[HossC]

It says "Forthmann & Bergin" (aka. the owners of the Los Angeles Soap Company). The USC description for the photo above reads:

Photograph of the Los Angeles Soap Company building, 1st Street, 1884. The stately, two-story brick building can be seen, at center. Seven men can be seen standing outside of the building. Three young boys can also be seen in the left foreground, sitting together on the sidewalk in front of the building. A portion of a church can be seen to the left of the building, and a note on the back of the photograph reads as follows: "Old Grace Methodist Episcopal Church on far left". Legible signs on the building include the following: "Forthmann and Bergin", "Los Angeles Soap Co.", and "Los Angeles Lith Co.".


Detail of photo at USC Digital Library