The herald., 1895-07-12

side, and stretching plaoidly on the east.
ern boundary lies the fertile Santa Clara
valley.
The early history OF San Buena Ven
tura, which has never been fully COM
mitted to writing, is a series of romantic
and adventurous incidents, and though
much of the old has given way to modern
and instruct the appreciative visitor. The
artists mind is enraptured by It's beauty
and the "investor's" mind is entra2ced
by its commercial possibilities.
The old town was grouped about the
adobe buildings and seml-tropical gardens
of the mission and it was long isolated for
lack of railway communication, bsing ac-
cessible only by means of the steamers of
the coast line. which were in the olden
time generally small and uncomfortable
and irregular.
The Birth Of San Buena Ventura
Was on the 31st day of March, 1772. when
Father Junipero Sierra founded the mis-.
sion. The only mission building Of i'm
portance now standing is the church.
which was dedicated on the 9th day of
Septem ber, .1S09 Between the founding
of the mission and the dedication OF the
churcn there were 262 baptisms, as shown
by the oldschurch records.
This has always been an important
shipping point; in the mission days when
broad lands ruled by the fathers were car
ried hence by Indians and transferred to
the ships by wading sailors. as related by
historians, and in later days when a
substantial wharf, large warehouses and
frequent service of steamers facilitated
tie export of products from the rich trib-
utary country.
Ventura County
OF which San Buena Ventura is the
county seat, covers an area OF 1850 square
miles and embraces broad and fertile val
leys, foothill and mountain land wood
and mineral lands. The soil is commonly
. rich sandy loan, very fertile and easily
worked. In the Santa Clara valley it has
been proven to have a uniform character
to a depth of $50 feet, and even the mount
aims are not barren and rocky, but gen.
orally covered with a strong growth of
alfilarIa and burr clover. which only grow
in good soil. and supply the best feed for
that the county has ABOUT 1901 acres
under cultivation and nearly 500, 900
acres of good arabic land unimproved.
Six years ago a large portion of the
Ojai valley was desert of sand, bould-
ers, sagebrush and greasewood. The
water to the tract, and now much of the
land is under cultivation and is worm
from $40 to 500 per acre. Similar land
unimproved can be bought Tor $50 per
acre.
Ventura is the best watered county of
Southern California. The Santa Clara
river traverses its entire length from east
to west and is fed by the FrI. Sespe and
Santa Paula creeks, all consldera bic and
never-taling streams.
The Ventura river rises in the noun
tains near the northern border Of the
county and flows south. emptying into
the Pacific within SIX miles of the Santa
Clara rivers mouth. Its chief tributary
Is the San Antonio creek which drains
the Ojai valley. All these streams ale
Inhabited by mountain trout and are now
being stocked with eastern trout by order
of the Supervisors. In addition to the
living surface streams, artesian flowing
wells are obtained in many sections OF
the county al a depth of from forty to $50
feet. Water for domestic purposes is sup
Piled by private wells. and In the town
By pipe lines, at moderate prices. Irriga-
tion is only needed tor citrus fruits. al