Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-13
FORFEIT TO PROGRESS.
DEMOLITION OF THE OLDEST
BUILDING IN THE CITY.
The Old Building at the Corner of Aliso
and Los Angeles Streets Being
Pulled Down - Some Old
Time "Reminiscences.

The old building at the corner of
Also and Los Angeles streets, which
has borne dozen names since it was
built in 1884, is being demolished and
another edifice better adapted to the re-
quirements of the times is to be erected
in it's stead.
In the early days, when there was no
Los Angeles south of Third street, and
when the Hollenbeck hotel grounds
were nothing but corral for pack-mule
trains that piled their vocations across
the mountains hence to Salt Lake, this
old building was famous resort for the
muleteers of that period. There were
stores down stairs and ballroom over
head. Strange to say, while there were
dozen or more fights that had their re-
mote origin in quarrels for the hands of
the seforitas, whose dancing days are
long since over, none of them took place
in the building.
Meeting Judge A. J. King on the
street yesterday afternoon, a HERALD
reporter asked him if he could tell
about what notable occurrences had
taken place in the old "Bell block" as
it has generally been called. As Judge
King has resided here since Wilson's
peak was hole in the ground, any,
thing coming from him would be of in
terest.
II don't know much of Importance
that attaches to the building in histor-
ical sense" said the Judge, "beyond the
fact that it was there that Workman,
who then owned Alcatraz island, in the
bay of San Francisco, sold it to John @.
Fremont"
"And was the sale that of bona fide
title" asked the reporter.
Unquestionablv it was, go far as the
general was concerned. I do not know
how future courts or congresses might
determine upon the validity OF the case,
But Fremont certainly paid his money
for it in good faith. Major Horace Bell
is walking epitome of Los Angeles
history and ought to be able to tell you
more about it than any one else, for his
uncle owned the property for a great
many years."
The reporter went up the narrow
staircase to the majors office and
knocked three times. At the third
knock gentleman poked his head out
OF an adjacent room and asked in an
unmistakable Teutonic accent:
well, for who you was lookin' oud ?"
"Major Horace Bell. l presume he
is not in" said the reporter, "from the
fact that knocked three times and re-
ceived no answer"
"Vell," said the gentleman, after a
brief pause, "he don'd been here imme-
diately, but dots possible dot he may
be here some dimes previous after
loonch, ain'd it?"
The reporter took his leave, eadder
man for not seeing the major. Shortly
afterwards he met Mr.. S. Lazard, who
did business in the Bell block for many
years.
81 engaged in that block in business
along in the fore part of 1851, when
there were only three American families
in the place. You 60 down town now
and see New York restaurants and New
England bakeries, where youcan get a
meal for 25 cents such as you could not
then have procured for $50. The posa-
das of that day furnished every imagin-
able sort of Spanish cookery, hot as fire |;
but we lived W. II then for all of that.
Those were good days, and we all had
good times. Well ! am sorry to hear
that the old building has been torn
down, but 1 suppose it is the common
fate of all earthly things. We shall be
gone ourselves in short time. and
other people will fill our places. Yes, l
lived in that building for II years, and
part of the time my family occupied the
upper portion OF it. Well, l suppose
these things have to be-"