The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 32

32 SAN BERNARDINO SUN-TELEGRAM Dec. 27, 1953 I 1 S' ill WA jfrrrfe? Cfe: Q. A History in the Making Dumetz Feted in San Bernardino's 1910 Centennial (This is the 58th of a series of articles about the history of San Bernardino and San Bernardino County during the past half century. This week's story is also the first part of the story of the San Bernardino centennial celebration of 1910; presented at this time because of the interest in another centennial observance scheduled for 1954. The articles appear Sundays in The Sun-Telegram.) By L.

BURR BELDEN W' San Bernardino for more than 50 years has been a city that delights in celebrations. Next year it is planned to observe the 100th anniversary of the city's incorporation. In 1951 there was an observance for the centennial of the well known Mormon colonization. More than 40 years ago, however, this city observed its first centennial. The 1910 event commemorated the 100th anniversary of Fr.

Francisco Dumetz' expedition from the San Gabriel Mission which brought the first Christian worship initial attempt to Christianize HW I If iWW- J' it Mr m-' A VW. iih i lbm i i vim? 1m iVi JS 'Habbies' Topic for Talk Before Group "Hobbies" was the topic chosen by Dr. Owen J. O'Connor when he addressed members of the Uptown Lions Club at San Bernardino at Tinti's Cafe. "A hobby gives vent to pent-up emotional tensions and helps to eliminate the pressures of every day life," said Dr.

O'Connor. As part of his speech he passed from member to member taking a hobby poll. His poll showed that almost all of the members of the club have hobbies, ranging from music to model building. Concluding his talk, Dr. O'Connor presented a plaque to President Robert F.

Lapham. The names of the five past presidents are inscribed upon the memorial plaque. DESERVES VACATION MANHATTAN, Kan. (UP) A Holstein cow owned by Kansas State College has completed a production record of 518 pounds of butterfat and 14,217 pounds of milk in 322 days. $10 TO $10,000 ACCEPTABLE Two Clubs Join For Yule Event More than 100 children were en tertained by members of the San Bernardino Active Club and the Junior Women's Club at a giant Christmas party at the Arrowhead Springs Hotel.

The party was held in the ranch room of the hotel. A huge, elab orately decorated Christmas tree was located beside the fireplace and tables had been arranged and set to accommodate everyone. Yodeling Bob Lewis opened the entertainment program. Other acts included Carl E. Hansen with his magic show; Judy and Bobby Wright, who danced and sang; Gary Hulten and Richard Ricker on the accordions, Alta Lengren who performed the hula-hula dance; Laura Gruver with her violin and Ernest Hahn at the piano.

CHEPACHET, R.I. (UP) William V. Wallace, who has a photographic memory, can describe any item listed on any one of the 1,200 pages of a popular mail order catalog. You name the page, and Wallace will tell you what's on it, along with the various prices listed. MIJ 'li Funds received on or before the 11th of the month earn interest from the first oo.

'r PACIFIC THRIFTw 6399 WILSHIRE BLVD. IOS ANGEIES 48 Suite 102 Ground Floor WEbster 3-5901 CENTENNIAL SCENES Here are some random views of the 1910 Centennial of San Ber nardino reproduced from old souvenir booklets. In the left column Conaty laying the capella cornerstone. Next below is a group of plant leaves. At the bottom is a dian wigwam built of century Upper right is the Pioneer Log 'Get Quick Results With Want Ads" YOU CAN MAIL YOUR FUNDS FOR 1954 4 -DRAWER LETTER FILES is reproduced in the small picture at the right.

to San Bernardino Valley and the the Indian population. The 1910 centennial was a great event for the city that contained some 9,000 residents at the time. There was pageantry, gala balls, colorful parades through streets lined with booths, canopies of elec tric lights, an Indian court, the inevitable fun zones, and over against these carnival features a deeply religious side. In 1910 San Bernardino discovered its past and suddenly became very proud of the venerable Franciscan priest, the ex-associate of Serra, one Francisco Dumetz. TWO CORNERSTONES Two events highlighted the religious side of the centennial.

One was the laying of the cornerstone of the present St. Bernardine's Catholic Church, the Church of St. Bernardine de Siena, at Fifth and streets. The other was the laying of a second cornerstone on Bunker Hill at the traditional location of the San Bernardino Capil-la. Bishop Conaty of the Los Angeles diocese officiated at both cornerstone layings.

The capilla ceremony, on St. Bernardine's Day, May 20, served as the centennial's climax. It was reported 'to the fullest. The Sun published a seven section edition of 46 pages. The Index, predecessor of The Evening Telegram, printed a smaller size magazine type edition of 128 pages.

In The Sun one entire section was devoted to the events at the capilla site and the St. Bernardine's Church ceremonies. The Index accounf of the capilla ceremony follows in part: "On Centennial Day, May 20, 1910, Bishop Conaty of Los Angeles laid with due ceremony the cor nerstone of a new capilla to be erected by the people of San Ber nardino and Colton on the exact site of the first building to be erected in this valley by the white men. It is proposed that the new chapel shall be a reproduction along reduced lines of the mission building at San Gabriel although that has not been definitely settled as yet. "The ground for the capilla was generously given to the people of the two cities as a capilla site by O.

L. Emery of Colton. He set aside an acre of land on almost the highest point of the ridge deeding it to a committee in trust com posed of Elizabeth C. Wilkins, Jo sephine Ferguson, Maude Adams Roberts and Alma M. Oakly, until such time as it can be turned over to an organization having in charge the building Of the chapel.

To gether with the land he gave a right-of-way for a road leading out to Colton avenue and a right in a well which will supply water. The gift is regarded as one of the most generous acts recorded in the his tory of the valley and Mr. Emery has been praised on every side by the people of the entire county. It is intended to establish the mission a permanent museum of early day relics and to main tain it as one of the show places of the valley." The same source went on to state: "The dedication ceremonies were most impressive. Hundreds of people from all portions of Southern California had gathered there for the occasion and, beside Bishop Conaty, a large number of Catholic priests and choir boys ipTs LjnSraSaw CHURCH OF 1910 This is by the present St.

Bernardine's the centennial celebration. l-' ft lji of is of us of of form Los Angeles assisted in the exercises. "Ralph E. Swing, as president the San Bernardino Valley Cen tennial, opened the ceremonies by presenting Bishop Conaty with a huge cross to be used in the exer cises and also telling briefly what hoped to do. The bishop opened his remarks with a tribute to the padres, after setting the capilla cornerstone with trowel and mortar.

He noted that the padres who established the original capilla 100 years earlier had been members of the Francis can order, monks born in far off Spain who had heard a call of service of the Master on this far off Western Continent. He traced how these devout men left the land of their birth and came to live and die among the Indian tribes, "to whom they brought the blessings of Christianity and civ ilization. The bishop continued: "One hundred years ago today one of these brown-habited padres, Fr. Francisco Dumetz, holding: aloft the holy cross of which he was a follower, consecrated this valley to God and began the work civilization. As we look back over the 100 years that separate from that day we can hardly realize the dangers which sur rounded him and his work, nor can we fully appreciate the splen did character of the sacrifice by which he pledged his life to labor for the Christianizing and civilizing the rude children of the moun tains who were not of his kith and kin and whose lives were at utter variance with all the principles he came prepared to teach The bishop gave a short history the coming of Father Dumetz and of the establishment of the chapel in San Bernardino on May 20, 1810, it being the feast of St.

Bernardine of Siena, the valley was named in his honor. The Index account continued: "After telling of St. Bernardine, the Franciscan born in Siena in 1280 and of that patron saint's life noted for its sanctity, Bishop Conaty traced the early history of the Franciscan outposts in the San Bernardino Valley beginning with Father Dumetz' establishment of the capilla in 1810, or the earthquake of 1812 and its ruin of the little chapel, the superstition of the Indians about the earthquake which forced abandonment of the enterprise and withdrawal of the missionaries; then of the padres return in 1819 at the request of the Indians, the building then of the new mission buildings; their de struction in 1831 and of their second reconstruction; and finally of the decree of secularization tiat "brought ruin to all the missftis and all which had been built in unselfishness was destroyed by those in authority." The visiting prelate concluded his address with the words, "All California rejoices with San Bernardino today. The bells of El Ca-mino Real ring out their notes of joy. All men are one in singing the praise of Padre Dumetz and his Franciscan brothers whom God in his kind providence sent to open the way for the civilization which we enjoy.

It is indeed a happy mo ment that finds all classes in the community and all creeds gathered wwa 3b the old Catholic church on 5th Church in .1910. Cornerstone of You are invited to visit our store during this remodeling and inspect the many BARGAINS In Office Equipment. the top picture shows Bishop pioneers gathered before an In float in the centennial parade. A fire department demonstration padres were driven out by injustice and wrong. The neophytes and Christian Indians went back to the hills and deserts, many of them to worship again at the feet of their ancient heathen gods.

"'This then is the brave story of the Mission San Bernardino and of the founding of the city and valley of San Bernardino. It is a story of which to be proud and of which the people of San Bernardino are proud. In this centennial celebration they who dwell today in the "Place of Plenty" under the glow of the peerless mountains and in the peerless Valley of St. Bernard have shown their pride in the heritage which they enjoy and which they shall hand down in greater splendor to their children and children's children." At the time of the 1910 centennial the capilla site had been universally fixed as at Bunker Hill. Some later writers, particularly the late George W.

Beattie, have been of the belief Dumetz went to the Gua-chama rancheria in the Mission district. In 1910, too, it was common to refer to the San Bernardino Asis-tencia as the "San Bernardino Mission." In his earlier book, "California's Unbuilt Missions," Beattie contends the asistencia was the location of a proposed mission. Even later writings of Franciscan fathers have been found telling of a proposal to build a mission on the banks of Lytle Creek. All such distinctions were unknown to' the San Bernardinans in 1910 as they talked of restoring the capilla' on Bunker Hill. Recovery of Airplane Crash Victims Delayed REYKJAVIK, Iceland (UP) U.S.

Air Force officials said Saturday the bodies Of eight men killed in a Navy bomber's crash on Myr-adasjokull glacier may remain in the frozen wreckage until next spring. A helicopter lift was abandoned Friday after only one body had been recovered. Howling snow storms made further operations impossible. The American Neptune bomber crashed on the glacier nine days ago while the nine crewmen were returning from a routine training flight. Hubcaps Removed Ronald Feeley, 7050 Indiana Riverside, complained to San Bernardino police that someone stole the hubcaps from his car while he had it parked near a bowling alley Christmas day.

Cabin which stood on 4th street. "The people of San Bernardino! should be interested in knowing all. that is to be known of Francisco Dumetz, the brown-robed Francis can under whose leadership the city and valley were founded and made a part of the civilized world. In personal appearance he must have been a striking and commanding figure, standing over six feet tall in his sandals and rather fleshy too. He was grown old when he came to San Bernardino and was then the last living man of that valiant band of pioneers and proselyters who had come to California with Junipero Serra in 1769.

He was a hard and zealous worker and had served in the missions of San Diego, San Carlos, San Fernando and Santa Buena Ventura before coming to San Gabriel. He died one year after he had founded San Bernardino, and his sacred dust lies buried somewhere in the San Gabriel Mission "History relates that the founding of San Bernardino was not with out its somber side. The Guachamas did not take kindly to Christianity at first. Soon after the padres came among them an unfortunate, and it would seem an ill-timed earthquake occurred. Hot springs broke through the ground and the earth trembled.

The Indians blamed the whole business on the white men and specifically on the padres with the consequence that the Guachamas burned everything in sight and attempted to kill all the whites in a body. A few soldiers were then brought from San Gabriel and the padres continued their task. They were used to such treatment and it did not deter them. Another capilla was built, this time farther into the valley, but this too was destroyed. But the work went on.

The third and finally successful stand was made over toward Redlands where the ruins of the old mission buildings are standing to this day. "The old zanja or irrigation ditch which the padres built is in exist ence in the San Bernardino Val ley and there are many other evi dences of their labors. That the Mission San Bernardino would have rivaled the other missions In wealth and importance there can be no question were it not for the fact that it was just then that the entire mission empire fell upon evil days. In 1812 the harassment of the mission by the greedy and conscienceless land grabbers be gan. The Franciscans disputed every inch of ground and did all that brave men could do to protect their Indian wards.

But it was of no avail. The missions fell, one by one, into ruin and decay. The DESKS CHAIRS REDUCED PRICES WOOD cd STEEL near the cross erected in memory of that first cross in that first chapel built by a brown-habited Franciscan padre 100 years ago. All men, regardless of creed, honor the good deed done by him and call him friend and brother, while they ask God to continue His blessings upon the city and valley which treasures the name and work of Father Dumetz as among its sweetest inheritances." John Steven McGroarty, historian of the period, contributed an article titled "San Bernardino Mis sion History" in which he traced the discovery of California and the founding of the Alta California mission chain. In reference to San Bernardino, in particular, McGro arty wrote: "The Valley of San Bernardino and all the other great inland val leys were as an unknown country to the Conquistadores and the Franciscan Padres until shortly before the time Padre Dumetz came over from San Gabriel and founded San Bernardino May 20, 1810.

But it is known that the padres of San Gabriel had long had their thoughts on this valley where dwelt the Guachamas and which was famed by all reports as "The Place of Plenty street near which was displaced the new church was laid during mmm SPECIAL 0 1 JWf xtSS TYPEWRITERS STANDARD and PORTABLE NEW and USED FROM jr I 1 ft ifr- "oi043.V SPECIALLY PRICED ADDING lAGHINE NEW and USED SPECIAL NEW 10-KEY FREE PARKING AT REAR OF STORE L'. $99S0 and Up SERVICE 1TTTJ7T SUPPLIES RENTALS 11 am 4Z fT'TW. 118 fl 480'0'ST. SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF. Pboce 5893.