Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1906-04-12
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Beautiful Land of Missions and
Romance. Old Town Scene of
''Romo na. ."Indians Almost Extinct,

Los Angeles, CAL, April 4-The
early navigators along the coast of
California found several high pro-
montories or points of land jutting
out into the placid waters of the
Pacific. At these points we're the
best harbors and at Point Iona
(Scn Diego,) San Pedro, Santa Bar
bara and San Francisco, the begin
nings Of the early settlement OF the
country were made.
The industrial, social and religious
history of the state centers around
the Jesuit missions that were started
by the friars from Spain, and for
many years these mission fathers
were the real rulers of the country.
The pueblo of Los Angeles was the
largest town from the first, probably
due to greater area of good land
tributary to it, than to any other
reason. IT has continued to be the
most progressive city and enterpris-
ing region in Southern California
and Los Angeles is now metropolis
of some 200, people with future
that is assured and is already becom-
ing a formidable rival of San Fran
cisco in point Of population, if not
business. Without harbor nearer
than 20 miles, Los Angeles has grown
mostly from its agricultural and
fruit resources. as basis OF support
ing large resident population. Of
course the same genial climate that
is the main stay of all the other
cities and resorts helps Los Angeles,
also, but other things have added
their full quota. 1t is fine city,
clean we'll lighted and with the
greatest system Of street cars for its
own use and for the development of
the surrounding country. in the
world. The cars run every where
and like the old Roman roads, they
center at Los Angeles. In the country
they attain the speed of steam power
trains.
Coming down on the coast line Of
the Southern Pacific from San FanciS-
co, the beautiful and highly cultivat-
ed Santa Clara valley ais !. tra!yersed
with gem of a city, San Jose. as its
metropolis. Land has advanced great
ly in values in this valley and the re-
suits of intensive farming or ranch
ing as farming is called here, and
there are seen on every side clean
well kept orange groves and tracts
of other fruit and nut bearing trees.
The land is mostly too valuable for
grain and little of this is seen except
occasional barley fields.
Santa Barbara is beautiful old
town slopiDg back from its broad sea
beach to the old mission on She hill.
The mission here is type of all the
others in California. The church.
the residence quarters of the monks.
the garden and the stock corral are
all together in connected group of
buildings Quilt of sun dried bricks.
The interior decorations of the old
churches were brought from Spain or
the OLD world and some of the old
pictures of..martyrs and biblical scenes
still retain their bright colorings.
In the quiet and cool interior of
| some of the old churches can be seen
| women and children attending reli-
gious devotions the same as over a
century ago when Indians and mixed
breeds of Spanish and Mexicans were
the only residents and the only ma
terial for the missionary spirit Of the
monks to work upon. The govern
ment Of Mexico, in after years de-
rrived the Mission fathers of their
temporal powers. and it is said that
the country was much the worse
ia the management of its affairs for
the interference. The friars grew
wealthy in herds and lands but used
their wealth and power as whole
wisely and for the best interests of
the native population. The broken
down politicians from Mexico were
Of the ger-rich-quick species and
cared little about advancing the real
welfare of the country or its inhabi-
taDts. While the Indians were freed
from the mission control they yet
remained virtual slaves until the
inexorable law Of nature, the survi-
val of the fttest, closed the chapter
of lifes history for them in this beau
tiful region.
Changes almost beyond belief have
occurred In the southern part OF CAL
ifornia in SO years. With the discov-
cry Of gold in ls49 came the destruc-
tive and creative forces Of oiviliza-
tion,s hand In hand. There Is great
scarcity Of Indians In the country
mo-. : ikhn,,uh IN ~ m voa - aon fhora