Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-16
LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES is 1926
YEARS OLD
EVENT CELEBRATED AT PLAZA
CHURCH
Time Turns Backward Century and
Quarter and Days of the Old
Spanish Padres Are
Recalled

old time dances the one hundred and
twenty sixth anniversary of the founding
of the pueblo of La Reina de Los Angeles
de Portiuncula was celebrated yesterday
in the modernized American city of Los
Angeles.
The Church of Our Lady of Angels,
founded under the name of La Reina de
Los Angeles in the soft sounding Spanish
of the past days, was the center of at
traction 1.-THE Plaza" as it Is familiar
ly known, took on an added interest to
citizen and tourist alike, and many went
to one of the services held throughout the
day.
One hundred and twenty-six years ago
yesterday few soldiers OF Spain founded
the pueblo where an earlier Indian village
had already been established.
With these soldiers came the Franciscan
padres, followers of st. Francis of Assist,
who made such a large part of the early
history of California, the formative period
when civilization was slowly being in
troduced into the southland.
That the American city of today, bus
Ting with skyscrapers and reaching from
the mountains to the sea- was to be the
outcome of their humble beginning, the
padres thought not, but with impressive
ceremonies dedicated the city to the queen
of the angels. claiming it in the name of
the church and the king of Spain. In
those days church and state went hand in
hand and it was in the double alle-
glance that the early pueblo was started.
Recall Ancient Days
1t was to this earlier, primitive City of
the Angels that the spectators were intro
duced yesterday. 1t was the day that
lasted nearly a century without greed
and ambition-the land of manana.
Following the ancient custom salute
was fired at sunrise by General Jose
Aguilar, himself a reminder of the days
of Mexico's supremacy. This general
fought against Fremont and later served
on his staff. And yesterday he again
donned his uniform of blue, with the red,
white and green sash of Mexico, and fired
the salutes
At 10 o'clock solemn mass was cele-
brated In the church. Rev. ]. Caballeria
was celebrant, assisted by Rev. Raphael
Fuhr %. f. M, as deacon; Rev. Edward
Lunney, sub-deacon. and Rev r. f. NC
Laughlin, master of ceremonies. The
choir rendered Recardo's mass under the
direction of Prof. Gardner.
The decorations were typical of the
Spanish regime The old vestments were
brought forth for the celebrations and
red, green and yellow flowers and crepe
paper were used in the decorations.
Streamers and garlands adorned the high
altar outlining the painting of the
"Queen of Angels" with a holly wreath
surmounting 1t.
Rev. Raphael Fuhr and Rev. Edward
Lunney, representatives of the Francis
cans now of Los Angeles, took promi-
nent part in the service. Their brown
habits were reminders of the days of the
T1oiGGinn1 rinS-
Rev. Father Caballeria preached the
sermon in Spanish.
Yesterday afternoon a celebration was
held for the children of the parish.
Grounds Illuminated
Last night the old church was en- fete.
The grounds were brilliantly illuminated
and in the old patio the main event OF
the day was given. 1t was gala repre-
sentation of the days of the dons. Pretty
Spanish maidens, little children with
dancing black eyes presented program
of olden Spanish songs and dances.
Without the electric street cars passed
and renassed. but within the patio time
had turned back nearly century and
half and for a brief hour or so the
audience lived in California in the days
of the Spanish rule
The old time costumes worn py tne
Young women were rich and beautltui" OF
silks and laces, and showed forth thelr
Spanish beauty.
THE program was opened with the sing
ing of "Preclaros." the hymn that was
sung when the Spanish flag was first
unfurled on these shores. During the
singing of this hymn General Agullar
fired salute.
Miss Viola Younge sang Los Galllnas'
followed by the Cecilian society, which
rendered eel Sombrero Blanco" dance.
Miss Grace Larieux sang "Firulen." Mrs.
N p Gregory read an original poem on
Los Angeles.
The next number on the program was
set of dances by old people who had
danced them in celebrations In their
youth. Mrs. George Politt sang Las
Golondrinas." Misses Viola Younge and
Grace Larieux gave "El Manzanillo'
dance. La Cuchucha" dance was given
by the Cecilian society.
Mrs M G. Gonzalez and her two pretty
daughters, Misses Myrtle and Stella, gave
1.-The Little Rebel in English.
Rafael M. Gallegos gave an address on
the early history of California and the
founding of the Plaza church. He said
in part:
CaIifornla's Name
.'The name California was probably
formed from the Latin words 'Calida
formax, which signified hot country,
blessed Tor the SKY always DeauIlIul anu
a sun always brilliant.
'rhe name California was introduced
into modern geography by fernando
Cortez, the brave mariner who visited
this land in 1884,
1.-TWO years later Cabrillo made a voyage
of exploration around the peninsula of
Lower California and extended the name
Of California to all the coast.
zone hundred and fifty years were
wasted by the Europeans trying to colo
nize California At the end of this time
the first settlements had been made in
New England and the California penin-
sula had been occupied and explorations
had been made extending almost to Penn
sylvania.
"Spain had taken important steps to es-
tablish it's religious supremacy and by
means of the royal standard of the
crown, the holy cross, to gain the good
will of the inhabitants who dwelt in these
beautiful regions. So priests of the Fran
ciscan order came with the object of es-
tablishing missions for the benefit of the
moor Indians. The Dominican fathers
soon followed.
rAbout the year 176S the priests who
had founded several missions In lower