Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1910)
. Historical Society M .... Mi ; m . . . t-. . si.. juniNS tec view IT'S NOW UP TO YOU Toiubtcfltx for THIS Papr. Alt tbt nw while It li newt I our motto. Call In and enroll GET IN THE HABIT Of drrtlfni In THIS Paptf nd you'll nirtrrttrtt It. De lia at oncaandltMprltht at It Devoted to (he Interest ot tho I'enlmula, ffct Manufacturing Center of the Northwest VOI,. 6 ST. JOHNS, OREGON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 26. 1910. NO. 42 1 The Spider and the Fly Nothing to be Gained A Few "Annex" Thoughts Council Proceedings x Big Circus at Portland A Man Above Reproach Fessenden Street The following clipped from Mon day's Journal, a mouthpiece for the interests in Portland desirous ot having St. Johns annex with that city, reminds one strongly of that school day rhyme, "The Spider and the Fly." The glittering promises of the spider in order to get the fly into the web are quite similar. The caption reads: Would Enjoy Better Improvements; Majority of Voters Favor Plun: "Petitions bearing more than 300 signatures of residents of St. Johns, praying for annexation to Portland, arc to be presented to the. city council today or toniorrow. Three ctit!ous have been passed amonir the iconic of the suburb and the people expressed gcncrul favor ot the proposed change. The move ment to annex St. Johns is being led by A. T. Boldon, P. T. Han son, Charles Anderson (Socialist) and Judge Fletcher. Behiud the movement for annex ation is a strong public interest in better streets, better water and more nf it, free mail delivery and dock improvement. It is urged that no other community of equal importance in the state has less modern improvement nucl poorer mail service. The town has spent $6o,coo for public docks, but money is not uvallablc to build tracks and con nections on the shore. The cost of this improvement is estimated ut nearly $100,000. Free mull delivery lias been a dream of the cutcrpris lug residents for a long time, but its realization has been postponed from year to year. Perhaps the strongest force be hind the annexation movement is the demand for more wuter. The fire demonstrated the usclcssncss of the water system in case of emer gency and it is hoped by many of the eople to get Dull Run water within the coming year. The petitions which will go to the city council ask that a social election be called at an early date to allow the people interested in the matter to express their desires.' Those 300 petitions will be found to be woefully short, if the Journal would take time to look the matter up. The men at the head of the movement are so well known that it would be useless to enlarge on thejr virtues and the great boosting they have done for St. Johns in the past, "By their fruit ye shall know them." Here Is the glittering promise: "Better streets, better water and more of It, free mall delivery and dock improvement." Hut the Journal could not overlook a usual little knock even when inviting us to come in. Here it is: "No other community of equal importance in the state has less modern improve ment." Let us for a few minutes look in to the matter. "Better streets." Sure we would get them by annex ing with Portland. Just look at the better streets In University Park and Portsmouth, and these two places had a population of 4700 when St. Johns had 300. It Is estl mated thit St. Johns has spent $27. 00 to every $1.00 spent in these two places combined in the past five years in the way of street Im provement. There is not a street iu St Johns that would not be Im proved provided the property own ers agree to pay for same. The council is ready and willing at all times to take up any and all streets 3n St. Johns, enlarge the engineer ing corps and push them through as expeditiously as possible, pro vided the property owners guaran tee payment of same. The ouly reason why more streets are uot being improved is because the as sessed valuation of the property will not stand for It, and the prop erty owners refuse or neglect to sign waivers to take care of the ex cess. Even as it is we have been improving TEN streets or more to every one that has been improved in University Park and other Port land suburban towns. Oh, yes, we would get better streets by going into Portlaud in the pig's eye. "Better water and more of it," Wouldn't that scald you? Bull Run water is not to be mentioned in the same breath with St. Johns water. Surely water that is filtered through the sands hundreds of feet below the surface of the ground is infinitely better than surface water like Bull Run. Water that is piped miles and miles is not as good, can not be as good, as water secured at the fountain head. "More of it." Let the people of Sellwood and other towns in Portland testify to what they have been getting this summer, and tell how they stormed the city hall to get enough water to cool a parched tongue. Then ask auy citizen in St. Johns if he could aot at all tmes secure all the water he wanted. Any ooe who would yote for annexation because be A number of individuals imagine that by annexation to Portlaud Bull Run water and lower rates will at once be .obtained in St. Johns. This is utterly impossible. The franchise of the St. Johns Water Co. will hold good for tS years or more, whether St. Johns is annexed,' or whether it is uot. All the franchises given by the city council at various times cannot be repudiated unless the provisions arc violated by the parties holding same. This is con ceded by all who have any .knowl edge of matters of this kind. That being true, the St. Johns water Co. can charge the same price as at present, or higher, for that matter, in spite of annexation, and what is more it is doubtful it they coultl be compelled to lay auy more pipe at their own expense. Some will say that as soon as annexation takes place the city of Portlaud will Issue bonds for the purchase of the water works. When one considers the enormous Indebtedness of the city of Portland, and realizes that the water department there has been running behind for ycirsaud years, making appropriations necessary from time to time, voting bonds fre quently to keep it going at all, it can readily be seen how willingly the people of Portland would vote additional bonds to the extent of $150,000 or more, to purchase a water system for St. Johns a city that Portland Is jealous of, unci every industry we get or Improve ment that has been made is be grudged, Some say that if the St. Johns Water Co. would not sell at a very low price Portlaud would run out Hues of its own ami supply us witli. Bull Run wuter. When it is known that all properly owners. would have to pay for laying the. new pipes in front of their proper-1 ties, the picture is not so pleasing 1 to those who have bonded to the ' limit for street improvement and would necessarily nave to pay cash for laying the new pipe. As to the rates, how long will it be before Portland raises her rates? It -can not always furnish water ut aMoss, as it seems to be doing at the pres ent time. A handsome profit should be realized each year from the water service in Portland at the present prices, when the number of consumers is taken into considera tion, but it is a notorious fact that If bonds were uot frequently Issued it would have gone into bankruptcy long ago. Where tho money goes is a question. Too many high sal aries and employes getting a pull out of It. Judging from Sellwood, Mount Scott and other places that have been auuexed to Portlaud, if St. Johns were annexed the same company would continue to do busi ness in bt. Joints at the same old price. If it could be otherwise, would it uot be well to get a guar antee from the city of Portland to that effect before annexing? Why uot le assured of something before taking the jump? We would be going Into Portland with practi cally no indebtedness, because the city dock is worth as much or more than all our indebtedness combined. Let us be assured of somethlug in return for our aid in reducing and maintaining Portland's indebted ness of 24 millions before we even give the matter serious thought. wants Bull Run water nan best move to Portland at once, because as we explain in auother article, it will be Impossible to secure Bull Run water for years to come. "Free mail delivery." I'ossiuty, but it would be only one delivery per day This is all Uncle Sam al lows iu suburban towns. "Dock improvement." Any time we want sidetracks to the city dock we can get them without the aid of Portland or any other community. All we have to do Is to call a spec ial election to authorize issuiug of bonds for that purpose, and then if we want sidetracks all that is neces sary is to vote that way. No, better arguments will nave to be produced than the foregoing to induce the people ot tit. jonns to vote for annexation with Portland. The lure of being In a large city has been disastrous to too many small cities for us to swallow this sugar-coated pill. The postoffice has undergone considerable changes the past week. The style has been changed to a V shape, the general delivery and money order windows being in front as one enters the building, while the mail boxes are on both sides of the room instead of one side as heretofore. The change makes it more convenient for the general public as well as for the P. M, and deputy, The postoffice was closed all day Sunday while the change was taking place. Werk tor a OrMUr St Jaom. Our taxes would be higher be cause they arc lower now than it; the city of Portland. America fought and bled for in dependence. Shall we give our independence up without a struggle? Some of our arc lights would go out because we now have more than the city allows In her sur burbati towns. The opier districts would raise a mighty howl if we were allowed to keep what we now have. What would become of the cltv (locK alter annexation I is a qucs tion that is being raised. Judging (from Portland's past record, it I would be turned over to the O. R. & N. This company now possesses loll the really good things in that city. Our city charter would become null and the liquor question would again revert to the last district election, making the city dry until another election could bo held, in the event of annexation. Then if it should result in the wets win ning, a saloon could lc placed on every corner without the present rigid restrictions invoked by the city of St. Johns, which would mean gambling hells and back rooms, bawdy houses and the like. Portland's indebtedness is about $34,000,000 or $100 for every man, woman and child. According to population, St. Johns' Indebtedness should be 9500,000 to be on equal terms. Instead of that ou Indebt edness Is more than covered by our assets the city' dock and city hall both being worth more than double whut they have cost the city". Why uot get our half million dollars' worth before thinking of annexing? A couple public parks, sidetrack to the dock, free ferry and other things might well first be secured. It would be very pfe'asant ( ?) to be the fag end of a large city. How would ,jve know what action was taken by the city council of Port land on any matter brought before it from St. Johns If It were possi ble to get it before council? The council proceedings are uever pub lished. If we wanted a street im proved we would have to take our turn with the other suburbs. There are said to1 be petitions with the Portland council for street improve ment fron University Park of five years' standing, which- gives a vivid Idea of when we would get ours. Locates Near Linnton With the purchase of 1500 feet frontage one mile below Linnton, S. Ban, a local Japanese capitalist, has taken the first important step toward establishing one of the largest lumber and furniture plants on the Pacific Coast. Negotiations for the purchase of the frontage has been pending for some time. The transfer of the property, consisting of 12 acres, was made yesterday, the consideration being $14000, Mr. Bau and associates plun to build two sawmills, one for prepar ing the hardwood material for the manufacture of furniture and the other for turning out Oregon fir for the export trade. The last named plant will have a io-hour capacity of 100,000 feet for the present, but it will be so built to permit enlarge ment if business so justifies the in crease in the output. The furniture factory, it is an nounced, will be most modern in every way, and it is planned to make the product the equal of any manufactured in the East. The hardwood material will be shipped in from Japan and Siberia as ships' ballast. This will consist chiefly of Japanese oak and Siberian ma hogany. Work ou the dock at Arinona will be started at once, and it is ex pected that progress on the plant will be well forward by the first of the year. Mr. Ban is now on his way to San Francisco to complete plansfortheenterprise. Oregonian. S. W. Rogers brought an apple into the office the other day that is a decided beauty. It measured 13 inches in circumference, and is not fully matured. He states that it was taken from a tree five years old and that there are fully one hundred more of about the same size ou the same tree. The variety is UBcertaia, but its size and beauty is not. J? a your asbserfeUea. Discussion of the 4 proposed fran chise of the Portland Railway, Light & Power Co. 'over Fessendcn and Jersey streets occupied much time at the city council Tuesday night. Attorney Hampsou, rcprc settling the company, made several points clear that tuc dads were somewhat uncertain about. He stated that the company was utter ly uuablc to find anything iu their records whereby an .agreement was made with P. T. Smith insuring a five cent fare from St. Johns to Portlaud, but stated that it was not the intention, nor had it been, of' the company to raise the fare at this time or iu the future, Letters from the officials, which were placed on file, bore out this conten tion. He said the company realized that if the fare was raised to ten cents it would force St. Johns to annex to Portlaud, and the law pro vides that iu cities of 50,000 or more inhabitants the fare cannot be more than five cents; therefore a ten cent fare would In nil proba bility be very short lived. The reason the company was unwilling to bind themselves to a five cent fare iu the franchise,' he said, was because it would establish a rate for a certain distance which could be used against them in other districts more sparccly settled than the St. Johns district. Councilman Downey objected to the franchise on the ground that it was giving the com panyii franchise too cheap, which wus the only objection raised, Upon vote for final passage all voted iu the affirmative with the exception of Downey and Dobie. The mayor then declared the measure carried. And thus the last obstacle iu the way of the Improvement of Fessen dcn street has been removed and a continued five cent fare to Portlaud Is assured. i Bids were then opened for the improvement of Portland boulevard from the cast line of Point View ad dition to Fairhavcu street. There were two, the first bclSe presented by Kilkenny Bros, until rend: Cut 38c, fill 1 be, sidewalk nd curb $1.04, crosswalks awlftfcux gutters 45c. The St. Johns Sand and Gravel Co. presented the other bid, reading as follows: Cut 40c, side 40c, walk and curb $1.02, crosswalks The bids and box gutters 50c were referred to the city engineer with the recommendation that the lowest bid receive the contract pro vided it was below the engineer's estimate. Mayor Hendricks, suffering from a severe cold, then asked to be ex cused and President of the Council Davis took the chair. The attorney was instructed to prepare a resolution Tor the im provement of Fessendcn street for adoption next week, A petition for an arc light at the intersection of Smith and Fesseuden streets was granted. Bills to the amount of 42.33 were allowed. A resolution to improve Mohawk street, Ivanhoeto Willamette boule vard, was adopted. Proposals for sewer construction, District No, 3, was ordered read vertised. Bury the Croaker "Bury the croaker out in the the woods in a beautiful hole iu ground, where the woodpecker pecks and the bumblebee bums and the straddle bug straddles around. He is no good to city push too im practical, stingy and dead, but he wants the whole earth and all of its crust and the stars that shine over head. Then hustle him off to the bumblebee's roost, and bury him deep iu the ground; he's no use here, get him out of the way, and make way for the man that is, sound." 'Ho, w does central Oregon look ?' ' asked an inquisitive person of a man who had spent five weeks down in the railroadless area. And the individual was honest iu his quest for information. Yet no one would assume to ask a man how Ohio looked to him, even if he should spend a year in that state. That's where Oregon fools the best of them, for Ohio could be dropped into central Oregon without touch ing a railroad or a city of sny size, and space enough would be left to place half a dozen of the New Eng land states with their teeming mil lions of people. When people speak of magnificent distances they must be thinking of central Oregon. Journal. Your sole unfailing friend is money. M-O-N-E-Y, with a big, big M. Save some. Begin today. The First National Bank pays you 3 percent and helps you, top, com pounding interest every six months. Announcement is made that ou Thursday and Friday, August 25 and 26, the Baruum and Bailey greatest show on earth will visit Portlaud. This is the best news of the day to those who arc fond of the circus form of amusement. For fifty-five years this has been the leading show of the world. This year it comes forth with an entire new equipment which cost the manage ment $3,500,000. The main performance is given in three rings, on two stages, ou an immense Roman race track and in the dome. The climax of the program is the appalling perform auce of Desperado, n mad French man, who leaps from the dome of the tent and lands ou his bare chest Additional thrills arc given by Jupiter, a pure-white Arabian horse. It rides to the dome of the tent iu a balloon and descends amid a Niagara of exploding rockets and fireworks. Then there is Charlie the First, beyond all question the most remarkable animal that ever came to the notice of scientists. Charlie the First is merely a chim pan zee, but he has become the greatest bicycle rider and acrobat in the world. He docs an act on one of the stages that Is the wonder of the age. In the managcrie is found the most rcmarkublc zoological exhibit ever seen outside of the interior of the African jungle. It is Bumbiiio, tlto first and only baby giraffe ever born or exhibited iu America. Ouly once before iu history has the stock visited the giraffe pen of a captive zoo of animals, that event hap pened over fifty v ars ago iu Lon don, England. The youngster died before it could be placed ou ex hibition. Bumbiiio is only three feet tall, less than onc-scvcuth of its mother's height. The youngster Is worth its weight iu gold. On the list of performers arc the name of 400 of the world's mo,st talented pet formers. The new par ade is n marvel of interest. It is a panorama of a thousand wonders. There arc three milts of It. Here is an opportunity for the teoplc of bt. Johns and vicinity to see the greatest circus ever organized, A Golden Opportunity No married man with n little "get up" in him need be without n home In St. Johns. Elsewhere iu the Review may be found the In telligence that any one having ft 50 can get a lot and have a house erected thereon according to his own ideas. The balance may be paid same ns rent at five percent in terest. Iu St. Johns no man need be out of work unless incapacitated, and by practicing a little economy can save $150 iu a short time, so that there is 110 reason whatever that he should not avail himself of such a golden opportunity. In a city with the future this one has, no man can go wrong in securing a home ou these terms, no matter where iu the city same may be located. Young men now paying rent should not allow thisclmunc to slip by. There's such an awful lot of murders, there's such an endless stream of wrong, they re killing husbands by the hundreds, and suiciding by the throng. The wives are quick dispatched iu Europe, or buried In the chilling lake; the list is growing more appalling we're finding roaches iu the cake, 1 he dogs are now electrocuted, aud babies die upon the street; the cats are soused beneath the water, lightnlug bugs succumb to heat. There's slaughter at the stock yards daily, the chutes are dyed a lurid red, the fly is being swatted, aud the bed-bug's murdered iu his bed. Exchange. An agitation is ou foot to organ ize a stock company for the pur pose of erectiug an opera house in St, Johns. The movement has uot assumed anv great proportions so far, but it is hoped that the project will become a tact, bucn an insti tution would be hailed with pleas ure here, as many of our people are auxious to witness good plays and it makes a very tiresome trip to go to Portland to do so. Two or three plays a week would be sufficient to start with, and we believe they would be patronized to such au ex tent that an opera house would prove a paying proposition right at the start. You work hard to get them. Keep them by putting dollars in the First National Bank, They earn 3 per cent, compound interest. it The announcement of Hon. K. C. Couch as a candidate for re election to the Legislature may be found in this issue. Mr. Couch is a man who fiiuily believes that the people should rule, that they arc greater aud of more moment than auy clique, machine or faction. He is fearless, upright aud dependable. His record during the past two years is clean and commendable. He is a man who dares to do the right nud upon whom bribery and cajolery have no clfcct. Thorough ly familiar with the wants aud re quirements of this section, he is a man who may be depended upon to use his best efforts to secure the same. A bold and ready speaker, he wilt at all times enforce to the best of his nbilttv anv measure that is desired to be brought before the Legislature, if It is right and he be llcvcs it to be to the best interests of his constituents. A free ferry at St. Johns Is otic of the things that Mr. Couch may be depended upon to secure it he has the proper assistance from the people of St. Johns, A pioneer business man of bt. Johns, with his interests here, popular and highly respected by all who know the man, courageous, and having served as n member of the last Legislature, he in eminent fitted to again serve tltc people of this-district. If one were to search the entire peninsula a more capable aud more worthy man for this office could not be found. It is so diffi cult to elect good, clean honest men to the Legislature, that this oppor tunity should not Ik neglected. Fire in the North End A fire that indicated incendiary origin occurred iu St. Johns early Monday morning. It was the resi dence was owned by a Mr. Walton aud occupied by K. W. Majcskc, near the school building in the North End, Mr. Moieskc and family were away from, home Sun day and returning home late in the evening, they retired without build ing a fire. About 3:30 iu the morn ing they were awakened by the crackling made by the flames and had barely time to get out of the house and secure a few effects as they ran. There was a good sized wood shed and chicken yard at the rear of the house, where the fire iu some manner originated, and may have been caused by a chicken thief dropping a lighted match. The loss is about 1 1000 aud is a severe one to the owners, as no usurance whatever Was carried on either the house or the furniture. way before the alarm was turned iu that the fire department, which made their usual good time iu ar riving at the scene, could do noth ing towards staying the conflagra tion, other than to confine it to the one building. An Open Challenge In order to find out what argu ments those desiring to auuex with Portlaud possess (if any) we chal lenge auy supporter of the measure to a newspaper debate on the fol lowing resolutions, one to be taken up each week, and we taking the negative in each instance. Now is the time to produce good, sensible argument. Hot air and bluster will uot win votes, As to the judges, the people cau render a de cisiou at the polls: Resolved, That by annexation St. Johns would get better streets, or more public improvements. Resolved, That by annexation St. Johns would get better water aud more of it. Resolved, That by annexation St, Johns would get more indus tries Resolved, That annexation would increase the price of realty iu St. Johns. A city park is one of the things badly needed by St. Johns. Such a place would give all a chance to spend a few pleasant hours every Sunday or any other day. Colum bia Park near University draws many St. Johns people thither who would much rather stay here if there was a place to go. One thing is sure, if we do not secure a pub lic park before annexation takes place, we will never get one after ward. Columbia Park would then haye to do for the entire lower Peninsula. There is suitable ground between the loop of the car track that could no doubt be secured for this purpose, and it is as cheap now as it ever will be. Preach the goipel of Bt. Johni. The last obstacle In the way of the Improvement of I?esspnrltM street, provided the property stands for the Improvement, was removed by council Tuesday night when the irancuisc giving the Portland Rail way, Light & Power Co. the right to operate their cars over the street was granted. Next week a tcsolu tlon declaring the council's Inten tion to improve this street will be prcscutcd. Fessendcn street is now to all intents and purposes a 70 foot street. As it is impossible to hard surface the thoroughfare this year, und as it Is best that the ground be given some time to settle before hard surfacing, only the grading and cement sidewalking will be ac complished this fall. Unless no unforsccu obstacle arises dirt will be flying on Fessendcn in six weeks. This street has caused more discussion than all the other streets of St. Johns combined, and it will be welcome news to all to know that everything Is now set tled and work upon Its Improve ment will soon be under way. Mr. Voter, Register t . Tt Kiinnia flint n tmmltAr nt hh citizens have gotten it into their neaiis mat because they have rqgip tcrcd once this venr it Is not iipcch. sary to do so again. This is a sad mistake, however. It is just as vitally essential to register now as it was In the surincr. It in nm nf the handicaps for the privilege of, living in mis good old state ot.urc gon, So if you want to vote this fall without trolntr to tlu trnitlit In call in nil your friends and neigh-' oors 10 tcstiiy to your pedigree at the noils, visit the rrronW'R nm and if it is not inconvenient, tukc a. couple of your friends along, be cause each voter that registers needs the ik'iinture nf tivn wit.- ncsses having knowledge of his residence aud ot the fact that he Is: It resident of St. Tnbnit. In n rminli. of weeks or so this opportunity wlIP uc taken away. Procrastination is1 the thief of time, so do it now. De. lavs are dnncroroim and it tit nf nn' avail to kick after it is too lute-. Register. ,. .. Mr., and Mrs. J. E. Williams. were over buiiday visitors at the home of Mr. and Mrs. II. G. Ogdeu' near Dayton, Ore. Mr. -Williams gives glowing accounts of Howard's' prowess as a granger. That 'libjj ranch is In At apple-pie order, that, he is himself hale, hearty and rug-, ged as the hills, that he bus trans formed the fungus covered, scale: defiled, worm-eaten, brush heap of an orchard which he purchased two years ago into a clean limbed, well pruned, vigorous, thrifty bunch of trees, loaded to the limit with the finest of fruit; a thing of beauty, and a joy to all beholders. Our hat is off to Howard, aud while it is off we will just hold it out for one of those big red apples. Come through with the apple, Brother Ogdeu, or we may be constrained to visit the orchard, a calamity to be dreaded next to the codliu moth. Dr. Vinton Scott and John Noce returned the first of the week from a delightful outing at Long Beach. 1 hey had a most pleasant time fish ing, digging clams and catching crabs. As trophies of their skill they presented ye editor witlt a large fish aud several nice fat crabs all ready for the inner man to take care of. Therefore, we cau oflen no objection to their taking auother trip to the same place this summer. Prof. II. C. Solberg of Brook mgs, S, D,, spent a few days with his old time chum, John Peterson,' the past week. For 23 years Mr.' Solberg has been professor of the agricultural college of that place, Like all visitors to St. Johns, he is greatly pleased with this hustling city, aud the signs of activity on every side looks very promising, The Princess Vaudeville Theatre is presenting some very interesting attractions these evenings. Patron';' age is increasing at a steady rate and all are well pleased with tluL entertainments provided. The Newsboy Actor made quite a hit last week. As a dancer he has few superiors, Dr. aud Mrs. Hartel returned Tuesday, Aug. 13, from their Canadian trip. They report a yey pleasant time visiting their old friends and relatives across the, border, taking in Vaucouver, Vic toria and other cities in the Canute country,