The herald., 1894-12-18
1T HAS A HISTORY.
THE OLD COURT HOUSE BEING
RAPIDLY TORN DOWN.
Many = Tender Memory Clings to the
Old neutrality-suspicious. Workman
Recalls Many = Striking In
stance In It's History.

Ex.Mayor w. H. Workman in the
last issue OF the Sunday World has the
following interesting reminiscence.l
experienced q deep feeling of regret,
the other day, when going through the
ruins OF the old court house, now being
demolished. saw it rise and am now
at its death. The old historic landmark
has served many purposes. IL has shell
tered all sorts OF people and 1t was given
to devotions both sanity and distinctly
otherwise. 1t is rather painful feeling
to those who looked on this a. a build
most pretentious In Southern California.
to see it being battered to pieces. and
there is a grim satisfaction in learning
that tho work OF demolition is difficult
and slow because the builder put hon
est labor and honest material into his
work. Huge timbers foot square were
used in a profigate way, from the mod.
ern standpoint, but it was put up to be
earthquake proof and its skeleton shows
that It was braced end girded in way
to resist almost any shock. 1t was
built in 1859 by John Temple for mar
ket house, and opened with a big cele-
brstion and charity ball. The charm
ing Spanish customs of those daye,
familiar, perhaps, only to those who
lived through them, the brilliant and
picturesque dressing, and the impas.
stoned yielding to La Jeta made the ball
q sight long to be remembered.
The market house wes not q success.
Alter two years. trial it was converted
into q place OF amusement, and the
dsnizens OF the embryo metropolis were
RECALLED with their first opera on local
boards, really good grand opera COM
pany presenting favorite operas in Span
ish, which every body at that time un-
derstood, more or less, in q most satis-
factory style.
But it WAS not long when the frivolous
Tendencies OF the building were checked
and it was turned into q meeting house,
religious service8 being regularly held
there. After some desultory occupancy,
the county finally took it and uasd it as
a court house until few years ago,
when the county possessions were re-
moved to the new county building.
The old building even figured in the
civil war. In 1861, when the call to
arms went forth or both sides, there
were more southern sympathizers in the
state than were there of outspoken ad.
herents to the old order OF things. At
that time, Captain Winfield Scott Ham
cock, who afterwards rose to the rank
of major.general in che regular army,
was the United States Guartermaeter
mere, and had charge OF a large amount
OF public stores and arms. Becoming
alarmed at thu hundreds oil southern
sympathizsrs who were passing through
the city eastward bound, and there be-
ing no regular soldiers available, he
called upon the only military organiza-
ton OF the city to protect the public
property. This was the Los Angeles
guards, about 80 strong. under the COM
mand OF Captain H. N. Alexander. We
were all young and active then, and we
had our first taste OF actual military
life in doing guard duty over the public
stores day aud night, until the danger
had passed.
l can recall very clearly how Captain
Hancock, on the Fourth OF July, 1861.
when the news that Fort Sumpter had
been fred on. reached here. came to
the members OF the guards and said,
Now, boys, let's celebrate the Fourth.
Let's hoist the old faa on the court
house," No sooner said than done. We
marched down Main street to the court
house steps. and after flag had been
raised to the mast head. Captain Han.
cock delivered moet beautiful and
stirring address. urging fealty to the old
banner. 1t WIS intsnee in its loyalty,
and very gracefully complimented those
OF US, who, though southern born. stood
by the federal government.
In the evening Captain and Mrs
Hancock entertained the guards at a
banquet, at which loyal toasta were
drank, and which was followed by dsnc-
ing. OF this old company only q few
remain. 1 can only recall. as in the
land Of the living, Captain Alexander.
Sam Prayer, VIM. M. Buf'um and Oscar
Macy. With the tearing down of the
weather. beaten old court house 10 re-
moved one of the most striking land.
marks of our city, and whatever may
take it's place and cover its site, there
will be tender spot in the old.timer's
breast for the old edifce. which meant
so much to him In the early days.
Bnckingham's Dye for the Whiskers can be
applied when ut home, and is uniformly suc-
cess full in coloring brown or black. Hence
its great popularity