THE ILLUSTRATED WEST SHORE.
295
i ill . 1. I "si-1 ''''"I
u " ,r . ,,.4,-.). i
SHOPS AND ROUND HOl'SKS OK THE UNION PACIFIC KAU.KOAD COMPANY, AI.IIINA.
Albina is built upon the north bank of the Willamette where the stream
bends to the westward to join the Columbia. The business portion of the
town is upon that south slope, but the new city limits will include most of the
peninsula lying between the Columbia and Willamette rivers. The situation
seems adapted by nature for a large city. TV great Columbia on the north
with its free channel to the sea, and the Willamette on the southwest draining
one of the world's richest valleys, both navigable for ocean vessels, give it un
surpassed advantages for accommodating shipping, and the railroads and
river transportation lines bring the vast bulk of inland produce to that point
for export. All the great railways Northern Pacific, Union Pacific and
Southern Pacific have tracks to Albina and handle a large volume of busi
ness there.
On the ridge between the two rivers is one of the pleasantest residence
localities in the northwest Indeed the business portion of the city is rapidly
pushing back to occupy some of
the higher ground. The eleva
tion is not a rugged bluff but an
incline that is traveled without
inconvenience. The high land
is sufficiently elevated to be
sightly and above the river fogs,
but it is not rough. The addi
tions to the original townsite
contain some of the most eligi
ble property about the vicinity
of Portland, and a large part of
the growth of Albina has been
in that direction. An institu
tion that will bring a good deal
of interest from every part of
the northwest has been located
on the high land of Albina
the Methodist university for
Oregon, Washington and Ida
ho. Buildings will soon be
erected and the university will
be organiied with i handsome
endowment before many months
"7
pass. The site has been determined upon and much of the preliminary work
has been done. This institution will perform an important service in supple
menting the excellent work of the public schools for residents of Albina, while
it will draw students from every part of the northwest and thus be an aid to
the town in a business way.
The Portland & Vancouver narrow gauge railway running between East
Portland and Vancouver, Washington, passes through Albina, and its opera
tion has been a great factor in building up the city back from the water front,
because it offered a convenient means of transportation to and from the me
tropolis. Many people doing business in Portland built homes on the line of
the Vancouver railway where land was comparatively cheap, and many large
and beautiful residences were erected. That sightly and pleasant locality has
been greatly improved in the past year and made one of the most attractive
and eligible of the suburban districts. From it a view of the whole city of
Portland, and both the Wil
lamette and Columbia rivers,
may be had. The Cascade
mountains describe a Jagged
eastern horiion, with Mount
Hood due east, to the northeast
Adams, and St. Helens in the
north, all perpetually snow clad.
An abundance of water for do
mestic purposes is obtained
from pure springs.
A little less tlian a year ago
the Northern Pacific Terminal
comany sold the big car shops
in Albina, together wilh a con
siderable tract of ground, to
the Union Pacific coniany for
Jl.Soo.ooo. This, however,
did not materially change flic
main purposes of the plant. ' It
is the general outfitting point
for rolling stock at this end of
the, transcontinental run, and
besides the manufacturing of
r -
POKTI-AND H.OUKING MILLS, AI.IIINA.