The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-09-16
Jane L. Stanford Has Built a Monument to
His Memory on the Spot Where He
Celebrated First Mass.
Thus in a Public Way is Recognized the
Greatness and Goodness of This
Unselfish Franciscan.

state of California. He was the first
alcalde, or mayor, OF Monterey after
the seizure of the coast by the United
States. There is nothing in Monterey
or elsewhere to remind this or future
generations of Mr.. Colton's public
services. California is neglectful of
her servants.
At Monterey were erected the first
brick and wooden buildings in the
state; here was established the first
postoffice, and the first theater, and
Jenny Lind gave concert in 1S47 in
the old adobe building, which is still
standing and used for the same pur-
pose. The old fort is in ruins, but the
custom house upon which the Ameri-
can flag was raised still stands. The
guides and hackmen show you the
Spanish governors palace, the place
where General Fremont made his
; headquarters, an old, ramshackle
building in which Robert Louis Ste
venson and his family lived for sew
eral years, the building in which the
first court was held in California un-
der the laws of the United States, and
other interesting old structures full Of
history. The place where Father Ser
ra first stepped ashore is marked by a
! cross, and tree near the monument
is said to have sheltered him while the
first mass was said.
There is another interesting his
torical relic,,ih Monterev, which few
, people see or hear of. It is the wreck
of the British sloop Natalie" whose
rotting timbers appear above the sur
; face of the water at low time. It was
! upon this ship that Napoleon the pris-
oner was transported to Elba after
(, the fall of the French empire. It
went ashore here about forty years
ago.
One of the most interesting objects
, in this vicinity, and one of the most
| celebrated of the California missions,
is only a short drive in the valley Of
Carmel. Father Sierra landed here
June 3, ITO, and built chapel while
the soldiers were building the fort.
Both buildings were inclosed by d
palisade. He was accompanied by
Father Crispi, and with remarkable
tact and bravery they attracted the
savages around them. Within three
years one hundred and seventy-five In
dams had been converted, baptized
and received into the church; and
within ten years the entire savage
population of this section of Califor-
mia had practically accepted Chris
tiaaity and were making rapid prog
ress in the arts and industries of CIV
ilization, under the sole instruction of
those two devoted priests.
| Wishing to remove to more peace
full spot, away from the noise and in
fiuence OF the military, Father Sierra
located the mission at Del Carmelo,
on the bank of river of that name,
where the soil is fertile and water for
irrigation is plenty, and every one
was at peace. He called it San Carlos
Borromeo del Carmelo de Monterey,
and intended it to be the headquarters
of the Franciscan order on the Pacific
coast and the official residence of the
president of the mission. The church
has been carefully restored within the
past few years and service is held
there once month, when the faithful
are called together by the original
bell, which was brought from Spain
in 1771. Father Crispi and Father
Sierra both died here and both are
buried in the old chapel. ,-..t
The government of the United
States has established at Monterey
the second largest military post upon
the Pacific coast. When the plans
are finished it will accommodate sew
eral regiments of soldiers. It is an
ideal location. The climate is perfect,
the surroundings are attractive, the
cost of living is low, the railway facili-
ties are sufficient for. any purpose, and
all the other essentials seem to be
present.