Imperial Valley press., 1916-11-27

shown by. the fact that it took him
1orty days to make the 400-mile sea
Journey from San Bias to Lower Cali
fornia, and his companion three
r.cnths.
Increase in the royal revenues was
the primary errard of GalNez in Cali
fornia. and he was convinced that
Monterey expedition would add a rich
domain which would increase, not only
the vast area, but the riches and the
revenues of New Spain.
There were mines from which it
was hoped to obtain funds for the
northern expeditions. At the mines
at Santa Ana, in Lower California,
machinery was installed for refining
gold, church built, and an attempt
made to establish school for teach
ing young Indians useful employ
n.cnts. but the mines were so un-
successful that eventually they were
Oh 6ered sold. or, if they could not
be sold, then given away.
Galvez found that the military
management by Gaspar de Portola's
soldiers had caused the Lower Cali
fcrnia missions to suffer, and he re-
stored management Of their affairs
t. Father Junipero Sierra. When Gal
vez proposed the establishment OF
missions in Upper California. the Col
lege of San Fernando, which had
,harge of the California missions, was
bitterly opposed to the plan of es-
tablishing so many new missions and
1t such remote distances, but Father
Se1ra himself was an enthusiastic
supporter of the plan which Galvez
proposed.
What life was like in the pioneer
settlements of Lower California is IL
Eliminated by the first set of laws
for the new province. The Indians
at the mission of Loreto, for instance,
ere to construct forty or fifty
houses, each about 35x70 feet in size,
divided into rooms, and with corrals
for animals and poultry. Trees were to
be planted at specified intervals In
frcnt of each house. The Indian town
was to be separated from the Spanish
town, and each was to have its own
plaza. While building the town the
Indians were to have rations, but no
wages. Every Indian who was head
Of a family was to be given a piece
Of agricultural land and to share In
the use of the communal lands of the
pueblo. Each Spaniard was to have
twice as much land as each Indian,
or more according to his deserts, but
no one was to be allowed to plant
olive trees or grape vines, because
Spain's monopoly Of oil and wine
must bpreserved Orphan boys were
10 be brought to Poreto to learn pearl
fishing and navigation. Mares, horses,
trrros and oxen were provided fol
the community. Wages were small
for mine laborers, herdsmen, team
sters and day laborers, 8 pesos a
.onth in money and weekly rations
of corn and wheat. A peso would buy
them what say IS would buy now.
Under shepherds were to have four
pesos a month, and native Indians,
if not lazy, six pesos and their ra'
lions, or only three pesos if under
IS. Foremen for mines, farms and
herds were to have not less than ten
pesos. No vagabands were to be al
lowed. Any idle person was to be
sent to Jail for a month and those
who harbored people in idleness were
10 be fined twenty pesos. No servant
might leave a master to whom ne
was indebted, but employers were for
bidden to advance more than two
months wages to servants or to i'm
pede those who were out Of debt from
seeking new employment. Every set
tier must be provided with team OF