The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-09-16

A correspondent of the Chicago
Record Herald writes as follows about
Monterey and it's history:
This dear old town dates back to
1902. 1t is the scene of the first white
settlement on the Pacific coast of the
united States. Sebastian Viscaino, a
bold Portuguese mariner employed by
the sovereigns of Spain, was its first
citizen, and he called it "The Noun
tain of the King" He built fort
here, and, although it was afterward
abandoned for century or more,
Monterey has always been associated
with military affairs and political his
!: tory. The town was refounded in
177O by Father Junipero Sierra, that
wonderful Franciscan who established
all of the California missions, intro
duced many industries and really set
the gait that California has been fol-
lowing since his time. I told you
about him in letter from San Diego
last week, and it is gratifying to find
here the first recognition of his emf
nent services. Mrs. Jane L. Stanford,
who was woman of good works, and
did as much in her way for California
as Father Sierra did in his, erected a
monument of granite in his honor up
,on the edge of the Bay Of Monterey,
as near as possible to the very spot
where he first celebrated mass upon
:; this part of the coast, 1876 years ago.
1t is a good piece of sculpture. 1t
represents the venerable father in
priestly vestments, stepping from a
rowboat to rock, and upon a smooth
place in the rock has been chiseled an
inscription, which quote, because one
should use every means to familiarize
the American public, who know so
little about him, with the achieve.
ments of this great and good man:
"Here, June 3, 1770, landed Very
Reverend Father Junipero Sierra, o. s.
r., and founded the following mis-
sions: San Diego, July 10th, 1853;
!; San Carlos, Monterey, June 3rd, 1910;
San Antonio de Padua, July 14th,
I77l; San Gabriel, Sept. 8, 1771; San
Luis Obispo, Sept. 1, 1772; San Fran.
cisco de los Dolores, Oct. 9, 1776; San
Juan Capistrano, Nov. 1, 1776; Santa
Clara, Jan. 1S, 1877; Santa Buenaven-
tura, Mar. 81, 1882; and died August
%, 1884, in San Carlos Mission, Car
.melo Valley. AS the Lord liveth,
even what my God saith, that will I
speak H. Chron., 18th Chap, 18th
verse.
"This monument erected by Jane L..
stanford, in the year 1891, in memory
eof Father Junipero Sierra, a philanthro-
pist seeking the welfare of the hum
;blest, a hero daring and ready to sac
-Fifice himself for the good of his fel-
low beings, faithful servant of his
Master"
Historically Monterey is the most
Interesting point on the Pacific coast.
Here the American flag was raised by
Commodore Sloat of our navy, who
took possession of Alta California July
z, 1846, in the name of the government
of the United States during the war
with Mexico. Fremont had raised the
flag without authority on Gavilan
Mountains on March II previous.
Monterey was the first capital of
California. On the 1st of September,
1849, a convention met here and
i, framed a state constitution, under
which Peter H. Burnett was elected
governor. in the following December.
He remained here and exercised his
duties as the first executive of the new
state. The first legislature met in the
same hall occupied by the constitu-
Honal convention, and much of the
! early history Of the state was made in
that building. It was called Cotton
Hall, and was built early in the spring
of 1849 by Rev. Walter Cotton, who
has the combined distinction of hay:
ing been the first Protestant clergy.
man, the first editor and the first
Judge OF an American court in the