4 HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



thought of, I penciled a schedule of points and topics that would have to be 

 covered, data to be' gathered, old books and records to be hunted up, pioneer 

 settlers and old Spanish people interviewed, scientific research in and about 

 Pasadena pushed much farther than had ever yet been done, etc. But, 

 nothing daunted, she still said that I could do it all better than anybody 

 else ; and she' d help me ; she'd take care of the chickens herself, and do all 

 the housework, and look after the yard, and attend to the grandchildren alone, 

 etc. , so I could have my time ; and I could have the east bedroom for an office ; 

 and so on, and so on — oh, so easy seems such a job to one who has not 

 delved in its trenches of difficulty. 



A few days later I saw my intimate friend, H. N. Fare)-, who has more 

 practical knowledge on the details of book-printing than any other man in 

 this community, and in course of conversation I told him what had been 

 said by Mr. Knight and Mrs. Reid on this matter. He studied a bit, and 

 then said energetically, ''If sago! you're the very man to do it ! Why, 

 you've made a good start on it already ! that schedule of what would have 

 to be done is a first-rate beginning of the work ! Why, you have com- 

 menced the thing already ! And you have more material already on hand, 

 or know where and how to find it, than an}^ half-dozen other men in Pasa- 

 dena ! Yes, siR-R-R, it's a GO ! " 



Mr. Farey knew' of my poor health, but said I was tough, and could 

 work along by laying off a day or two at a time when specially severe sick 

 spells overtook me. And the financial part, he thought, could be worked 

 up all right. 



Next, I talked with Hon. P. M. Green and B. F. Ball about it. Mr. 

 Green's first thought was that Pasadena was too young a city to have much 

 of a histor}^ yet. Then, as he thought of the Indian occupation here, and 

 the Spanish occupation, and the American occupation prior to the "Indiana 

 Colony, ' ' and the many features of scientific interest, and the rapid succes- 

 sion of notable events here since Pasadena commenced to be a village — he 

 exclaimed, ' ' Wh}-, yes ! it grows upon me as I think of it ! There is, in- 

 deed, a great field of history here." And they two concurred in the idea 

 that a liook of history to cover all the ground ought to be written now, 

 while some of the oldest settlers are still living ; and I was the right man to 

 do it. Then I talked with F. R. Harris, and Henry G. Bennett, and James 

 Cambell, and others about it, and they were very heartily of the same 

 opinion. 



I still feared that on account of failing health I would not be able to 

 carry the work to completion. Nevertheless, trusted friends advised the 

 effort, and offered helpful assistance. A stock company was suggested. But 

 I felt that if anybody took stock in it as a financial venture, there would 

 be a pressure upon me to hurry it through — and this would sacrifice the 

 method of slow, plodding, persevering, patient, steady search and research, 



