Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-06-19
c.hs.r.i. Letter
fContinued from page 1

CONTINUED from page u
marks this spot Here we saw the old
chapel and mission bells brought from
Spain I'M 1902 The San Diego mission
which we visited at this place was
built and completed in the year 1859
and the bells of which i have spoken
are the oYiginul Canine mission bells
used also in 1859. Estudillo House
was built in Old Town in 1925 and in
one of these rooms -Ramona's mar
riages took place We had the pleas
ure of looking at an old chair of per-
haps 100 years of age in which Helen
Hunt Jackson sat while writing her
manuscript of her famous book Ra-
mona Estudillo House during the
past years fell into partial ruin and
decay, but Spreckles, the sugar mag
nate of California, spent small for
tune in having 1t repaired and re-
turned to its old time glory The
tiles on the floor were made by the
San franciscan. fathers in ITO and
the big Spanish Kitchen has hide
bound rafters, or rafteTs in which a
nail has never been driven, Just held
in place by bands of cured hide In
this curious old kitchen were utensils
and old copper vessels which had
been used over 100 years ago in Spain.
One of the rooms was fitted up with
famous paintings and here we heard
an excellent illustrated lecture on
California missions in which colored
electric lights were used with beauti-
full effect. Here we saw the world
famed Black Madonna from Monserat,
Spain, claimed to have been made by
St. Luke and lost in Spain for 500
years, and found in a deserted mon
astery. There is every reason to be-
lieve it is the original Black Madon-
ma, the only one of its kind ia the
world today. Here also was a statue
of ST. Joseph Stalen from an old mis-
sion in Mexico a hundred years ago.
1t is the only statue of Joseph to be
seen wearing a crown in the known
WORLD. Mission paintings adorned
the walls many of them over $50
years of age. The picture 1.-THE
Burning Of the San Diego Mission"
during which Father Juamie was
killed by the Indians is marvel of
art, the lights and coloring beggar
description and is of great value.
The painting of Saint Francis de
Assis founder of the San Franciscan
order.in the 18th century, was painted
by PasQual Perez over 300 years ago
One could go on indefinitely de-
scribing these missions, but time
forbids, but anyone visiting San
Diego should not miss this treat.
Before closing this part OF descrip-
ton will menti6n a curious: old
piano brought from Paris over 100
years ago,sand an old Spanish oven
hewn out of solid rock without
crack or stem in it, of later date; an
mountain stage coach
used 65 years ago between Fort Yuma
Ariz., and San Diego. 1t is very
massive and heavy and cost at that
time.$160O, so after all one appreci-
ates the fact that automobiles are
not such an expensive luxury in these
days. Our trip next took US to the
San Diego Exposition. This exposi-
tion was gotten up by San Diego and
counties all expenses
being borne by them excepting the
appropriations for the Montana,
U tab, New Mexico, Washington and
Kansas buildings. The first thing
our party did, by common consent,
was to make straight for the Kansas
building as soon as arriving in the
grounds. Right here we pause for
we do not wish to make on unwise
or unfair statement, but we all
looked at each other in amasemen
and disappointment for in truth we
had a right to be disappointed. The
building VS. the smallest of the
state buildings but the architecture
is not bad being on the picturesque
style and the building itself