Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-27

In a recent paper l had something
to say about the Spanish prelates who
figured so largely in the affairs of the
Catholic church in California, who
were all born in the Spanish province
of Catalonia and who returned to Cata-
lonia to die. l spoke Of them as they
were generally regarded by the peo-
pie of this state. 1 was not little
surprised within week to read the
energetic diatrlbe against those gem
tlemen made by Attorney Foley, In his
speeches in court in the case of Martin
Aguirre In the Pious fund allotment.
without more than referring to the
discrepant character of the estimates
made as to these distinguished gentle
men by Mr.. Foley and myself respect
lively, 1 will merely remark that Don
Antonio Aguirre. whose liberality to
the church in the early days was the
basis of this sensational suit, was one
of the most interesting characters ever
known in Southern California. He was
one of the few men who came over
here from Spain with large fortune
and applied It to the development of
California. OF the bluest Castilian
blood, he acquired immense properties
in the southern part of the state, and
1t was as natural for him to advance
$780, 600 when the church needed it as to
turn over his hand.
He married sister of Don Jose
Guadalupe Estudillo, by whom he had
Martin, Jose and Miguel and Miss Do
lores Aguirre. Martin, as we all know
hereabouts, though still young fell
low, has been sheriff of Los Angeles
county and warden of San Quentin. In
the greatest flood known in the Los
Angeles river since the American oc-
cupation, when the water was three
feet high at the corner of Alameda and
Also streets, he distinguished himself
by riding his horse into the boisterous
torrent which was carrying off houses
as though they were mere chips and
saving a number of persons from
drowning. That was the flood which
carried off every bridge in Los Angeles
county except the old covered bridge.
Agulrre's GaIIantry
His gallantry on this occasion had
doubtless much to do with his election
to the shrievalty; for when elected he
was a mere boy. 1t did not avail him
a second time, however, when he went
down to defeat. The election of his
friend, Henry T. Gage, brought him to
the front politically again by his selec-
ton for the wardenship, which is the
best place in the gift of the governor
of California.
Joe Aguirre was his brothers assist
ant in administering the wardenship
the bay, where he can supervise the
education of his children. Miguel who
is the eldest of the boys, is farmer
in the San Jacinto. Miss Dolores
Aguirre married Don Francisco Pico.
She was long known as one of the most
accomplished and fascinating bellies of
San Diego.
The widow Aguirre married Col.
Manuel A. Ferrer, another party to the
suit. He was also a native born Span
lard and was a colonel in Maximilian's
army. That he was no carpet soldier
is shown by the presence of saber
cut which has made as distinctive a
mark as that which was the glory of
the great Balafre himself. BY her sec
ond marriage Mrs. Ferrer brought her
husband couple of exceedingly pretty
girls, one of whom is the wife of the
banker of this city, William H. Carlson.
formerly mayor of San Diego.
Hon. Don Jose Guadalupe Estudillo,
at one time state treasurer of Califor-
mia, is the uncle of these young people
as is his brother, Don Francisco Estu-
dillo who, with his wife and children,
is a resident of Los Angeles. A list of
the parientes of these we'll known peo-
pie would be as long as the moral law.
Maugre the suit against the prelates
of holy church, they are all staunch
Catholics. especially of course the la
dies of their families.
The saIton Sea
The inroads of the Colorado river on
the desert, forming the Salton sea, con-
stitute the second series of the kind
thereabouts. The first Salton sea epi-
sode occurred in 1891, and was exploited
by Harry w. Patton, for some years
city editor of The Herald. Inunda-
tions of portions of the desert had been
noted fifty years and over ago, but
they had occurred further down to-
ward the gulf. In the old days the
Cocopah Indians were wont to plant
corn and melons on these overfowed
lands. and the rapid growth and enor-