OF these
write Duke and Lord and Won before their
names, yet seem to enjoy their adopted
I land which yields well for them, the
close cultivation of the old world pro-
ducing far more from the soil than the
wastetul style of the Americans.
San Juan by the Sea, most musical
name, fits retreat that is made for
honeymoons and endless holidays. Dana,
in 1928, visited it, and in 1.-TWO Years Be-
fore the Mast" speaks of its restful
beauty.
Up from the sea the hamlet nestles
under the brooding watch Of the ruins of
the old mission. This is the most dis
tinctive Spanish town Of California. The
inhabitants are nearly all of Spanish.
Mexican or Indian descent, and adobe
huts, often with tiled roofs, are lurking
under vine and tree.
One Of the noted characters of the place
is Colonel Dick Egan, whose name be-
trayeth his blood. He is the man OF the
district for miles around, and perhaps
the only man in all California upon
whom has fallen the mantle of that pic
turesque figure OF the past-the AIcaIde
All disputes are brought before the Colo
nel-dOmeStc infelicltes, land troubles.
broilS thatcOme from wine that has been
looked upon III Its redneSs, thetts and
love af1airs-and he settles them all with
Infinite common sense. No one ever
thinks OF appealing from his decisions,
which are looked upon with much more
respect than would be DEGREES from the
Supreme Court. Indeed. a lawyer would
starve there. "Dick Ilgan's subiects''
has grown TO be the generic local title for
the deniZens OF San Juan, and miIder
rule from a more genial gentleman was
never extended.
The mission, built in 1915, seems in hue
and shape to be natural outgrowth of
the hills about. 1t is the Joy OF artists all
over the south. 1t was the most preten-
tious of all the mission churches built,
! having had five beautiful domes in the
form of a cross, and superb tower above
n m tho anrTEnuolya IF 70,
and four Of the domes fell, killing some
thirty-eight people, mostly indians.
The church was never rebuilt, and an
other portion-the old guest room-is
now fitted for chapel. Sad enough it is
to stand there in the sitting yellow SUI
shine. and see the broken arches, crum-
bled walls and weed-grown court, where
once all was order, strength and thrift,
where thousands OF savages, under priest
and soldier, learnt speech and prayer, and
song and trade, ana upreared these
monumental piles which make the most
| distinctive and picturesque ruins in
! America.
Al lovers of history and archaeology
! Will rejoice 10 know that a body of ladies
and gentlemen all over the State are
uniting in league, called the Society
| for the Preservation Of the NiissiOns,' -
which is pledged to arrest, as far as pos
sible, the swift destruction of these an
{ Cl6llb pies ny NdIGb1 IaifOS aQI I2N2gG
! Of elements. BY cementjng the cracks,
Gaping the porticoes, walling the whole.
as sacramento IS guarding her treasured
| old fort, we may preserve to posterity
! this proud legacy many a decade Of years
| hence. But to come back to seaside re-
! sorts again from the city OF Los Angeles,
there are three beaches which are within
an hours reach, and it has become the
| proper thing now TO camp at one ofthese,
! those in business coming and going daily
Long Beach is the most conservative.
| 1t is the annual meeting place OF The
Southern Chautauqua assemblies. Its
1 fine hotel was burned some years ago and
never rebuilt, but there are cottages in
| abundance, and ladies and children
always on the safe smooth beach that
could accommodate Fourth of July pro-
cession.
Santa Monica is the rollicking beach,
the popular Sunday resort. The spacious
| Arcadia Hotel looks out upon the water
on the west and the far mountains in the
! east, and has all the modern additions for
| the luxurious ease OF guests. Both these
beaches are accessible by a dozen accom-
mediation trains upon the favorite South
ern Pacific route.
Redondo, the newest beach, has its
| grand hotel, poem in architecture, its
own railway line, and beach which is a
/ mosaic of lovely pebbles. 1t is a favorite
fad for party giver to charter the fine
hall here and transport his guests hither
for the OCCASION.
But Catalina, the rocky island off the
coast of San Pedro, is this year the best
loved lurking place of sea sports and
summer girls and their chaperones, and
/ don't let the northern girls know it,
| thought on this blessed isle there are said
| to be four men to one girl.
Tales of boating, yachting, fishing and
swimming, flying fish coming into ones
| lap, and the night of waters afame with
| phosphorescence, with fish darling like