Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-18
PLAN TO REBUILD
OLD MISSIONS
CRUM5LED RUINS WILL NOT BE
DESERTED
Rt. Rev. Bishop Conaty Shows True
Love Of a Californian
for Ancient Land.
marks

we rest in peace where battled thou;
We feast where hunger was thy guest;
And where We toiled we find sweet rest
In happy homes of comfort now
This land
So grand,
We know
We owe
Thy faithfulness.
Thine was the toll and now shall be
Our loving homage rendered thee.
Thy memory ever we revere,
Brave Pioneer.
Once again shall the brown-robed
Fransicans renabilitate the old mis-
sion of San Juan Capistrano and the
old bell established by the padres of
long ago. after sacrifice and suffering.
will again call the faithful to daily
alteration in the house of Worship
which they builded and which is now,
even in its ruins, one of the architec-
rural gems of California and one of
its proudest possessions.
Rt. Rev. Bishop Conaty, although
having been here less than three years,
has the true love of the Californian
for the early landmarks and has ar
ranged for the rebuilding of the mis-
sion along its early lines under the
direction of the Franciscan fathers.
This work will be carried on in con-
junction with the Landmarks club,
which has held a lease on the premises.
The Landmarks club has cared for the
ruins the past ten years, having ex-
pended $4,000 in the work of rescuing
them from utter Oblivion. The work
of restoration will not be done in a
modern manner, but will follow close
ly the original lines and will strictly
conform with the early mission style
on the interior as we'll as the exterior
Bishop Conaty, after a conference
with the Franciscan superiors of the
state, arranged the details with his
diocesan council, which convened last
week, when it was arranged that two
priests and one brother will soon be
sent to commence the work of res
toration.
In speaking of the matter last even
ing the bishop said the work would be
carried on in conjunction with the
Landmarks club, which has already
done valiant service in rescuing the
missions and preserving them. 1t is
the hope of the bishop to restore the
historic buildings and to reach the
scattered inhabitants as well as to keep
the work of the early padres, which
has been sadly neglected since the
secularization. 1t is the plan to rebuild
Capistrano as the Santa Barbara mis-
sion as been, and which is now one
of the show places of California.
The mission of San Juan Capistrano
was established November l. 1776. In
1872 the disastrous earthquake which
did so much damage in California
wrecked the huge tower, the ruins
now standing much as they were left
by this disaster which killed forty
people beneath it's walls.
After 1884 1t was little more than a
ruin, and in 1845 the mission, which is
now considered priceless, was sold by
the government to Mckinley and F'os-
ter for $40, who owned the property
twenty years. After much litigation
it again passed into the hands of the
church, since which time it has been
attended by priests of the diocese,
principally from San Luis Ray. Santa
Ana and latterly from st. Joseph's,
Los Angeles.
San Juan Capistrano, with San Louis
Rev. is considered one of the architec-
tural gems of the state, the now ruined
cloisters showing the original build
ings to have covered ground the area
of a city block. These half-ruined
cloisters have been mecca for artists
and photographers for many years.
Charles F. Lummis, a prime mover
in the works of the Landmarks club.
spoke enthusiastically of the work to
be done under the supervision of
Bishop Conaty, which would have
taken the club many years to do
through its limited means. He ex-
pressed the hearty approval and
gratitude of the club to Bishop Conaty
i'm carrying on the work begun. In
this Instance of restoring the old as
we'll as building the new Bishop Con-
atty has won the love and admiration
of all for his untiring work for the
good of the community.