USA > Oregon > Multnomah County > Portland > History of Portland, Oregon : with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent citizens and pioneers > Part 15
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HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
building on the corner of First and Washington streets, of three stories, and still one of the prominent buildings, costing seventy thousand dollars, was begun in 1871 and completed in '72. The hack and dray company erected new stables on G street, between Fifth and Sixth, one hundred by seventy-five feet, costing five . thousand dollars. The wharves of the O. S. N. Co. were extended and improved. The Home for the Destitute was also built this year.
In the line of shipping there were five ocean steamners plying to San Francisco: The John L. Stephens, an old-fashioned side-wheeler, being the largest, carrying one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven tons. Coastwise tonnage aggregated one hundred and nine thousand nine hundred and forty-nine tons; in the foreign trade there were eight- een thousand nine hundred and forty-four tons. From foreign countries there arrived twelve barks and two ships, with a total capacity of nine thousand four hundred and forty tons. Imports-that is strictly from foreign countries-were seven hundred and twenty-eight thousand seven hundred and twenty-five dollars; exports to foreign countries six hundred and fifty-eight thousand and six hundred and fourteen dollars. The west side railroad was running to the Yamhill river at St. Joseph, and the east side to Roseburg in the Umpqua valley. Large fires occurred in 1872 making a total loss of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The population was estimated at twelve thousand one hundred and twenty-nine.
In August, 1873, a great fire occurred, burning twenty blocks along the river front south of Yamhill and a part of Morrison street. It destroyed property to the value of one million three hundred and forty-five thousand dollars, on which there was an insurance of but two hundred and seventy dollars. An account of this conflagration is given elsewhere in this book. Immediate steps were taken to build 11p once more the burnt district, and inany structures were erected to replace those lost. A brick market building two hundred feet from Front to First at the corner of Madison, was built by B. V. Bunnell and other parties as stockholders. Johnson & Spaulding, G. W. Vaughn, J. M. Fryer, Quimby & Perkins and others, built good structures on Front and First streets. H. W. Corbett, C. M. Carter C. Holman, C. M. Wiberg, J. P. O. Lownsdale, M. S. Burrell, and
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Elijah Corbett, interested themselves in rebuilding the waste places. The house of Protection Engine Company, on First street near Madison, was at the time allotted a good building.
In the northern part of the city a fine building was erected on First and A streets, by A. P. Ankeny. Further north the bonded warehouses and a number of brick stores were built. In this year also the elegant residence of Mr. Henry . Failing was erected.
In the line of commerce the coastwise entrances reached a tonnage of one hundred and twelve thousand and one hundred; of foreign entrances, nineteen thousand one hundred and forty-three tons. American vessels for foreign ports aggregated nineteen thousand four hundred and forty-four tons clearances. The exports, a value of one million two hundred and eighty-four thousand one hundred and forty-nine dollars, exclusive of shipments by way of San Francisco. The property was assessed at ten million eight hundred and four thousand six hundred and sixty-two. The population was estimated at twelve thousand nine hundred and fifty-nine.
For the shipping season of 1873-'74 there was exported of wheat and flour a value of four million thirty-seven thousand and ninety- three dollars by the mouth of the Columbia river. During 1874 there was a steady improvement in the growth of the city, yet the loss of the previous years and the filling up of the wastes by fires did not so much work for the extension of the city limits. During 1875, the general depression in business throughout the United States, consequent upon the general failure which was begun by the Northern Pacific Railroad Co., so affected Portland as to discourage general improvement. Exports in shipping continued about the same. Railroad enterprises, although working to the advantage of the city, were now drawing in rather than disbursing money, although work on the west side was resumed. There was considerable increase in property and population which now reached thirteen thousand four hundred and seventy.
The publications of the time speak of the prosperity of 1876, of "the numerous and costly buildings" erected, of "additional wharves and warehouses" and of manufacturing interests, but a detailed account is not at hand. Seventy-two foreign vessels visited
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HISTORY OF PORTLAND.
the river and the export of wheat was one million nine hundred and thirty-seven thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven centals, and of flour two hundred and fifteen thousand seven hundred and fourteen barrels. The salmon business on the lower Columbia was moving toward its maximum, the pack of this year being estimated at four hundred and eighty thousand cases. Wool, to the value of six hundred thousand dollars, was also shipped. There was also a coast- wise export of upwards of one million dollars to San Francisco. The population was thirteen thousand eight hundred and two.
During 1877 about one hundred separate building improvements were made. Those valued at five thousand dollars or upwards are named herewith: a wharf, by John Rines, at the foot of Oak street, five thousand dollars; improvements to school buildings, twelve thousand dollars; two-story brick building, by P. W. D. Hardenberg, at the northwest corner of Morrison and Second streets, ten thousand dollars; two residences, by Rev. George Burton, at the northwest corner of Eleventh and Morrison streets, five thousand dollars; a two story brick building, by Harker, on First and Front, between Morrison and Yamhill, eight thousand dollars; a two-story brick building on Front street near Main, five thousand dollars; a wharf, by Captain Flanders, at the foot of C street, eight thousand dollars; German Reformed church, at the northeast corner of Stark and N, five thousand dollars; Lutheran church, rebuilt into a dwelling, H. W. Corbett, six thousand dollars; a double house, by G. F. Wells, West Park and Yamhill, six thousand five hundred dollars; residence by F. Dekum, on block between Eleventh and Twelfth, and Yamhill and Morrison, thirteen thousand dollars; a one-story brick building, on the corner of First and Taylor, by C. M. Rohr, five thousand dollars; three residences, by W. Honeyman, on Tenth and Taylor streets, six thousand dollars; improvements to the mill near the water works, six thousand dollars; a dock and warehouse by W. K. Smith, on the levee north of Salmon street, ten thousand dollars; brick building by H. Weinhard, corner of B and Eleventh streets, fifteen thou- sand dollars; brick building, by F. Dekuin, on the corner of A and Front streets, thirteen thousand dollars; two-story brick, by H. Trenkman, eight thousand dollars. The total improvements for this year were
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estimated at three hundred and twenty thousand dollars. About eighty vessels in the foreign trade entered the Columbia river. The total wheat and flour export was upward of five million dollars in value. The total of all exports from the Columbia was estimated at over sixteen million dollars-probably somewhat excessive. The assessable property of the city was twelve inillion one hundred and thirteen thousand two hundred and fifty-five dollars and the population was estimated at fifteen thousand and ninety-nine.
The movement toward improvements begun so auspiciously in 1877, steadily expanded during 1878, the number of separate buildings exceeding two hundred and fifty and costing about one million dollars. Of those costing ten thousand dollars or upwards we give a list below. Among them stood pre-eminent the Catholic Cathedral on the old site at the corner of Third and Stark streets, built of brick in the Gothic style, and costing eighty thousand dollars. The new Unitarian church was also built this year on the old site at Seventh and Yamhill at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars. A handsome brick store was erected at the foot of Stark street by Reed and Failing at a cost of thirty thousand dollars. The brick store of J. S. Smith was also erected this year at the foot of Washington street, at a cost of thirty thousand dollars. G. H. Flanders made an addition to his wharf at an expense of ten thousand dollars. The wharf of J. S. Smith, at the foot of Washington street, was built at a cost of ten thousand dollars; and the machine shop, by S. M. Dyer, at eighteen thousand dollars. A brick hotel was erected on the corner of Third and F streets by John Burton at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars. A residence was built by Henry Weinhard on B and S streets, costing sixteen thousand dollars; and Molson's brewery on Ninth and B, at an expenditure of sixteen thousand dollars. Stores were built by H. C. Leonard on the corner of Front and A, at twenty-four thousand dollars, and also by Chinese companies on the corner of Second and Alder, at ten thousand five hundred; and a brick store by C. P. Church & Co., on the corner of First and Morrison, at thirteen thousand five hundred dollars. A livery stable was built by Sherlock and Bacon, on the corner of Second and Oak streets, costing twenty-three thousand dollars. A hotel was erected
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by Therkelsen & M'Kay on Second and C, at ten thousand dollars. The other buildings of this year were quite handsome residences, as that of Dr. G. H. Chance, on the corner of Hall and Second streets, at a cost of five thousand dollars, of J. B. Congle, on Sixth street, between Salmon and Taylor, at four thousand dollars, and L. Therkelsen, on Market and Ninth streets, at five thousand three hundred dollars.
The following from The Oregonian of that date well illustrates the growth of the city by comparison of river traffic: "In 1868 eight steamboats, of which two were only used as substitutes, transacted all the passenger and freight business, excepting that by ocean vessels, centering in Portland; and even then were compelled, in order to 'make expenses,' to do all the miscellaneous towage which the river then afforded. This was before the days of either the east or west side railroad, and the little steamer Senator, running between Portland and Oregon City, found it an easy task by making one round trip each day to move all the grain crop of the Willamette Valley and to carry the passengers and general freight of both sides of the river. Now twelve steamers, any one of them larger than the Senator, find profitable business on the Willamette, and sixty cars each day, loaded with grain and passengers, come into our city by two lines of railways.
"Then the steamboat Cascades, of less than four hundred and fifty tous burden, ran between this city and the gorge from which she derived her name, making one trip each day, and without incon- venience carried all the merchandise required by the people of that part of Oregon and Washington east of the Cascade Mountains and the northern half of Idaho. Now the magnificent boats S. G. Reed and Wide West find steady and difficult work in keeping the warehouses clear. In addition to these, smaller boats are constantly employed in trade along the river bank.
"Between Portland and Astoria, one steamer, much smaller than the boats of to-day, made three trips each week and did all the job towing on the Columbia below Rainier. On the same route 110w two large boats ply regularly on alternate days, and over forty tugs and smaller steamers are engaged in towing and general work."
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The valuation of property reached twelve million two hundred and ninety-one thousand three hundred aud fifty dollars. Wheat and flour exports were estimated at a value of about three million dollars. The population was estimated at nineteen thousand one hundred and twenty-eight, but this was undoubtedly an over-estimate, as two years later it was found to be but a little over seventeen thousand. The statistics which we have given of population have been taken from the directories of the consecutive years, and it is probable that owing to the excess of adults, too high proportion of total population to names was assumed.
During 1879 improvements still increased, reaching a value of one million one hundred and sixty-two thousand and seven hundred dollars; consisting of two hundred and seventy-six dwellings, sixteen brick blocks, fifty-eight stores, eight hotels, six docks and warehouses, fourteen shops and stables, two schools, two planing mills, one brewery and the Mechanics' Pavilion. The buildings of a value exceeding ten thousand dollars may be named as follows: The Union block, by Corbett & Failing, eighty-six thousand dollars; the Esmond Hotel, at the corner of Front and Morrison, by Coulter & Church, forty-five thousand dollars; a block of eight residences on Second and Mill streets by S. G. Reed, forty thousand dollars; the Park school house, on Jefferson street between East and West Park, twenty-nine thousand dollars; a brick block on the corner of Front and B streets by Klosterman Bros., at thirty-five thousand dollars; a residence by C. H. Lewis, on the corner of Nineteenth and G streets, thirty-five thousand dollars; the residence of H. D. Green at the head of B street, twenty-eight thousand dollars; the brewery of George Herrall, on Water street, near Harrison, twenty-five thousand dollars; a wharf between Taylor and Salmon streets by J. F. Jones, twenty-five thousand dollars; the three story brick building on the corner of Front and Columbia streets by Peter Manciet, eighteen thousand five hundred dollars; the new Harrison Street School house, eighteen thousand dollars; a brick block by John Shade, fifteen thousand dollars; the Mechanics' Pavilion, on the block between Second and Third and Clay and Market, sixteen thousand five hundred dollars; a brick block by H. McKinnell, on Second street
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between Sahnon and Main, thirteen thousand dollars; a residence by Samuel D. Smith, on Twelfth between Yamhill and Taylor, ten thousand dollars; a residence by M. W. Fechheimer on the corner of West Park and Montgomery, fourteen thousand dollars; a residence by J. W. Whalley, corner of West Park and Harrison, ten thousand dollars; a brick block by Mrs. Mark A. King, on the corner of Third and Alder; a brick block by Dr. R. Glisan, on the corner of Second and Aslı, thirteen thousand dollars; a brick block by Chinese merchants on the corner of Second and Alder, twenty thousand dollars; a brick block on the corner of Front and Ash by N. Lambert, H. L. Hoyt and J. W. Cook, twenty-four thousand five hundred dollars; a brick block by Fleischner & Hirsch, on First and B streets, sixteen thousand seven hundred; the residence of J. C. Carson, on the corner of Nineteenth and J streets, ten thousand dollars; tracks for switches and round house of the Western Oregon Railroad, ten thousand dollars; Park school house twenty-nine thousand dollars; and there was spent on the Catholic Cathedral ten thousand dollars more in completion. Many residences and minor business houses of a value of five thousand dollars to eight thousand dollars were also erected. It was during this year that the palatial residences in the northwestern portion of the city began to be erected, converting what was once a dilapidated forest overgrown with brush and wild vines, into one of the most handsome and sightly portions of the city.
The grain fleet entering the river numbered about ninety vessels; this was exclusive of the regular coasters. The steamers registering in the Portland district were sixty, with a total capacity of twenty- seven thousand five hundred and ninety-seven tons. The steamers Oriflamme and John L. Stephens had now disappeared, having been broken up. There were thirteen sailing vessels with a total capacity of six thousand one hundred and four tous. The export of wheat reached upwards of two million centals, valued at over five million dollars. Shipments of wool reached seven million pounds. The catch of salmon was three hundred and twenty-five thousand cases. The gross valuation of property was thirteen million one hundred and forty-three thousand four hundred and twenty-five dollars.
Belomon Hirsch
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The prospects of growth and business in 1880 were bright, and stimulated not only activity in real estate inove- ments, but in business also. The uncertain and depressing railroad management of Ben Holladay had given away to the inore business like and careful regime of the German Company, and plans for the O. R. & N. Railway and for the speedy completion of the Northern Pacific were taking definite and public form. Sales of real 'estate were considerable, although uncertainty as to the location of the terminal works of the transcontinental line, now expected to be made in North Portland, now in Sonth Portland, and again in East Portland, gave a strongly speculative character to this line of trade. Improvements extended uniformly in all portions of the city from the river bank to the city limits, and even beyond them. There were erected thirteen brick blocks and stores; thirty frame blocks and stores, six docks, four mannfactories, three churches, two hotels and two hundred and two dwellings at a gross valuation of eight hundred and eighty-one thousand dollars. Those costing ten thousand dollars or upwards are named as follows: Family residence of Capt. George Ainsworth, on the corner of Sixth and Yamhill, fifteen thousand dollars; a residence by the same, ten thousand dollars; improvements to the Zeta Psi block, corner Front and D, ten thousand dollars; the Chinese theater, on Second street, twelve thousand dollars; the Oregon Steam Bakery, by Liebe & Holburg, on East Park and G, fifteen thousand dollars; the building by Labbe Bros., on the corner of Second and Washington streets, eleven thousand dollars; a brick block on Washington street between First and Second, by Richardson & Mann, ten thousand dollars; the three story brick block on the corner of Second and Stark streets, thirty-six thousand dollars; the brick building on First street between Main and Yamhill, ten thousand dollars; the three story building on Third street between Yamhill and Taylor, twelve thousand dollars; the Nicolai House, at the corner of Third and D streets, thirteen thousand dollars; an addition of five hundred feet to the Ainsworth Dock by the O. R. & N. Co., fifty thousand dollars; an addition to the Steamship Dock of the same company, twenty-eight thousand dollars; an addition to the Greenwich Dock by Capt. Flanders, twenty thousand dollars; the
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Multnomah block, at the corner of Fifth and Morrison, by H. W. Corbett, twenty-eight thousand dollars; the furniture factory of I. F. Powers, twenty-five thousand dollars; a four story residence on Sixteenth and B streets by the Dundee Investment Company, nineteen thousand four hundred dollars; the two story business block on the corner of Second and E streets by J. C. Ainsworth, thirteen thousand dollars; the Stark street ferry boat by Knott Bros., sixteen thousand dollars.
In 1880 the hotels had increased to twenty-nine. Those on Front street were the American Exchange, The Esmond, St. Charles, Commercial, New York and Zur Rheinpfalz. On First street there were the California House, the Eureka, the Globe, the Norton House, the Clarendon, the Occidental, the Oregon, the St. George, the St. Louis, the Thompson House, the Metropolis, Portland and Phoenix. On Second street there were the DeFrance and Richmond House. On Third street there were the Burton House, Holton House and the Nicolai. There were besides these thirty boarding houses, twenty-one restaurants, nine coffee houses and three oyster saloons. There were one hundred and three liquor saloons and ten wholesale liquor houses. There were twenty-four butchers. The whole- sale grocers were seven and the retail grocers fifty-three. The physi- cians now numbered sixty-seven, the attorneys sixty-three, and editors thirty-four. There were seven sawmills, three flour mills, three box factories, one brass foundry, two soap works, one stove manufactory, four foundries, six iron works, four ferries plying on the river, fifty- seven contractors and builders, three wholesale and twenty retail dealers in dry goods, seven dealers in crockery and glassware, three wholesale and thirteen retail clothiers, three wholesale and ten retail dealers in boots and shoes, and thirty-four commission merchants. Commerce indicated about its previous volunne. By the United States census of 1880, the population was found to be seventeen thousand five hundred and seventy-eight. By the Directory of that year it was estimated at twenty-one thousand six hundred.
During 1881 there were spent about one million one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in building. The most important of these were the following: The iron and brick building of W. S. Ladd, at
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the corner of First and Columbia, costing forty thousand dollars; the Portland Seaman's Bethel, on the corner of Third and D streets, under the management of R. S. Stubbs, twelve thousand dollars; G. W. Jones's block, on block 176 in Couch's Addition; G. W. Weidler's residence, on the corner of L and Eighteenth streets, costing sixteen thousand dollars; C. P. Bacon's residence, on the same block as above, ten thousand dollars; residence of W. N. Wallace on Tenth and Salmon streets; residence of Sylvester Pennoyer on the corner of West Park and Madison streets; the three story brick of J. C. Ainsworth on Third and Oak streets, costing eighty-five thousand dollars; the Cosmopolitan block of Reed & Failing, on the corner of Second and Stark; and the residence of J. N. Dolph on Fifth and Jefferson, were the most prominent structures of the year. The Columbia Dock was built by C. H. Lewis, at the foot of N street, at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars. Commercial statistics showed an increasing volume of business. New interest in the mines of Idaho and of Southern Oregon began to be felt by the capitalists of Portland, and with the prospect of railroad connection to these points, they inaugurated the operations which have since attained such proportions. Manufacturing interests began to concentrate in and about Portland. Weidler's immense sawmill, with capacity of one hundred and fifty thousand feet per day, led all in the volume of business. Besides lumber, the manufacture of furniture, of boots and shoes, of wagons, of iron and steel implements and machinery, and preservation of fruit assumed appreciable proportions.
In 1882, the extent of improvements rose to an astonishing degree, a total of two million nine hundred and seventy-four thousand six hundred dollars being spent in Portland, East Portland and Albina. The more noticeable of these buildings erected were the four-story brick structure of Dolph & Thompson on First street, between Pine and Aslı, with dock in the rear, costing two hundred thousand dollars; the First National Bank building on the corner of First and Washington, one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars; the three-story brick block of Allen & Lewis on North Front street, one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars; the Calvary Presby-
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terian Church on the corner of Ninth and Clay streets, thirty-six thousand dollars; the North Pacific Manufacturing Company's plant and improvements, fifty thousand dollars; the Couch school house on Sixteenth street, between K and L, thirty-five thousand dollars; the Failing school house on First street, between Hooker and Porter, thirty-five thousand dollars; the railroad docks, coal bunkers, etc., at Albina, one hundred and eighty thousand dollars; the residence of Bishop B. W. Morris, corner of Nineteenth and E streets, twenty thousand dollars; residence of R. B. Knapp, on Sixteenth and E streets, thirty-five thousand dollars; residence of Captain G. H. Flanders, on the corner of F and Eighteenth streets, forty thousand dollars. There were many others of elegant design and finish costing twenty thousand dollars and less.
During the year 1884 there were built seventy-five large dwellings, thirty-six brick houses and blocks, and other buildings, bringing up the total to two hundred and eleven. For business houses there were spent six hundred and twenty-two thousand dollars; for residences, three hundred and forty-nine thousand five hundred dollars; for other improvements, seven hundred and eleven thousand seven hundred dollars, making a total of one million six hundred and eighty-tliree thousand six hundred dollars.
East Portland's improvements footed up three hundred and forty- one thousand seven hundred dollars, and those of Sellwood and Albina, seventy-five thousand dollars. On street improvements in Portland there were spent three hundred and thirty-four thousand five hundred and fifty-five dollars and seventeen cents. Grace Church was erected at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars, on the corner of Eleventh and Taylor streets. Pipe organs costing about three thousand dollars each, were placed in two churches.
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