Page 20 - autobluebook1920vol8_local

Los Angeles Section Page 439 Route 393
74.8 8.8 Soledad,* sta. on left. Straight thru along RR.
HOTELS—The Head Inn. Front St.
GARAGES—Pinnacles Garage Machine Shop, State highway, opposite
freight depot.
Jog right and immediately left with pavement 82.9.
83.1 8.3 Gonzales, sta. on left. Straight thru along RR.
GARAGES—Gonzales Garage, State highway at the north end of town.
Thru Chualar 89.0. Jog left and right across RR 94.5. Cross
branch RR 97.5. Pass large cemetery on left 98.0.
98.8 15.7 Left-hand road; turn left onto John St.
99.3 0.5 End of street, hospital on right; turn right onto Main St.
99.6 0.3 SALINAS,* Main & Gabilan Sts., banks on right and left.
GARAGES—Salinas Garage, 320 Main St., iy 2 blocks from Barden Co.
Hospital.
SERVICE STA.—United States Tire Sales & Service Depots located here.
•The Mission of Nuestras Senor de la Soledad dence in his business management was such
is situated in a grain field 3)4 miles west of that the order was never enforced. When he
became enfeebled by age he retired to La
the town of Soledad, named for the mission.
Ruined and deserted, with sagging casements Soledad. After the secularization he refused
to leave the fast thinning flock, and, though
and fallen arches, there is little left to tell
supplies of all kinds were running low, he con-
the visitor how well it once was builded. In
tinued to minister to the few Indians who
its desolation there is a singular appropriate-
clung about the mission. One Sunday morn-
ness in its being named for “Our Lady of
ing while saying mass he fell upon the steps
Solitude.” Years before the mission was of the altar and immediately expired, in
founded Padre Crespi had called the locality reality from starvation.
La Soledad, “The Solitude,” on account of The ruins of La Soledad show that the walls
its drear loneliness. were made of adobe mixed with flint pebbles
In 1814 Governor Arillaga, who had been and built upon foundations of rough rock.
taken ill while on a tour of inspection, The walls were about three feet thick, and
hastened to La Soledad that he might be plaster is still sticking to them here and
cared for by his friend, Padre Ibanez. The there, but the roof fell in over forty years
•governor died at the mission and his remains ago. Fallen beams, heaps of tumbled adobes
still rest under the nave of the ruined church. and ruined tiles show the outline of corridor
When Bouchard, the South American revolu- and church. Beyond La Soledad is the beauti-
tionist and pirate, harried the California ful watering place in the Santa Lucia moun-
coast, La Soledad, being inland, became a tains, known as Paraiso Springs, once part
place of refuge. of the mission estate.
Though growth at La Soledad was slow and •Salinas, Cal. (pop. 5,000, alt. 44 ft.), is sit-
the mission never acquired the wealth or re- uated on the Salinas river and lies between
nown of the others, yet it was blessed with the Cabilan and Santa Lucia ranges of moun-
plenty and prosperity, reaching the zenith of tains about midway of the Salinas valley.
its wealth and influence about 1820. Then, Passing thru this valley, the high ranges on
owing to the political chicanery to which it either hand afford a continuous panorama of
was subjected during the years preceding its varied mountain scenery most delightful and
secularization, it declined. In 1846 the mis- attractive to the tourist with the ever chang-
sion was sold to the Soberanes family for ing effects of light and shade.
$800. Three miles south of Salinas is situated the
It is claimed by this family that the church, mammoth factory of the Spreckels Sugar Co.,
whose ruins now remain, was built by their one of the largest in the world, and the im-
grandfather in 1850. He had been baptized, mense tracts of sugar beets tributary to it.
confirmed and married in the mission church, Eight miles north is Moss Landing, on an
and grieved over its neglect and dissolution estuary of the Pacific. The immense alfalfa
during the years of mismanagement by the fields a few miles south of Salinas are always
civil authorities; accordingly when the mis- a source of interest and admiration to the
sion was offered for sale he bought it and re- tourist. From the main street of the city a
built. the church. The Soberanes family still fine view of the historical “Fremont’s Peak’
resides in Soledad. is had.
One of the saddest incidents of mission Salinas is one of the oldest towns in the
history is the death of Padre Sarria at La state and was for a number of years the
Soledad in 1838. This venerable priest had terminus of the Southern Pacific railroad out
held a prominent place in missionary labors, of San Francisco. Within a radius of 30 miles
having been Commissario Prefecto, and then of the city there is grown an unusually fine
Presidente. When Mexico broke away from grade of Chevier barley. These crops during
Spain, he as a loyal Spaniard refused to take the months of June and July are very beauti-
the oath of allegiance to the Mexican repub- ful as they undulate in the coast breezes.
lic, and was ordered exiled, but he was held in Salinas is the home of the universally known
such high esteem and trust and the confi- Salinas Burbank potatoes.
Are you using the BLLJE BOOK intelligently? It is simple.
Read how on pages 12 and 13.