The San Francisco call., 1904-06-30
SECOND YEAR
OF ACTIVITY
California Historic Land
marks League Meets and
Elects It's New Officers
MEMBERS AREADMITTED
President KnOwland Exhib-
its Slides Displaying Work
on San Antonio Mission
BY Laura Bride Powers.

Two years old last night, but a
mighty lusty infant. The California
Landmarks League celebrated its
birthday as corporate body last night
at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art,
when it's officers for the new year were
elected.
The candidates were those who have
borne the brunt Of the battle since the
league entered upon its work. The ros-
ter Of the Californians who have thus
undertaken to remove the blot on the
'scutcheon." are as follows:
President, Joseph R Knowland: first vice
PRESIDENT; J. J. Lermen; second vice president,
Frank H Powers; corresponding secretary,
Ms. Laura Bride Powers; financial secretary,
6ott: board Of directors-Joseph r Knowland,
J, J: Lermen Charles H Turner, James D.
Whalen. Mrs. George Law Smith. Mrs. Louise
shepheard Chase, Miss Eliza D. Keith A L.
Mann Mrs. Alice Morse William B. Latham;
advisory board-Dr. David Starr Jordan,
Archbishop P. ". Riordan, DR.. Eli McClish.
Edwin Deakin. Rev Robert E. Kenna, Loring
7: Rlxforo. William Langdon. DR.. BENJAMIN
1oe Ia,es A.tnann "iiIam D. Shea
Newton J. Tharp. James D. Phelan. Lewis F.
Byington-
The election over. a communication
was read from James D. whalen, grand
president of the Y. NJ. l., announcing
the determination of that body to pre-
sent d joint entertainment at an early
date to augment the funds Of the
league.
The business dispatched, Senator
knowland presented upon a screen the
old mission San Antonio de Padua.
showing it in the days of its prime, its
dusky children wandering through its
corridors, its gardens, fair to gaze upon,
its tile-roof over the cloister and chapel
unbrOken to the elements. Then came
picture Of ten years later, when 10!
the children have wandered away, the
ROOF has fallen in. the garden has with
cred. save for the pomegranates and
the roses, and the vandal has wrought
his havoc. Sadness and reproach creep
over one as the conviction comes that
this-this pitiful ruin-need not have
been. And the conviction comes strong
upon me that in no civilized country
i'll the world, save our own, would such
despoilation grow unhindered-with no
hand raised to stay it.
The next picture showed the interior
Of the once beautiful old chapel piled
high with debris. the beams from the
roof lying upon the graves of the found
ers. the whole grass grown and the
habitat Of the lizard and the birds Of
the night.
The next view presented the chapel
cleared Of the debris-tons Of IT; then
came the picture of the chapel with the
seaffolding in place and the men at
work rebuilding the walls that the win
ters rains had disintegrated; and lastly
the walls completed, all save a small
bit in the west wall, and thirty feet of
the roof laid. This picture told the
tale. And the league is proud thereof.
for the walls of San Antonio are once
more reared TO their wonted height.
and by next San Antonio day the roof
viii have been laid that will join them.
The speaker threw several more in
teresting views upon the screen, show
ing the bronze tablet placed by the
league upon Fort Gunnybags a year
ago; views of the Mission La Purissi-
ma, which the league at some remote
day hopes to save from complete ruin;
Cotton Hall, the Custom house and
many structures that are now in proper
haTds and being saved from destruc-
ton. thereby redeeming the name of
our State from the stain of apathy.
The lumber lies without the mission
doors Where is he who is willing to
help lift it to roof the sacred place
wherein lie the founders of Western
civilization?