The herald., 1894-08-26
AT SAN LUIS REY.
THE OLD MISSIONS RESTORATION
AT A sTANDSTILL.
A Delightfully."- Romantic Placs-Ths
Vandal Work of Treasure Hunters
and Its DISASTROUS Effects On
The Mission Building.

The following extracts from . letter
give charming presentmeut OF the
San Luis Rey mission
DR.. and Mrs. Chichester and Kathar-
inc, and the mother and the nurse and
myself made our trip in a carriage yes
terday to the old mieson Of San Luis
Rey. Father O'Keeie. pleasant and
good.natured as always, took us through
the church end among the ruins, ex-
planning to US all that has been done
snd what he hopes to Go. The work IL
at ataudstill almont for want OF funds.
and the father is determined only TO in
cur such obligations as he can meet.
The place is very interesting, and the
work of reatorstion when complebed
will give us perfect reproduction Of
one of the most extensive and complete
miseions in California. The church ia q
fine structure, about COZ lS0, imposing
in height and with facade OF charac-
terietic design--ita severity tempered by
an artistic sunriness which takes 1t out
OF the typical ecmtre heaviness OF kin.
dred architecture. When looking into
the grand patio or courtyard, with its
fountains flowing, one can picture to
himeelt the busy season OF harvest in
the 0lden time, when ths Indian con.
verts were coming in with their carts
laden, and passing their garnered crops
into the storehouses, while the tonsured
brothers Kept tally and count and
directed the buay scene.
Father O'Keefe finds the work he has
in hand much greater task than he
had supposed. Treasure seekers have
tunneled and coyoted in overy direction,
especially inside the church and ncar
the site of the old altar. The result OF
this crazy vandalism has been that the
and in oroer to keep them from going
altogether to pieces he has had to build
foundations anew in the weak spots.
and to tear down and reconstruct where
irreperable crevices had opened tho
whole length Of the wall. | am told by
Bishop Bourgade OF Arizona that the
premature decay of oil the old churches
is due to the craze of treasure seekers.
sort OF Captain Kidd mania seems to
prevail exteneively wherever there 10
an old and abandoned church. The
minds OF these burrowing msniace can.
not be reached by reason. They are ab.
6orbod by the absurd idea that the mis-.
zion fathers had loads OF treasure, which
they concealed underground, not taking
into consideration the fact that il they
had, thare was no reason why they should
have left it buried when the missions
were Becularized. They had ample time
to take it away, and of course would
have done 30. But they had no great
surplus treasures. and the money they
received for their crops and h'Ies WAS
little enough to meet the currtnt wants
Of their communities. Indeed, the home
department of their orders had more
often to meet the deficiencies OF the
| missions than to be gratified with 70.
ceipts from surplus.
1t is universally conceded that the
San Luis Rey misaion was, in all re-
spects, the finest, most perfect and
handsome of the miseions Of California.
1t Was center of conversion for the
wild lndiane. a school of reclamation, .
seat Of wisely-directed industry, great
religioue focus, and at the Same time Q
'hotel' for wayfsrsrs aud home for
the old and indrm. Its hospitalitiss
were unlimited. aud its doors were open
to all without money and without price.
1t will be readily conceived if it made
ends meet the fathers were satisfied,
and that the boarding OF treasure was
bsy0nd their power even ii they we're 90
inclined. The vandals have done more
than time and neglect to produce the
premature decay OF these historical
buildings.
At San Luis there are only few ma
tive shanties and repulsve saloons are
in the immediate vicinity, and the
fathers have only their hastily con-
structed barracks to live in. San Luis
Rev is tho correct designation. 1t means
st. Louia the King, and is named after
that king OF France who died at the
siege OF Joppa during the crusades, and
was afterwards canonized.
We visited Mira. Coust's hacienda and
were warmly and kindly received by
that estimable lady. Like all the fe-
males Of the Bandini house she elbows
the indelible traces of great but sad
nses soitened beauty. j. J. a.