Detail of adobe and concrete construction at Mission San Juan Capistrano, California, ca.1904

Photograph of the detail of adobe and concrete construction at Mission San Juan Capistrano, California, ca.1904. This mission is probably San Luis Rey but is also listed as San Juan Capistrano. The close-up shows adobe surrounding an underlying brick structure.; Photoprint reads: "Pierce. In re. your picture 4440 detail of Mission Contruction. The only thing James says that might connect this with it is in extended references to the use of Adobe blocks laid with heavy 'concrete' joints between them at San Luis Rey. he seems to have made most of his observations on construction as almost every one else does at San Luis Rey and Capistrano. Rexford Newcomb, who develops his ideas so closely to James' that it is suspicious that he got ideas from James, or else they both borrowed from the same source, says: 'There were some ingenious systems of construction evolved in order to make the adobe of practical value, and no system is more ingenious than that used at San Luis Rey. The walls here are of adobe blocks 8" x 8" square by 24" long, which were laid in diagonal pattern with heavy concrete joints between them. The 'concrete' was made of lime and sand mortar combined with stones and pieces of brick and tile. It is needless to say that the bond between a wall of this sort and the stucco plaster placed over it would be much stronger than if the plaster were applied to ta plain adobe surface. James, mentions the fact that this can be seen in a section of the wall at the right hand side of the doorway to the quadrangle and between it and the stairway to the choir loft. You may have a picture of his of this are which would tie in with this picture 4440. It might be that this picture should be horizontal instead of vertical. At any rate I think this is what he intended the 'Detail of Contruction' to represent" -- Crum.