The Cordova daily times., 1920-02-09
WILL RESERVE
 OLD MISSIONS 0FCALIF0RNlA

., SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. Flor the restoration of the historic missions of California a movement is now on foot Its aim is to rescue those of the old buildings which are crumbllng to decay and to preserve in their original condition those that have survived the hundred years that have elapsed since these missions formed the background of one of the romantic chapters of the settlement of North America.
 About the time the colonies on the eastern coast were seething with the fires of revolution, the padres, pene- trating the country along the coast of Upper California, founded the first cf these missions and pioneered the way for civilization on the western coast
 In the course of the years between 1769 and 1923 there were esta ablished a string of twenty-one missions rang mig from San Diego to San Rafael and San Francisco de Solano, the latter two being north of the city of San Francisco
 The distinctive type of the mission buildings, with colonades and red tiled roofs which has been tine inspiration ot architects not only in California but in other parts of the country, and the sweet-toned mission bells, are charastics of these settlements that are generally known.
 So we'll did the padres build with the help of their Indian neophytes that many of the buildings are in goes state of preservation despite the century they have been standing. Others that have been abandoned, however, are falling to decay and are inhabited by bats and spiders.
 Junipero Serra, Spanish priest, fill ed with zeal for the conversion of the Indians, was the guiding spirit of the mission founders. Whom the king of Spain sought to extend his dominion and check foreign powers who were then eyeing California, he ordered his representative in New Spain, Jose de Galvez, to send expeditions to found settlements and build forts at San Diego and Monterey. Galvez summoned Junipero Serra to aid in the venture, and so, long after the kings original purpose was fulfilled the work of the padres continued.
 Backed by the Plus Fund, which was raised for missionary work among the Indians by Jesuits and turned over to Ae Order of St. Francis in 1767,| the padres directed by Junipero Ser "a continued their work until the chain of missione was established and flour ishing. Always on foot, and generally two by two, the padres made their way from mission to mission. The Indians became devoted to them and toiled for them not only in building but in cultivating the soil, planting orchards and doing various kinds of work. Some even developed into art fists, specimens of their work remain ing to this day. The padres had grain fields, herds of cattle and were the pioneers of the fruit industry of California. Many of the missions be- came wealthy, and some engaged in export trade. ..
 The missions continued to thrive until 1853 when the Mexican govern ment confirmed the mandate issued by Spain some years before. Under this the padres were compelled to leave, and each Indian was to become his own master, free from control of the church, and to have his own land Many of the Indians, however, even- tually drifted back to the wild life, and some of the missions were desert ed entirely.
 The missions and the years of their foundation are: San Diego, 1769; San E----.ll1111llle.0