Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-08

: Z 81 *
II there y yet person In Iowa who
has not visited California let him pre-
pare for some strange sights. Roses
he may see In January. but not many,
for the roses go dormant thru the
winter months. Sunshine he may en-
joy some of the time, for II does not
rain more than half Of the time, and
mild weather above the freezing point
he will have all OF the time. but he will
still have to hustle to keep warm. It
is said that fuel for heat Is often used
In the summer months.
But the man from Iowa will wonder,
all of the way across the desert. when
the weather Is going to moderate. He
will be surprised on the second day
that cold, winter weather travels with
him across New Mexico and Arizona,
and on the morning Of the third day
he will begin to think OF demanding
some climate or his money back when.
all of a sudden, q two hours slide down
the western slope Of the divide lands
him back into October's pleasant Indian
anmmer-nrnvidad the eur 9. shtw!::-
for he drops steeply down the noun
tains into southern California, where
climate Is sold to the rich and the aged
and the afflicted of the middle west:
where the main country roads are
paved with asphalt SO that the western
half of our nation may enjoy its play;
ground. People east Of Ohio for the
most part seek some other resort coun-
try.
When the man from Iowa has been
shocked and stunned at the sight Of
such immense wastes of bleak and bar
rem country as his train traverses. he Is
again surprised to find in southern
California man made country every
where. The old belief that God made
the country while man made the town
may do for Iowa but out here man has
made both. Southern California in its
natural state was another desert, green
Tor only a few months In the year. For
nine months out of every year no rain
falls, hence man had to bring water to
its soil to make country. In southern
California there Is no beautiful natural
agricultural landscape as we know 1t
in Iowa. The hills which are too high
to be irrigated are still barren except
Tor an evergreen underbrush called
chaparral, while the valleys produce
only in the spots touched by man and
his irrigating ditch. Irrigation, like
drainage in Iowa, requires cooperative
effort, hence the towns stretch out so as
to take in the orchards and the farms,
an very often the country In between
towns is still undeveloped. Stony and
dry. it is as yet given over to cactus
and chaparral until more corn is raised
in the Mississippi valley to retire more
farmers and merchants to buy more
ranches" In California.
Spanish Born.
Who discovered this lane and when?
What was 1t that induced white men
to settle in this desert and make Of It
region which grows in population
faster than any similar area in the
United States? This question forces
itself upon the tourist when he sees
what the country looked like before tho
tourists began to speculate In climate,
and what beautiful country has been
made of 1t by man. It leads one to the
missions of southern California which
gave 1t its history, it, start and its
Castilian nomenclature for It's rivers
and mountains and valleys and towns.
The Spaniard discovered California
and named 1t. The Mexican took 1t
away from him but slept on his prize
until the man from the United States
grew rich enough to want It Long be-
fore-almost q century before England
sent her jail birds to jamestown or the
Pilgrim Fathers founded the d. A. n.
at Plymouth Rock or Hendrick Hudson
had discovered the Island Of Manhattan
for tho benefit Of Tammany Hall
Cabrillo. . Spaniard starting from
Spanish territory In Mexico. dropped
Peter), now the port Of Los Angeles.
,ia Aro< ~ NJ
he could get back.
First Booster For California.
About the period OF FIRST settlements
of white men on our Atlantic coast
Viscaino. another Spaniard, sailed into
San Diego bay and named 1t 80 after
his nag ship San Diego est. James).
He sailed up the coast and conceived
the idea Of colonizing the country.
plating it and specializing In town.
sites, so he wrote back to his king the
first booster pamphlet for California.
1t landed some business, for tho king
ordered an expedition fitted out to be
commanded by Viscaino, but Wis died.
Thus ended the second tourist to Cali
fornia and prevented settlement in
California being made long before that
very early one at jamestown in Vir-
ginia.
For 1872 years more California's sun
shine was unnoticed until Spain feared
that Russia would attack Mexico from
Alaska, and the Spanish king. CO.
operating with the official Catholic
church of Spain. established missions
In southern California and that was
the beginning OF the picturesque In
historical ruins and Spanish names
which blend so harmoniously with the
lemon, the oranges, and the pepper
trees transplanted from Spain.
Patriarehal Herds and Estates.
At one time there were twenty one
missions established along the Call
fornia coast, accounting for the sanity
names Of San Diego, San Juan Capis-
trano, San Gabriel. Santa Barbara, and
others. San Francisco. est. Francis)
and Los Angeles (Lady Of the Angels)
were given their names by the priests.
altho they were not missions. Spain.
as every historian knows, was hope
less failure as q colonizer. She got
there first In South America, Mexico.
California and the Philippine islands,
but lost her hold, and California was
no exception. Her stupid monarchs
laid down the rule that no citizen of a
foreign government should be admitted
to a Spanish colony. Spaniards and
Mexicans were too lazy to colonixe
where there were the hardships of
pioneering to be endured. 30 there was
nothing left for the good Franciscan
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