The Florida star., 1901-04-05
SWING California LANDMARKS.



20 Amy In FereiEn Lands
Special Correspondence Of The Florida Star.
Los AKsKLEs. March 27.-While Amer
ican tourists continue 20 go into rap
lures over Melrose or Tintern abbey or
gaze with awe and reverence at the
ruins OF Egypt or Babylon. OF what
avail f. Il 10 tell them that within their
own country exist ruins equally wor-
thy or their attention. In spite OF their
seeming worship Of the '.up 90 date"
Americans have tender spot for the
ancient when IL exists on the other
side OF the ocean. In spite OF their pa
triotism. they do not seem to care about
the fate OF the historic monuments OF
their own country.
To combat this tendency OF the na-
tive mind and TO preserve for future
generations some OF the historic land
marks OF western America are the OBJ
jects OF the Landmarks club. organized
and Incorporated under the laws OF Cali
fornia In 1896 The special objects OF
the soIieItude OF this worthy club are
the ancient missions OF California,
whose remains dot the picturesque
scenery OF this most interesting cOun-
try. The old missions played very
important part I'm the early history OF
the Golden State. and the story OF their
founding and maintenance is filed
with romance and interest.
The founding OF the missions OF
southern California was conteInporane-
Gus with tie struggles OF the eastern
colonies against Great Britain in the
latter half OF the eighteenth century.
The prime mover In their foundation
was Father Junipero Sierra, whose
name is always associated with them.
American annals bear tie names OF
few men equal to this simple, kindly
old franciscan for religious exaltation,
honesty. devotion and constancy OF
purpose Father Junipero labored for
many years. toward the end very sue
eessfully. to establish his faith among
the Indians OF the southwest, and for
his work In making the former desert
bloom like the rose he Is worthy OF
perpetuation In American minds.
Some 21 OF the missions there were
standing In good order, but more have
succumbed TO the tooth OF time and
the hands of vandals. In their day
they were beautiful edifces, built OF
stone and adobe. surrounded by or
chards and gardens. Around some still
cluster the olive and mulberry and
grape and sother semitropical vegeta-
tion. but In most cases the trees and
vines are also desolate.
Some few OF the missions still stand,
and some have been restored. notably
that or Santa Barbara. near the town
of that name. Santa Barbara mission
is beautifully located three miles from
the blue Pacific. Its commanding
position and the prominence of its
white towers have caused the building
to be since its erection landmark for
mariners. Ii is simple In architecture,
but beautiful and even majestic In eff
feet. The mission consists OF a chapel.
crowned by twin towers. and a long
dormitory with pillared porch. Sew
eral or the other missions as originally
built are said to have far surpassed
Santa Barbara. and they must have
been. If this be true. dreams of beauty
Their ruins attest their size. Their
former beauty must be left to the mind
of the imaginative behOlder unless. In.
deed. the Landmarks club is success.
full I'm restoring more OF the ancient
missions.
The Landmarks club has secured
leases for a term or years. with the
club given as a preferred possible pur.
chaser. OF three OF the old missions
those OF San Juan Capistrano. San Fer
nandO aud San Diego de Alcala. Mem
bership In the club is open to all at a
nominal annual payment A large
number OF well known easterners. as
well as many residents OF southern
California. are interested I'm the club
largely through the work OF the presl
dent, Charles F. LummiS. Mr.. Lum
mis- Is the celebrated author who has
made a special study OF Southwestern
America and has embodied the result,
OF his observations In a number OF In
tensely interesting volumes.
Mr.. Lummls is now a resident or LOl
Angeles and was formerly newspa
per man here. He probably knows
more about this section OF the countr!
than any other living man. for he ha