USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego > City of San Diego and San Diego County : the birthplace of California, Volume I > Part 6
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Humble, unselfish, shunning promotion that he might continue in his work of founding missions and keeping them going to bring the pagan Indians to his church : able yet modest, firm yet kindly, he was beloved by all with whom he had toiled, and to his name Cali- fornians of this day, whether or not of Father Serra's religion, are glad to point with pride, reverence and affection.
In the years that followed American occupation of California the San Diego Mission was sadly neglected. In the '50s, at various times the buildings were occupied by U. S. troops. By the '80s the buildings had fallen away to such an extent that little was left except part of the church and dormitories. In the '90s some effort was made to halt the
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decay of the structures, and in recent years there was developed a movement in which public-spirited citizens of San Diego joined in an effort to preserve what was left and to put up such safeguards as they could to prevent further destruction; this has been a movement in which Protestant and Catholic have worked gladly side by side; this also was a movement for preservation of what remained rather than for restoration, for which sufficient funds were not collected. In 1921, however, the Legislature of the state of California passed a measure, which was approved by Gov. William D. Stephens, by which $10,000 was appropriated for restoration of the San Diego Mission. In this legislation the San Diego County representatives, State Senator E. P. Sample and Assemblymen J. O. Bishop and R. W. Colburn, had a part.
The work of restoration was then taken up by the Native Sons of the Golden West and the Native Daughters of the Golden West. The grand parlor of the Native Sons appropriated $5,000 to assist in the work, and the local parlors of the Native Sons and Native Daugh- ters undertook the task of raising $10,000 more. Extensive prelimi- nary work was done in the summer of 1921; debris was removed and various fragments of the buildings carefully secured. In September, 1921, the San Diego Commission which had been working on preser- vation of the mission and of which George W. Marston of San Diego is president and John Steven McGroarty of Los Angeles vice presi- dent, issued a statement typical of the sentiment held by San Diegans for the mission. It is as follows :
"The restoration of the old Franciscan missions of California has long been a cherished dream of the people of the Golden State and of her visitors who delight in these vestiges of her romantic past. It is a desire that has never been confined to any one class or creed of the population.
"The pathetic, yet noble, ruins of these old missions, constituting, as they do, the most important architectural monuments of the colonial periods anywhere in the United States, speak eloquently still of those great, self-sacrificing and holy men who founded California's civiliza- tion. Our present greatness is a heritage of that immortal Franciscan missionary enterprise which began in 1769 with Fray Junipero Serra and his heroic companions.
"The debt of gratitude which we owe to these first pioneers and those who followed after them is incalculable. And there has ever been a desire to give some form of expression to this gratitude on the part of each succeeding generation of the newer peoples who have come into possession of California.
"The form in which our gratitude should be shown is voiced in the quenchless desire to see the missions restored. It is, therefore, with profound pleasure that announcement is now made that a tangible and practical movement is at least on foot to restore the mission. This was the first mission founded and the pioneer settlement of white men in California, and it is appropriate that it shall be the first to be restored.
"The restoration of San Diego Mission to as nearly as possible its ancient form and appearance will give example and encouragement that will result in renewed activity throughout the state in the work
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of conserving and restoring these monuments of such inestimable com- mercial, as well as sentimental and archeological, value."
San Luis Rey Mission, regarded as the finest of all the number which were built along the California coast, was dedicated June 13, 1798, the founders of this mission being Frs. Lasuen, Santiago and Peyri. It is about five miles from Oceanside and about forty miles north of San Diego. The mission was not completed until 1802. Its builders held fast to the Moorish style of architecture, the structures
RUINS OF SAN LUIS REY MISSION, SAN DIEGO COUNTY
being arranged in quadrilateral form, about 450 feet square, the church occupying one wing of the whole.
It is recorded that the dedication ceremony was attended by fifty- four Indian children. Father Peyri was left in charge of the mission, and he worked with such zeal that within a week seventy-seven per- sons had been baptized. San Luis Rey was one of the most flourish- ing of the California missions, and at one time had many cattle and sheep.
In the course of the years the mission fell into a state of decay. Work of restoration was begun in 1893 by Father O'Keefe of the Franciscan Order, who passed away at Santa Barbara in August, 1915. The work which he started and carried on despite the lack of sufficient funds at times, was practically complete by 1916. Father O'Keefe established a parochial school, which was enlarged in 1915 by the generosity of Jerome O'Neil, owner of the famous Santa Mar- garita ranch, whose expanses stretch north from Oceanside for many miles.
CHAPTER III
AT THE PRESIDIO, UNDER SPANISH RULE
San Diego for more than half a century was just a little settle- ment within the walls of the presidio, established on a hill overlooking the flats and part of Mission Valley. Most of this time the garrison was pitifully small, the times were monotonously uneventful. San Diego was isolated, apart from the rest of the world, with many miles between it and the next military establishment in upper California. Even the mission was largely something outside the life of those who lived on the shores of San Diego Bay. The Mission Fathers and their Indian charges came and went, but the mission itself after the first few years was far up the valley and between it and the presidio were the Indians, never trusted very much, even when the newcomers in- creased in number, and even those who had little ranches nearby, within call of the presidio, took care always to provide protection for themselves in the shape of weapons. The presidio itself occupied only small space, around which at first was a rough wooden stockade, then, in later times, a high wall built of adobe-a weak structure at best, but doubtless enough to awe the ignorant savages. Inside were a few small buildings, the quarters of the commandant, a little chapel, guardhouse, quarters for the small force of officers and men, store- houses, and so on. The presidio was abandoned about 1835 or 1836, under Mexican rule.
The Spanish garrison itself was never formidable, especially when compared with troops of later years. Sometimes, it seems, the officers had trouble with their men, and it is no wonder, for a more monoto- nous and less interesting life for a man of action and ambition it would be hard to imagine. Of course in later years these conditions changed to some extent. But as a military establishment it was insignificant ; it was so far from the entrance to the harbor that a hostile vessel could have come in and landed soldiers without the slightest interfer- ence. If any other power had wished to take the port from Spain the seizure could have been accomplished with a small force and with almost no difficulty of a military nature. George Vancouver, the English navigator, saw this at a glance when he sailed into San Diego harbor on his discovery in 1793, and he wrote his impressions down very frankly, directing attention to the fact that Spain's hold on this part of the new world was so weak as to excite wonder. The presido at San Diego, he continued, seemed to be the least important of all the Spanish establishments and with its small garrison, far from the entrance to the harbor and with its puny battery of three small guns, was of ridiculously small importance.
The Spanish a few months later went leisurely to work on a fort at Ballast Point, then called Point Guijarros, but the easy life of gar-
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rison duty seems to have become such a habit that the fort was not completed for several years ; and when it was finished it amounted to little under Spanish rule. Anyway, there was never any serious occasion for its use, and on the first occasion when the Spanish soldiers did use the guns, except possibly for a salute, they staged a nice little comic-opera affair-serious enough at the time, no doubt, but laughable in view of the little damage done. This affair was that of the Lelia Byrd, among the first of the Yankee trading ships, captained by shrewd, two-fisted rovers of the sea who brought out cargoes of various kinds to exchange for what could be found in the market. In this section barter was made principally in those days for fur of the sea otter, which then ran thick on the coast. Their furs the Spanish commanders did not want sold to any Yankees ; they were for Spanish trade; yet the ingenious Yankee traders soon found it was easy to slip by and bargain quietly with fur-owners. This practice had aroused the suspicions of the San Diego command- ant, and when the Lelia Byrd shoved her nose past the point in March, 1803, the Spanish officer wasted little time in paying a visit to her commander, Capt. William Shaler. Did the captain need supplies ? Yes; well, then he should have them on proper terms, but there was to be no trading for otter skins or anything else, and he, the com- mandant, would leave a guard of five men to see that his instructions were carried out. There would be no fooling with him. What is more, he left the guard to see that the Lelia Byrd obeyed orders. And with that he pompously departed for his headquarters, doubtless with all the dignity of a commander-in-chief of a great army.
That, however, is only the beginning of the story. For Captain Shaler and his mate, Richard J. Cleveland, who, by the way, was a relative of Daniel Cleveland, well known San Diego pioneer, had not come to the Pacific to take a course of lectures from Spanish com- mandants. They had come to trade-by open means if possible, but, anyway, to trade. And the crew was of the same kind of American traders. Numbers of the crew had got a hint indeed that if a boat was sent discreetly to shore the Yankees would be able to get some of those highly prized otter skins. So when night fell and the time for discreet deeds was at hand, a boat put off for skins. It got them. A second boat did not return, the Spanish commandant and some of his trusty soldiers having captured the crew and left them, tied hand and foot on the beach, under guard. The next day Captain Shaler sent a party ashore and his men soon persuaded the Spanish guard standing on the beach that it was not healthful thus to hold free-born Americans who believed in their flag and own ability. The Spanish soldiers gave up their guns, the American prisoners were un- bound, and all hands sped for the good ship, Lelia Byrd. Then it was up with the sails and off from San Diego. The dignity of the Spanish commandant, however, had received a fearful blow, and he and his soldiers sped for Fort Guijarros on the point to see that the Lelia Byrd was punished with such severity as befitted the case.
Should any captain of the Americans get away with such an in- sult unavenged? No, never! Not by a jug of the finest wine from old Spain! By horse and foot the commandant, soldiers and villagers raced to the point while the Americans wore blisters on their rough
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hands trying to make a record departure with the Lelia Byrd. Finally anchor and sails were up and the ship had started. Bang! went one of the little nine-pounders from the fort. It was a blank for warning. Then came a solid shot, the real article of warfare. On raced the Lelia Byrd in the light breeze, and as she neared the fort at the nar- rows the Americans, who long ago had disarmed the Spanish guard which had been put aboard, stationed the unfortunate and badly scared Spaniards in a very exposed position. As the Lelia Byrd sped down the narrow channel the Spaniards aboard lustily pleaded by sign and voice to their compatriots ashore to desist from further bombardment. Yet the Spanish guns kept it up and did some damage to sail and hull of the American vessel. On the other hand, as soon as Captain Shaler's good ship was near enough for his six small guns to do some execution, he let go with a broadside. As the echoes rattled off Point Loma and racketed across the waters of the otherwise placid bay, the Spanish garrison began a hasty retreat from the fort. A second broadside from the Lelia Byrd sent them all out except one daring indi- vidual who stood and waved his hat. Perhaps he was the proud com- mandant. At any rate, the Lelia Byrd got away without blood stain- ing her deck, and as soon as she was outside her officers put the Span- ish guard ashore. And the Spaniards were so glad to escape that they gave a little cheer, wishing long life to the bold Americanos. Ah, that was a day to talk about !
Indeed, there was little else to talk about for a long time, as other arrivals were few at San Diego in the next few years. One a year was a great event.
Capt. Joseph O'Cain came here on his trading vessel, the O'Cain, in 1804, but the visit was without any special incident. No vessel seems to have put into the harbor in 1805. In 1806, as a result of the strict regulations governing trade with foreign ships, four Ameri- can sailors who had put ashore from Captain Kimball's Peacock at San Juan Capistrano, were arrested by the Spaniards and were im- prisoned for a time in San Diego. Captain O'Cain appears to have come here in another ship, threatening to destroy the fort and presidio. He did not do it, however, and sailed away.
Thereafter for several years affairs at San Diego were very, very quiet. Mexico began to slip from Spain's grasp. The presidio began to fall into a state of decay. Only about fifty soldiers were kept there most of the time. From 1809 to 1827, except for a few short periods, Francisco Maria Ruiz was actually commandant of the port, part of the time as acting commandant. In much of that period the struggle for Mexican independence from Spain was going on, but little news of this came to San Diego. The establishment apparently was loyal to Spain. The soldiers, however, were a sorry outfit. They were paid at rare intervals, their clothing often was ragged and they had to scheme carefully to get food enough. The mission gave what it could, accepting Spanish treasury orders which could not have been very highly regarded, as promises of pay. There were few occur- rences of any importance for many a long year. One which caused much anxiety was the visit of Capt. Hippolyte Bouchard to the Cali- fornia coast in 1818 with two vessels which he had fitted out as Buenos Ayres privateers in an effort to harrass Spain. Bouchard
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actually did appear at San Juan Capistrano and much of the church property was removed from the mission to prevent its loss to him. Also troops were sent up to meet him, but Bouchard withdrew. From San Diego women and children were removed for safety, and prepara- tions were made to give battle, but Bouchard's privateers stayed away from the port.
With the decay of the presidio the settlement spread down below its walls on the more level ground of what is now Old Town. Smythe says it seems likely that the first of these little structures was the home of Captain Ruiz, who has been mentioned already. It was in the section known as "Rose's Garden," so-called because Ruiz planted a number of pears, olives and pomegranates, the trees bearing fruit for many years. Other soldiers seem to have had little "farms" or "rancherias," but in an agricultural way the settlement at the old town at San Diego never amounted to much. Its commercial im- portance was based not on sales of fruits or grains, but of cattle hides, trade in which reached amazingly large proportions as the years went on. The Mission Fathers had realized the importance of cattle-rais- ing and made much of it, using the vast expanses of grazing land under their control to fine advantage. The pasturage all about San Diego was excellent, the cattle were easy to breed and raise in the mild climate, and herds grew with astonishing rapidity. The military went into the business, and so did private individuals, and the industry developed with a rush. Then ships began to come for the hides. One, the Sachem, came from Boston to the coast in 1822 and al- though she did not stop at San Diego, the word went out that at San Diego there could be had many hides, and trade in them was soon brisk. It continued for many years. Several warehouses were built by the hide traders at La Playa. There were four standing there in 1836, when Richard Henry Dana, famous writer of "Two Years Before the Mast," visited San Diego. Among the American vessels which came here in the hide trade in the early days were such famous old craft as the Arab, Mentor, Sachem, Rover, Andes, Cou- rier, Franklin, Brookline, Louisa, Alert, which made yearly trips from 1831 to 1844; Tasse, Barnstable and more than a dozen others. Sev- eral San Francisco firms were engaged in this trade, and Henry D. Fitch, who became a merchant at San Diego, was a member of one of those firms. Alfred Robinson who later wrote "Life in California," came here in 1829 on the Brookline and got impressions of the place which were very interesting.
Naturally enough as the cattle and hide industry grew in im- portance, those at and near San Diego began to look for more land on which cattle could be raised and fed. By 1820 valuable grants were made to private individuals, beginning with veteran and invalid soldiers, and by 1834 the practice of granting lands included in the mission holdings had started. This continued with great liberality up to the time California was taken by the United States in 1846.
The whaling trade in the Pacific also left its mark at San Diego, but its rise started much later.
Spain's power in Mexico had gone by 1822 and on April 20 of the year the Spanish flag was hanled down. It appears that the cere- mony in which it was supplanted by the Mexican colors in San Diego
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was a simple one. The little establishment was far away from the scene of turbulence. The people here were not greatly concerned over the change and they accepted the beginning of Mexican rule without any signs of great excitement.
CHAPTER IV
UNDER THE MEXICAN FLAG
The story of San Diego under Mexican control is not one of vast importance. The hide and tallow industry kept increasing in importance, but growth in population was slow, and as Smythe has aptly said, the Mexican authorities spent much of their time and en- ergy in political squabbles which kept conditions sadly unsettled. Yet in these disputes there were a number of interesting characters, and in the government of California San, Diego played a large part.
Among the San Diegans who became prominent in that period was Juan Bandini, one of the most striking characters in all Cali- fornia at that time. Another was Pio Pico, who was the last Mexican governor of California. Still another was Henry D. Fitch, a New Bedford sailor, who became a Mexican citizen here, who was first town attorney of San Diego when the pueblo form of government was organized and who kept the largest store at Old Town for many years prior to American occupation. Then there were the Arguellos, the Carrillos, the Estudillos, the Zamoranos and many other families whose names are a very part of Old Town. They joined in building up at the little settlement such an atmosphere of old-time courtesy and hospitality that its romantic fragrance has lasted through all the years.
Although never so officially designated, San Diego was to all intents and purposes the capital of California for about five years, while Gen. Jose Maria Echeandia was governor. His territory, it must be remembered, included both Upper and Lower California, and San Diego was not very far, geographically, from the center of that large section, but his choice of San Diego met with some opposition from various other places and when he attempted in 1827 to hold an assembly at San Diego the delegates declared that this city was too hard to reach. Echeandia seems to have been a fairly sensible and efficient officer, but his career as governor was not without troubles of various kinds. His presence and residence at San Diego made the place of course the political center of affairs in California, and political schemes in abundance were concocted here. The vola- tile schemers doubtless were a source of some anxiety to Echeandia.
At that time, too, Americans were beginning to come not only by sea but by land to California, the hardy pioneers of the nation being ever eager to push on to the west. Some of these came to San Diego in what is known as the Pattie party in 1828. In referring to this episode Smythe directs attention to the fact that the Californians (or Mexicans) were not hostile to the Americans, probably being more inclined toward them than to the Spaniards who viewed the advent of Mexican or Mexican rule with no great satisfaction. But the Cali- fornians somewhat naturally looked upon all foreigners with sus-
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picion. Under that suspicion the Pattie party fell. This party was headed by Sylvester Pattie, a Kentuckian who had achieved fame as an Indian fighter. His son, James O. Pattie, later wrote a "Nar- rative" of the affair and left considerable room for argument. At any rate, Pattie in 1827 organized a company at Santa Fe, New Mexico, to trap and hunt on the Colorado River, about which, of course, little was known at that time. Eight of the company, all Americans, in- cluding the two Patties, floated down to the mouth of the Colorado and after considerable hardships started west, at last reaching the mission at Santa Catalina in Lower California, early in 1829. All eight men were brought to San Diego. Echeandia had them locked up and they remained prisoners here for several months. The elder Pattie died and was buried on Presidio Hill. The younger Pattie ap- pears either to have been an obstreperous prisoner or to have been badly treated. His six companions were released under guard to go for some furs they had buried near the Colorado River, but he was kept in prison until, as Pattie's story has it, a smallpox epidemic broke out and he, having some vaccine with him, was let out to vac- cinate everybody around. He later seems to have gone to San Fran- cisco and to have played the doctor there.
The old governor had some trouble with the Indians, and kept his troops busy much of the time in keeping them scared away from the port. The California soldiers brought in the ears of their victims to show what the day's work had been. On one occasion a lieutenant is said to have brought in twenty pairs of ears from Indians slain in this section.
An interesting account of San Diego in the days of Governor Echeandia rule is given by Alfred Robinson in his "Life in California." Robinson came here in 1829 as clerk on the trading ship, Brookline, and in 1836 married, at Santa Barbara, Ana Maria, the daughter of Capt. Jose de la Guerra y Noriega, one of the wealthiest Spaniards of California. After the Brookline hove to, a boat was sent ashore and "satisfactory arrangements" were made with Governor Echean- dia, after which the Brookline ran in and anchored close under the guns of old Fort Guijarros. The Brookline was there for a long stay, so the long boat was hoisted out, ready to be put down, the royal yards and masts and the top-gallant yards of the good ship were lowered, "and these and all other surplus rubbish on the decks sent on shore and deposited." Those were not modern days of telegraphic haste in trading, but the good old leisurely times, in which the Spanish courtesies had to be thoroughly observed before any mere barter was to be considered. Then lumber was sent ashore and the ship's car- penter began to build "a large house" for the storage of hides. This, wrote Robinson, served "as a place of accommodation" for the lighter part of the Brookline's cargo while it was being examined and cared for by the Spanish custom officers. Don Manuel Dominguez, a brother-in-law of one of Robinson's companions, soon sent horses to the visitors and they galloped away to the town. Then followed Rob- inson's interesting description of the San Diego of those days :
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