The herald., 1897-05-16

with missionary zeal, and the project
was held In allegiance. Personal prefer
ences, however, did not influence the
Ipowere in authority. At the end Of Au-
gust Padre Lausen, president of the mis-
sions, with Sergeant Olivera as an escort,
set out from Santa Barbara for the
Reyes rancho, where he arrived few
days later. On the 8th OF SEPTEMBER,
with the aid of Padre Francisco Dumetz
Of San Gabriel, in the presence Of the
troops and great concourSe Of natives,
the site for the mission was dedicated
with the usual ceremonies. 1t was
named in honor of Fernando Ill, king
Of Spain, under whose reign the crowns
of CASTLE and Leon were united.
The valley afterward took its name
from the mission, by which it is now
known.
The early Mission Fathers are COM
mended highly by the later writers for
their superior judgment and taste in the
selection OF mission sites, as they invari-
ably occupy beautiful and commanding
situations. 1t ie, however, very ques-
| tionable If these considerations entered
to any extent into the choice. The object
| of establishing missions was the con-
version Of the natives, and those places
were eelected containing the largest and
most populous, or the greatest contigu-
Gus, number of Indian villages, and,
consequently the most prospective con-
verts
AS beginning Of the work at San
Fernando, ten native children were bap-
tized on the fret day and thirteen adults
by the end of October. AS far as the
records show eyes gave peaceable pos
session of his rancho and reached the
acme Of .liberality in donating his house
to the padres for a dwelling. In the
little valley of Ell Conejo, beyond the
San Fernando mountains, the descend
ants of Francisco Reyes are tilling lit
tie fragment of a rancho that was once
a princely domain. The San Fernando
mission grew in wealth and Importance,
fiouriehed and fell into decay. In this
centennial year the Landmarks club is
making an earnest and praise worthy ef-
fort to arrest the total and complete
ruin Of this venerable pile. Ten years
ago the old gardens were green with
trees, shrubbery, planted by hands that
moldered to dust in years long past, and
traces Of their ancient grandeur could
still be discerned. Today modern utili-
tarianisim has encroached 80 closely on
its boundaries that little remains but the
section containing the chapel with its
majestic arched corridor, and the old
olive orchard with two stately palm
trees at its entrance, standing like SEN
tinelc guarding the sacred past from the
profane present.
| Bancroft, in a footnote in volume Of
his history. speaks regretfully of the
fact that litigation following the death
| OF Andres Pico Of San Fernando pre-
vented his agent from gaining posse ssion
| of the mission records. 1t Is matter Of
lcongratulation to students Of Southern
California history that any circumstance
| IinterpoSed to preserve even so small
remnant of the historical archives of this
section from the hands of this chariatan.
Most Of the records OF the old families
and communitleeI of this history making
end of the state did not escape SO for
tunately. A collection OF the ancient
church books. manuscripts and many
other articles Of interest from the San
Fernando mission has been placed In the
exhibit room of the chamber Of commerce
by the Pico family.
DECISIVE BATTLES.
| A half-century later, the year 1S47, was
big with events of great moment In the
history Of Los Angeles. In the very
opening Of the year occurred what may
be called the decisive battlee of Califor-
mia in the war between Mexico and the
United States.
On January Z Gen. Flores. commander
Of the Mexican forces, led his little army
from San Fernando. at which point they
had encamped for several days, to the
San Gabriel river, where he posted them
in the mustard and willows, hoping to
intercept the Americans. under COM
mand OF Commodore Stockton. The
latter gained information OF this maneu-
lver and early on the morning OF the sth
marched to the upper ford. Gen. Flores
advanced up the river and reached the
Paso de Bartolo in advance Of the Amer
leans