Page 21 - autobluebook1920vol8_local

Route 394 Page 440 Los Angeles Section
Route 394- -Salinas to San Jose, Cal.—57.2 m.
Reverse Route 28.
Via San Juan, Gilroy and Morgan Hill. Concrete state highway the entire distance.
A low range of hills is crossed on easy but very winding grades between Salinas and
San Juan and tourists are cautioned to comply with rules governing speed on grades and
curves posted along the highway. The balance of this trip is over level country and
particularly attractive from Gilroy to San Jose. This latter stretch is thru the Santa
Clara valley, one of the most highly cultivated and productive farming districts in the
M I LEAG E— v state.
Distance The tourists bound for San Francisco may find a very scenic option
Total Between by using Route 395 to Santa Cruz, then Route 51 to San Francisco.
Mileage Points
0.0 0.0 SALINAS, Main & Gabilan Sts. Go north on Main St.
0.1 0.1 5-corners; bear right along right side of small park. Cross
RR 0.2.
2.8 2.7 Right-hand road; turn right with pavement. Ascend winding
road thru hills 8.0, using caution for blind curves, Reach
summit 12.3. Bear left with pavement 16.2. Avoid right-
hand road 16.4.
Right at 16.4 is Route 33 to Coalinga.
16.6 13.8 San Juan, Mission San Juan* one block over to right, Keep
ahead.
16.9 0.3 4-corners; turn right with pavement.
17.0 0.1 End of road; turn left. Cross RR 19.1. Avoid left-hand road
19.5.
Left at 19.5 is Route 64 at mileage 9.1 to Watsonville.
Pass Sargent Sta. on left 22.1. Cross RR 22.9. Avoid right-
*The Mission of San Juan Bautista is situ- Those on the north still remain. Both church
ated in the town of San Juan. It was and monastery are of adobe and the floor of
the
founded June 24, 1797, and was the second in monastery is paved with the original
the “filling up the links of the chain” mis- tiles laid by the fathers, conclusive proof of
sions. This mission was well located, the their thorough knowledge of the craft of
making burnt brick as well as adobe. The
soil being fertile and the region well popu-
entrance of the church is defended against the
lated. In 1803 the corner stone of the present
depredations of irresponsible tourists by a
church was laid, and in 1809 the sacristy was
barricade extending from wall to wall and
completed and the image of San Juan was from floor to ceiling and kept padlocked like
placed on the high altar. that of any prison. The church, unlike the
In 1836 San Juan was the center of the other missions, is lighted by eight small
hostilities between Jose Castro and Alvarado
windows placed almost at the top of the wall
on the one hand and Governor Guiterez on
above the cornice. Within the altar rail is
the other. Revolutionary meetings, excited the tomb of Padre Presidente Esteban Tapis,
speeches and the martial sound 'of fife and whose body rests beneath the floor. The in-
drum characterized the struggle which forced scription records his life work. He was in
the exile of the governor and resulted in the
America forty years and in California thirty-
election of Alvarado. In 1845 the inventory five. He died November 3, 1825.
taken in accordance with the decree of Pio San Juan Bautista originally had a chime
Pico that all that remained of the mission of nine bells cast in Peru and of wonderful
property except the curate’s house, the sweetness of tone. Only one now remains
church and the court house, should be sold,
of the original chime. Two bells now hang in
gave the value as $8,000. In this same year the hideous incongrouous belfry, but neither
Castro organized his forces at San Juan to is of the original chime. Those bells have
repel the invasion of Fremont, and when been scattered, some to other missions and
California became a part of the United States some recast. In one room of the monastery
through the landing of Commodore Sloat at is a museum of mission antiquities. Among
Monterey, Castro was at San Juan and from its objects of interest are the old chorals of
there treated with the conquerors. To his Padre Presidente Tapis, who was an accom-
humiliation it was Fremont who raised the plished musician and composed a great deal
stars and stripes over San Juan. Here also of church music. The old scores are done on
Fremont organized the volunteer battalion he parchment with the large square notes for the
led against Flores and his reactionaries in different voices done in different colors so
the south. that the parts could be easily followed.
The mission today is much repaired and in Another musical object and the strangest
use. The arched corridor, 300 feet long, ex- thing in the whole collection is an old bar-
tends along one whole side of the weedy rel organ made by Benjamin Dobson, The
plaza. In the corner at the right stands the Minories, London, 1735. Also in the musical
church. Between it and the monastery is an part of the collection is an old wooden wheel
“ugly modern wooden building, surmounted with four hollow spokes, between each two of
by a bell tower erected by Father Rubio in which is a wooden clapper which raps upon
1874.” The fachada of the church is simply them as the wheel rotates. On the days
the end of the building practically unorna- when the bells were not rung this instrument,
mented. The walls of the church were sup- which could be heard for a great distance,
ported by four buttresses on either side. was used to call the people to worship.