Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-16
CITYS NATAL
DAY MARKED
LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES is 1876
YEARS OLD
EVENT CELEBRATED AT PLAZA
CHURCH
Time Turns Backward Century and
Quarter and Days of the Old
Spanish Padres Are
Recalled
tContinued from Page one,


California were expelled from Mexico.
Father Junipero Sierra was elected presi-
dent of the missions. At this time Cali
fornia was under the dominion of Spain
and thus remained until the independence
of Mexico in 1922, Mexico then declaring
California Mexican territory.
Founded Missions
During this time the Franciscans
founded San Diego, Los Angeles, San
Juan Capistrano San Luis Rey, San Ga
briel San Buena Ventura, San Luis
Obispo, San Fernando, San Pedro and
Santa Barbara.
"In 1880 there were sixteen fathers in
California and they had converted by
great sacrifice and agitation between four
and five thousand Indians. This number
had been increased to 14000 by the begin
ming of the nineteenth century.
But what is most wonderful and
aroused greatest admiration for those
APOSTLES of God is that from those rude
and ignorant savages they made excellent
carpenters, blacksmiths, saddlers and
workers of all classes who compared
favorably with the most advanced arti-
slams of that time in Europe.
miguel Jose Sierra, the apostle of Cali
fornia, was born at Petra, Majorca, No
vember "a, 1713. and took the name of
Fay Junpero on account of the ardent
love he felt toward that holy companion
of our seraphic father, st. Francis.
"While he was yet little child he sang
as a chorister in the convent of San Ber-
nardno He was but sixteen when he
entered the Franciscan order, and before
he was is he had taken the final vows.
Studying in the Majorca convent at the
same time with Sierra were Palon, Verger
and Crispn, three beloved and intimate
companions, who had much to do with
the success of Padre Junipero.
Death of Sierra
after an eventful life Junipero Sierra
died at the mission of San Carlos on
August 2S 1850. aged nearly II years.
zone of his fellow men said OF him
Here is one of whom posterity will say,
HE was the greatest man that ever troo
the lands of Alta California"
Prof. Rafael Gallegos spoke of the
founding of the first mission at San
Diego, and then spoke at length upon the
early history of Los Angeles and OF the
Plaza church He continued
''On the arrival of the colonists in San
Gabriel from Loreti on August 1S, ISL,
the governor issued instructions for the
founding of Los Angeles on the 26th. Prof.
Quinn says:
corners facing the cardinal points of the
compass and with it's streets running at
right angles to each of it's four sides, so
that no street would be swept by the
wind
ION the 14th of September of the same
year the plaza was solemnly dedicated.
A father from San Gabriel said mass, a
procession circled the plaza, bearing the
cross, the standard of Spain and an
image of a new chapel but nowhere is
there any account of a prior building.
Doubtless some temporary structure had
been used.
Corner Stone Laid
I'm August of 1914 the corner stone of
the new chapel wss laid. but nothing more
than the laying of the foundation was
done for four years.
after this interval of time the citizens
subscribed 500 cattle toward the fund and
appeals were made to the various friars
which resulted in donations of seven bar
rels of brandy.
with these funds the work was done.
Iaborers came from San Gabriel and San
Luis Rey who were paid 121a cents daily.
Before 1872 the walls had been raised to
the window arches. However the citizens