Imperial Valley press., 1919-02-01
STORY OF BAJA
CALIFORNIA AN
INTERESTING ONE

ton IN congress of bill looking tt
the purchase of that unique penin
sula.
BaJa' California, rejected by the
United States after the war with
Mexico as ''the tail-end of an earth
quake, though recognized as rich il
natural resources is least known, ac-
cording to the few who have made g
scientific study of the peninsula, OF
any area of similar size in the west
ern hemisphere.
Lower California, romantically
styled "The Mother of California, .
has figured in modern history fol
400 years. 1t was in 1927 that the
Spanish captain general, Fernando
Cortez, sent one of Bolboa's veterans
Alvera de Saavedra, from Tehuan-
''oec, one the west Coaast of Mexico,
with instructions to try to find a
strait supposed at that time to form
a link in a route from Mexico, or
New Spain, as it was then known, to
the newly discovered Spice Islands,
Known to later generations as the
From Cortez's time down to the
resent there have passed in review
trough the pages of Lower Califor-
0ia's history Spanish conquerors,
]esuits, Dominicans and Franciscans
nd plunderers from many lands;
United States troops during the war
with Mexico, filibusters intent on set
-'ng up an independent government,
nd lastly the contending factions for
7lpremacv in Mexico's national ad-
'inistration since the overthrow of
0orfirio Diaz at president.
1t was Diaz who bestowed on Low
= California, title of "pobre Baja
alifornfa," descriptive of her COR
'!tion in recent wears and which
ranslatad is "Poor Lower Califor-
,ia."
Diaz's description fits the country
1st as well as to its topgra phical as
act, and in some other resuects, for
Is jagged peninsula, 760 miles
ong, varying in width from thirty to
80 miles, and traversed throughout
IS length bv an irregular range of
arren mountains of volcanic origin,
reaklng off abruptly on the gulf
de and ramblinp off in a series of
NV hills to the Pacific Coast. 1t has
cen described by its most recent ex- I
loyar as ga land great in its past |
nd lean in its present. A land where
he rattlesnake and the sidewinder,
oe trantula and the scorpin multiply
nj where sickness is unknown and
lvescore years no uncommon span
: life. A land of strange contra
ictions.'
While a territorial state of Mex
co, it nowhere touches other Mexican
oil. being separated from the main
and by the waters of the Colorado |
iver and the Gulf of California. In
$40 the population of the entire pen
1sula was given at 52,244. There
but one railroad in the country,
side from "wheezy" mine transways,
nd that one, from MeXicali into Yu-
va. but sixtv-three miles in length.
he "caminos" or roads, of the mis-
ion days have fallen into wretched
and in many places have
cen practically obliterated.
The r'aninsula is rich in mineral
Iealth, at least one of it's silver
lines in the southern district, having
cen operated since 1748. Gold. sill |
er, copper, iron, coal, lead, gypsum
nd salt are found, valuable marble |
or building is everywhere abundant.
dining eXrerts agre that the mineral
esources have hardly been scratched. |
Cactus and mesquite have given
lace IN valleys where irrigation has
cen possible to the cultivation of |
eclduous fruits, figs, dates, cereals,
nd vegetables. Railfall is scanty
nd insufficient to support vegeta-
oH. Tobacco, cotton, grapes, sugar
ane end native melons are grown.
lorses, cattle and sheep in limited |
umbers are found in the most fer
lie valleys.
The pearl fisheries of La Paz, on
ne gulf side, have been worked since
ne first Spanish landed and have
cited fortunes to those who have
ucceeded to the franchises covering
ne fisheries. Whale fishing has been
arried on successfully for more than
hundred years off Magdalena Bay,
n the Pacific side, which has fur
lished also a ground for target prac-
ice by the warships of the United
,tates.
The CALIFORNIA;, Baia and Alta
california, the latter the state north
# the Mexican boundry, were christ
ned from Spanish romance popu-
ar in the time of Cortez, entitled
'Sergas de Esplandian," in which the
sland of California was mentioned
IS situated ION the right hand of the
midas, very near terrestrial Para
lise."
The first permanent settlement on
he peninsula was founded at Loreto
n 1897 by Jesuits, who afterwards
a settlement at La Paz.
After the expulsion of the Jesuits the
Franciscans were allowed to carry
IN their missionary work and later
he Dominican monks were granted
similar privileges.
Following are among the more i'm
1ortant events of historical interest
rom teh landing of the Spanish down
% the overthrow of President Porfir-
o Diaz in 1911:
1579-Coast visited by Sir Francis
Drake.
,cnr 90