Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-02-11
THE BAKER BLOCK.
The Finest Business Edifc, in CALIFORNIA;
Monument to the Liberallty and Enterprise
Of an Unobtrusivs but Publ ic-Spirited Citi-
ssn - Ono Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Dollars Put to Good Purpose.

sen - Ono Hundred and Fifty Thousant
Dollars Put to Good Purpose.
In October, 1878, the Stearns
Mansion, which Joined the st.
Charles Hotel on one side and
abutted on Arcadia street on the
other, was pulled down and the
foundations of the now completed
Baker Block were sunk wide and
deep. On the site occupied by the
famous old adobe mansion is now
erected an edifice whose costliness
and commanding dignity attract
the attention of the traveller. We
design studiously to avoid hyper
bole, but we cannot forbear intro.
ducing detailed notice of the
building by the truthful statement
that it would do honor to Broad
way or any leading thoroughfare of
any metropolitan city of the world.
Set down in the Rue DIES Italiens,
Paris, the Baker Block would be
regarded as eminently in place.
Superb as 1t is, built for all time,
almost, it is a fitting supplement-
and successor to the old Stearns
mansion-a historic house. In the
ample court in front of the old
adobe building, in Don Abel
Stearns's time, the Dieguif1o and
Cohuilla Indians were wont to as
semble in the old days, recognizing
in an Indian attache of the family,
their Captain Grande. Here they
would gather once year to receive
the gifts which, through the liber-
ality of Don Abel Stcarns, their
recognized chieftain was able to
deal out to them. The beginning
of the demolition of the old man
sion was the ending of q Southern
Californian custom and tradition
which had some time before fallen
into desuetude.
GENERAL FEATURES OF THE NEW
BLOCK.
The Baker Block, which Is
doubtless destined to be an endur-
ing landmark in the Los Angeles
of the future, is one hundred and
eighty six feet front by one hun
dred and seven feet deep. The ar
chitectural style of the first story is
the Roman Corinthian, the second
and third stories inclining to the
modern Renaissance. The first
impression which strikes the OBJ
server is the solidity, extent and
massiveness of the structure.
The exterior is succeed in
Portland cement, which hardens
and gets better with time. The
building is surmounted by three
towers; the height of the central
tower is 10 feet and that of the two
fianking towers SIS feet. An avn
ing, serving as q balcony, is sus-
pended over the first story on the
truss principle. Some idea of the
solidity Of the Baker Block may be
obtained when we state that there
is not in the whole building
wall less than twelve inches
thick. The exterior and base
ment walls range from twenty-six
to twenty-one inches in thickness.
Beginning with twenty-six inches
in the basement, by a proper pro.
gression an average of twenty-one
inches is reached in the first story,
diminishing to seventeen inches in
the second and to twelve in the
third. The exterior walls will av-
erage two feet six inches-a guar
antee of solidity and permanence
which cannot, probably, be exceed
ed by any building, in private
hands, in the State.
There are in the Baker Block, eX-
elusive of closets and bathrooms,
between one hundred and twenty
five and one hundred and thirty
apartments.
BASEMENT-FIRST STORY.
There are, properly speaking, six
Easements. The two adjoining Ar.
cadiastreet, with two entrances from
that street and one from the main
hall, were designed originally for a
large and commodious saloon or
beer hall. The space which can be
utilized for such a purpose is as
great OF greater than that embraced
in the famous "Fountain" beer
hall in San francisco. This por-
ton of the basement is twelve feet
and six inches in height, the other
Easements being ten feet six inches.
1t would certainly involve some ex-
pense to fit this saloon up properly,
but its attractions, with Los Ange-
les in the full tide of prosperity,
and thronged with gay crowds,
would be unspeakable.
The first story is divided into six
large store-rooms and main hall
way, the latter being twenty-three
feet wide by hundred deep, with
height of seventeen feet in the
store-rooms. The whole thing is
hard finished, with elegant stucco
cornices; and, in some instances,
tasteful surbases. We can imagine
no better scene of display than is
presented to an enterpring mer.
chant by these large and commands
ing store-rooms.
THE MAIN HALL-THE SECOND
FLOOR.
The main hall is the handsomes
and most artistic achievement III
this line we have noted in Califor
mia. The floor is laid in Englisl
tiles, Of an ingenious and varie'
gated pattern, far exceeding, in eff
feet and cost, ordinary mosaic. w
are not acquainted with any build
ing In San Francisco which has a
much tile.work as the main hall O
the Baker Block. A superb doubl
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