Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-06-16

Inc antiquity OF CallT0rnla is rep4t
sented by her missions, says the Pic
torial American of Los Angeles. BE.
fore their time there was naught O..
civilization-she had no history; tn
abe. iSines of this summerland were As
wild and untaught as the apes O..
Africa OF the Simians of Central an
South America. The future may vet
uncover an ancient civilization upon
the Pacific coast-it Is possible-but
to-day 1t Is conceded that the advent
OF the Spanish friars more than a cen
fury ago marks the beginning of a CIV
illzation that has at the present time
eliminated In a period that will for
az time be recalled as the brightest
In the scientlnc achievements of the
Caucasian race.
Banished from Mexico in 1867, the
Jesuits received royal commands from
Spain to proceed to Upper California
for the purpose of establishing mis-
sicns and converting and educating the
Indians of this otherwise uninhabited
country.
The first of these missions, at San
Diego, was established July 16, 1863.
and to Padre Junipero Sierra is given
the honor of having been its founder,
Notwithstanding the historical fact
that Padr Juan Crespi, accompanied
by a little band of soldiers and SER
wants, preceded Sierra to the spot some
six weeks and commenced the labor of
creating the adobe structure which is
the first and oldest of Il chain of twen-
ty-one similar buildings from that
point on the south to Sonoma on the
north. For more than half a century
this work was in progress, or until
April %, 1920, when the last and ex-
treme northern mission, San Francisco
de Solano at Sonoma, was constructed.
These temples of worship, construct
ed mainly Of sun-dried bricks Of adobe
earth and straw, were responsible for
the creation Of a ~thoroughfare connect
Ing each with the others, constituting
n continuous roadway from the mis-
sion on the south to the one at the ex-
IRENE north; this was called Ell Canine
Real, the Kings Highway.
Through the secularlzation of these
missions, subverting the objects for
which they were created, and the can-
tankerous tooth of time, there remains
to-day for the most part little evidence
OF their former supremacy-they are
naught but ruins, except where in a
few instances some Of them have been
partially restored-mainly as land
marks and historic relics of the earlier
civilization Of California, while some
few still serve the purpose of religious
ceremonials.
In their palmy days these ~institu-
lions were prosperous and amassed
much wealth and the padres enjoyed
many %luxuries, in a quiet way, avail
able in those primitive times of mea-
ger facilities and products Of art and
~husbandry. Settled as they were in
the midst of populous tribes of peace
able and simple Indians. they availed
themselves of their ability to utilize
their labor to profit. Upon the author
ity of Major Ben. G. Truman, it may
be stated that these missions were In
their best condition in 1914, although
In 1926 they had 100000 cattle, 100000
sheep and 10000 horses. They also
kept at work $4,000 Indians and har-
vested nearly 100000 bushels of grain
of various kinds"
The mission system of Alta Califor-
mia, founded by the missionaries Of the
order of st. Francis. consisted of TWEEN
ty-one establishments, extending from
San Diego on the south to Sonoma on
the north. The most extensive and
Important of these, Monterey excepted,