Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-13
AN HISTORIC BUILDING
Torn Down to Make Way
for a Street.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST.
History of the Movements to Open
Los Angeles Street to
Alameda.

street and Niger Alley by Street SUI
perintendent Kuhrts, in obedience tc
the order OF the City Council, made
on Monday last, has awakened rem
iniscences OF the days of '49 in the
minds OF the pioneer residents of this
city. Very few of those alive at the
present,d day can remember when its cor
ner stone was laid, for when the fore
runnersrso of the tide Of immigration
which set in during later years, first
became residents, the Coronel block
stood where it was on Monday morn
ing last. 1t was in this building that
many OF the darkest scenes of Los
Angeles earlier history transpired.
1t was within its walls that may q
human spirit was separated from
the body OF its owner by the
dagger or the pistol which
in those days were necessary adiuncts
of the male citizens effects. 1t was
within its walls that the famous riot
of 1871 started, and it's destruction in
1888, nearly forty-eight years after its
erection, is an incident which calls
for more than ordinary notice.
WHEN BuILT.
In 1884 Ygnacia +. Coronel came to
Los Angeles, and ia 1888 his son was
appointed Assistant Secretary of the
tribunals in the city of Los Angeles.
In 1910 Ygnacia erected the Coronel
Block as o residence for his family.
At this time the buildings in Los An
geles were in the main composed OF
adobe, and Ygnacia but followed the
example Of others when he raised
walls of that material, which in more
instances than one has proven its
lasting qualities. From this time I'M
til about the year 1849 ne and his
family resided in this dwelling, which
was then in the very heart of the
city. The adjoining property was
owned by Vicente Sanchez, who
occupied the center and larger part
with his own building as family
residence, one of the only two two
story residences in the city. Only
one of these two-story buildings is
now standing, being located on the
corner of Also and Los Angeles
streets. 1t was faced with brick, and
few in passing it imagine that behind
the brick there is an adobe lining
made a half century ago. The San
chez residence was torn down more
than twenty years ago, but the Coro-
mel block was LETT standing, remin-
der of the former days. The last
adobe building erected in this vicinity
was that of Alexander Bell in 1915.
THE CoRoNELs MOVE.
AS time passed the better class
of the residents OF this part
OF the city moved away.
and gradually the buildings were
turned into saloons, dance houses and
gambling dens. In 1919, or there
abouts, the Coronels gave up their
residence and it passed into the hands
Of the sporting fraternity, which had
then a very large representation in
this city. The forerunners of the
present civilization were mainly of a
rowing, gambling disposition, and
monte, faro, poker and other games
of chance were conducted without the
least attempt at secrecy. For some
reason those who,controlled the games
conducted in the Coronel block man
aged to make them so attractive that
they enjoyed the utmost popularity,
and it was not an unfrequent occur
renee to see as much as $500 or
100000 in gold, mostly $50 slugs,
displayed on the tables at a SIN
gle time. The building had been
constructed in the shape of an l., with
large frontages ON Arcadia street and
on Negro alley. Strung in line from
the north end of the frontage on
Negro Alley to the west end Of the
frontage on Arcadia street. were
twenty faro tables, behind which, at
all hours of the day or night, were to
be found dealers ready TO accommo-
date those who desired to try their
fortune. During the afternoons and
evenings, the latter especially, the
gambling rooms were crowded with
all grades OF humanity, from the man
who merely desired to pass away the
time to the wretch who hoped to
double his last small piece Of coin.
A GAMBLING DEN.
There were professional gamblers,
miners, Mexicans, youths, with beard
less faces. and women of the lower
grades, to be found in the Coronel
block every afternoon and night
and so intent did every one appear to
be worshipping at the shrine OF the
goddess of fortune, that they appar-
emily had no other object in life than
to try their chances on the card. With
such a horde of visitors, it was not to
be wondered that disputes arose
which ended fatally to one or more
concerned. That such did arise, is a
matter of history, and that they were
frequent, was attested by the saying
that "the Coronei Block furnished a
man for breakfast every morning."
Unfortunately, for full and COM
prehensive history OF the building,
there was no record kept of the num-
Der OF men killed during the running
of the games, but those whose
memories carry them back to
the days of 40 and 80 say
that there were so many that
every inch OF surface on the floor
now being exposed to the sunshine
for the first time in half century,
must surely retain the indestructible
PORTIONS of their life blood. Only a.
few OF the murders which occurrt d in
or adjacent to this building are still
remembered by the pioneers, and
these only because the murdered
men were prominent individuals. In
1852 Franklin Dana was shot through
the heart during a quarrel, but he
possessed enough vitality to run out
ON Arcadia street and up to Main,
where he ell in the arms of the father OF
ex-Mayor S. G. Foster and expired. At
this time the principal owner OF the
games was John Moore. In 1858
Sheriff Barton shot and killed man
named Joseph Caduc, who was a young
sport, and had become involved
in a quarrel. Later on one Of the de-
voices OF fortune became crazy and
leaving the gambling hall entered q