Page 31 - lareina1929

LA REINA LOS ANGELES IN THREE CENTURIES 27

EMANUEL MrcHELTORENA Juan BAUTISTA ALVARADO
Governors of California immediately preceding Pio Pico. Th e latter drove tN!icheltorena
from office Alvarado was one of the few tN!exican Governors who servedhis full term
Rebellion! Los Angeles or Los Diablos?

T WILL be remembered that there have been two periods mentioned to date-
I the Spanish, of which Chapman was the only American witness, and the Mexican.
The group of American pioneers, whom we have considered one by one, found a
Pueblo of some 1200, a mixed population, though largely Mexican. It was the
largest city in California. However, the census was not particularly a matter of
pride to those who were wise and honest-there were too many within the city who
were away from their Mother Country for the country's good. It is told that
Mexico, in her zeal to build up and populate her province, robbed both the graves
and the gallows. A single shipment consisted entirely of orphans from the asylums
of the Mexican capital; an entire shipload dropped like stray kittens at the Pueblo
gates.
Revolutions, too, came thick, fast and furious. Some of them, it was true, were
devoid of bloodshed, but nevertheless were pestiferous. Quickly changing official
heads kept the populace stirred up constantly Enough energy was wasted in chasing
one another hither and yon to have started Los Angeles on its way as the world's
greatest city long before its time. During the 25 years of Mexican occupancy there
were eight regularly appointed governors and six self-starters, 14 in all. Only one
of these failed to have a revolution or two during his term of office. As most of
the trouble-breeders resided in Los Angeles, it may be understood why Governor
Juan Bautista Alvarado found most of his letters from Cosme Pena, prefect of the
southern district, dated at "Los Diablos."
Naturally, both Monterey and Los Angeles were hot rivals. Each thought itself
entitled to the seat of government. Los Angeles did have it for a while. It was
located in an adobe, where now stands the St. Charles Hotel, at 314 North Main
Street. Governor Manuel Victoria at one time undertook to expel from the country
Don Abel Stearns and Jose Antonio Carrillo, the latter being the great-grandfather of
Leo Carrillo, the eminent actor. An army of 200, recruited from Los Angeles and
San Diego, put a quietus on the movement. As a compromise, $125 was raised in
Los Angeles with which to ship Victoria back to Mexico, with the understanding
that San Diego reimburse the subscribers. San Diego still owes it.