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ST. JOHNS REVIEW
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Devoted to (he Intereiti of (he Pcnlniula, the Manufacturing Center ot the Northwest
New Year's Number
VOI,. 8
ST. JOHNS, ORKGON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1912.
NO. 9
A REMARKABLE GROWTH
Story of St. Johns' Phenomenal Development from a Village
Set in Firs to a Modern, Thriving City
It has been the history of the
founding ami building of every great
city that those who laid tlte found n
tiou ior future greatness sought pri
manly a location affording natural
means ot transportation; the great
est cities of the world today stand
upon the banks of the navigable
rivers or arc btiildcd by the harbors
that afford anchorage for the deep
est draft vessels that go down to
the seas.
The great transcontinental and
trunk railway systems seek these
places as their terminals, for after
all it is the ocean-going craft that
make possible the construction of
the great railway systems.
What, then, arc the possibilities
of a city that is built upon one of
the greatest inland waterways of
the United States and at the same
time affords rail trausortation over
the lines of two of the greatest rail
way systems of the world ?
Such a city is St. Johns, the key
to the transportation on the Colum
bia and Willamette rivers.
A few years ago there stood on
what is now one of the most pros
perous manufacturing cities of the
Northwest a few scattered dwellings
and one or two small iudustrys in a
vast forest oi firs. The din that
follows in the wake of development,
the shriek of the whistles of facto
rics, and the buzzing of the saws of
mills were seldom heard. Tlte
principal sound emanating from the
industrial or commercial world was
the splashing of the wheels of a
passing river steamer, which plied
on its ways to ports on the Colum
Jila. .
. Hut the genius of commerce and
Industry docs not long allow loca
tions that offer pre-eminent advan
tages to remain unutilized.
Adjoining St. Johns lay the great
city of Portland. Her future great
ness depends upon her water trans
portation facilities. St. Johns is
nearer the mouth of the Columbia
and the confluence of that mighty
stream and the Willamette.
The possibilities opened by this
fact were first realized and appre
ciated by what is now known as the
St. Johns Lumber Co., which has
one of the largest saw mills on the
Pacific Coast. A small and com
paratively inslguificcut mill was in
stalled. Then one by one other
captains of industry, with far seeing
and unerring judgment saw the
wonderful opportunity offered them
at St. Johns.
With the establishment of these
industries began the building of St.
Johns, which today stands high
above the water frout on a wide
spreading plateau, and is a city of
5,000 inhabitants, throbbing with
the multitudinous activities of a
manufacturing center.
But it is with modern St. Johns,
the gateway to the Willamette and
the key to the transportation of
Portland and southerly cities on
the magnificent stream that drains
one of the richest and largest val
lies 011 the face of the globe, known
as the Willamette valley, that we
wish to deal with in this article.
Almost within her city limits is
the entire point of the peninsula, -whose
point is washed by the waves
oi both the Columbia aud the Wil
lamette, St. Johns has a gieat wa
ter frontage. The day is not far
distant when this entire water front
will be a solid line of docks and in
dustrial plants.
It is inevitable, because with the
and for industrial activity will in
crease in proportion to the increase
in population.
Great transportation experts have
declared emphatically that the pc
niusula, in other words, St. Johns,
is eventually to become the New
York of the West.
That the possibilities of this city
lias been appreciated by many pro
gressive business men and investors
is clearly evidenced by the fact that
ten years ago the taxable property
in this city amounted to $200,000;
now it aggregates j,soo,ooo, uud
there was expended during the vear
just closed, for public improve
incuts alone, one and a half times
tin entire valuation of the citv at
earlier date, or $300,000.
This remarkable growth has not
been in any way the result of tut
natural methods, nor can it be
classed with the boom variety. It
was the natural, inevitable result
of a full comprehension and realiza
tlnn of a desirable location on the
part of thousands of progresslv
American people, coming from cv
cry section of the United States to
the Northwest the land of oppor
tuuity aud to .St. Johns the com
iug metropolis of this mighty em
pirc, embracing the states of North
Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah
Nevada, Northern California am:
Oregon, with all their wotidcrfu
resources: their great fields of wav
ing grain, their flocks feeding on 1
thousand hills, their orchards am!
viuyards, their forests and mines
Controlled by the wonderful
Western variety of progress.thc in
hamtaiHs ot fat. Johns have .sur
rounded themselves with all the in
stitutious that arc the product of
modem times. A magnificent citv
hall, built on the old colonial style
of architecture, graces one of the
prominent locations of the city,
providing a home tor the municipal
othcers and shelter for the perform
auce of all civic functions.
While this is essentially ami pri
marily a manufacturing and Indus
trial center, the rail of modern
times for education of the younger
generation has not remained uuheed
ed. Today St. Johns points with
pardonable pride to one of the very
finest high school buildings in the
entire state, which was erected at a
cost of f.10,000, while three gram
mur or graded aud n catholic school
are afforded those of the children
who have not as yet advanced to
the high school curiciiltim.
True to their history the churches
of all denominations have one
by one established themselves
in our midst as the population in
creased and the demand for spirit
ual ministrations grew. The Meth
odist, United Kvangelical, Baptist,
Congregational, Christian, Advent
1st. German Baptist and Catholic,
and many of the societies banded
together for religious worship, have
splendid edifices here.
The moral atmosphere of St.
Johns is such that 110 person need
hesitate to invest, build a residence,
make a home and rear their child
ren in this environment. The peo
pie of St, Johns believe in so regu
luting the affairs of their city that
it shall rank high with those of
this and other states as a city of
homes as well as a city of industry.
Absolutely necessary to the per
manent and enduring greatness of
any city are public service corpora
tions that serve the public in the
fullest sense of the word. In this
respect St. Johns can boast of bet
the
operates an excellent streetcar serv
ice between this city and Portland,
the fare for the nine mile ride to
the center of Portland, being only
five cents. In connection witli the
streetcar service is maintained the
Portland Suburban Rxpress compa
ny, which runs dally freight and
express cars between this city and
our adjoining neighbor on the south.
The Mt. Hood Railway, Light and
Power company also furnishes light
The metropolitan appearance of
the main busiiieM streets of this
city invariably imptcsses the tterson
. .... . . ,. i . .. . . .
who ior inc ursi nine enters us
gates. Substantial, costly, hand
some brick and stone structures
line the main Streets, affording who are at the head of these con- Western States, to whose people th
.plenum inciimvH ior store rooms,
office buildings, etc.
In this connection it, perhaps, is
these industrial plants located with suit of careful research into the
in the city limits of St. Johns, cm mysteries of psychology and mental
pioying irom 25 to 350 men coclt, I science.
and with payrolls aggregating from In no section of the United States 1
. . . ... - ' , .,. . f
jiuw i" 515.00a per iiiouiu. , uasine cuaugc come so rapidly, so
it is self-evident that the men ! completely and cflicientlv as in the
Plans Practical Work
' cents would not have located in St.
I Johns unless there was a well de
1 fined reason for it, and a decided
well to lay stress on the fact that : advantage iu doimr so. The rea
those desiring to build here will son is that we are six miles nearer
find that the building material can ! the mouth of the Columbia river.
be obtained cheaper than in the the crent outlet to the Pacific ocean.
greater centers of population, due i than is Portland, the metropolis of
to the fact that the many industries iOrecon; below the inanv bridees
on tlte water front are turning out I which span the river iu the con
building material of every charac gested district of the bin citv and
tcr, including lumber, sash, doors, retard maritime operations' iu spite
windows, etc., while several big 'of all regulations. Here we have
tirms arc extensive dealers iu lime.
cement aud like material.
marvelous development that is now
going on in the Northwest, and ; ter facilities than any city in
with the two great railway systems Northwest of comparative size,
.seeking this peninsula as a terminus . The Portland Railway Light &
.for their all-theway water grader Power Co. one of the foremost pub
lines from the mountain passes lie service concerns in the West,
that give entrance to the Kast, the 1 furnishes ample transportation,
demand for manufactured articles' lighting and power facilities. It
New City Dock
A city of 5000 population, sit
uated right along side a city of
250,000 with iiiteiurbau car service-
is indeed tlte exception. Our mer
chants carry such a splendid grade
and variety of goods, ami our fac
tories ami industrial plants cover
.
' ril.llltt nf din -ri frn.i Cmtw ..11 ,.1.
Mructions.
One of the factors that promises
to contribute largely to this city's
further development ami well being
is a strong commercial club of al
most 150 members, recently organ
ized. The services of one of the
best publicity promoters of the
antiquated is repugnant and the
modern attractive. It was unnec
essary, iu n large measure, for the
Western States to discard the old
methods of 50 years ago, because
this is practically a new country.
Tlte schools have grown up with
the section and possess that virile.
progressive spirit that characterizes ' entitles it to become.
everything iu the West and espc 1 The new club Is zealously yet
ctauy 111 tins great Northwest. surewdly attacking the big task
Tlte public school system of Ore ' that lies before It. It has elected
gon is recognized as one of the best ' n live president, an active board of
in the United States. Its super) directors, an alert, html ivnrL-i'm.
- r
Much is hoped by the citizens of
St. Johns from the new commercial
c lib recently organized to put the
city where it belongs, on the com
mercial map of Oregon. A number
of problems are to be solved, reforms
to be carried through, before St.
Johns can eel into its strldi.
aud finally become one of the great
manufacturing centers of the coast
as its river and railroad situation
visors and its instructors arc trained
capable jwrsous, who have made a
life study of their work ami who
throw an enthusiasm into it that
spells success iu every instance.
We can solely declare, backed by
the knowledge that our statement
is tiueqiiivocubly correct, that St.
v. -fc.ua -v titi 1 1 1 111 ii
. WEYERHAEUSER
LUMBER CO.
a PROPOSED DRY DOCK
3 SHIP BUILDING YARDS
-ft WOOLEN MLLS
S. MODE Ft N MACHINE IVOR At
6. DOUGLAS PLANING MILL.
7.tSOBES FLOUR MILL
Q.WCST COAST LAUNDRY.
9.ST.UOMNS FERRY.
fO.ST. UOHNS LUMBER CO.
It.MARNE tRON WORKS.
USSTEEL SHIP BUtLONG PLANT.
?. VENEER FACTORY.
BRASS AND RON FOUNDRY.
IS. DRY DOCK .
1 6. PORTLAND SEATTLE BRIDGE.
17. RCMINSULA LUMBER MILL.
10. ALCOHOL AND TURPENTINE PLANT,
and power to a large percentage of
people, giving most excelleut serv-
ce. 1 he bt. Johns was company
supplies gas for light and heat and
most successful In meeting the
needs of its patrons for all purposes
at a very reasonable rate.
lit nearly every instance the first
uestious that a person asks when
contemplating investing iu a city is
concerning the water system. St.
ohns cau boast of as good water as
any city in the state, better than
the majority, it having been ana
lyzed by the state chemist and de
clared to be pure. The water sup
ply is stored iu huge tanks, with
sufficient pressure iu the stand-
pipes to furnish every residence iu
the city with water for every nec
essary purpose.
Judiciously scattered throughout
the city are fire plugs, with a heavy
pressure, which, combined with a
well organized, and equipped fire
department, gives ample protection
from conflagration to the citizens.
The Pacific Bell Telephoue and
Home Telephone companies, two of
the largest telephone systems in the
United States.lserve fat. Johns.
Municipally owned and controlled
the city dock, erected on the water
front, affords the hundreds of ves
sels that ply the Willamette dock
ing facilities.
At the first glance it might ap
pear that with such extensive im
provements in this city the tax
rate would be abnormally high.
Such, however, is not the case, as
the books show that the rate is
such a wide range, that every ne
cessity of life is obtained iu St.
Johns.
Differing from other cities iu the
Northwest St. Johns is not depend
ent on back country for her pros
perity; it does not depend 011 the
seasons; droughts have no effect on
her; crop failures do not decrease
her bank deposits. The output of
her industries are shipped to every
section of the United States ami to
every important pott of the world.
It is always in demand.
St. Johns is essentially an indus
trial and manufacturing center aud
Northwest have been .secured at a Johns possesses a. school system that
large salary, aud his energies will is second to none in tlte entire state,
concentrate in exploiting St Johns Many pupils have come to St.
and attracting more industries to Johns from ISastern States and
this favored locality. Almost four found the curriculum here much iu
thousand dollars will be sx.-nt this advance of that iu their native state,
year iu publicity work by the club, and for that reason have been com
With the onward march of the
twentieth century civilization hove
come some marvelous revelations
iu invention and science. As we
have advanced industrially and
commercially, so wc have advanced
Intellectually aud no science has
made greater strides or undergone
more drastic changes than has that
it is to these plauts that were sever- of pedagogy
al years ago established here aud , The modern school and universi
that are now being established here,
that she owes her greatness. Their
immense payrolls go to swell tlte
accounts of her merchants, to in
crease her taxable property, and to
aid iu the general development of
the city.
There are a dozen or more of
ty of today no more resembles the
old field school or academy of yes
terday, than does the stage coach
the automobile. The old, anti
quated, inadequate methods have
been discarded and the child or
young man or woman of today is in
structed along lines that are the re-
Woolen Mills
pelled to go over the work of a low
er grade before being permitted to
enter the one they left in the Host.
This fact is significant iu that the
school system of Oregon is a super
iur one and that it is maintained iu
St. Johns at its highest standard,
Kxcelletit school facilities are
among the most valuable assets a
city can possess, as the prospective
settlers first of all inquires concern
ing them. If they be poor or inad
equate, the persons who contem
plated making a city home, or en
tering iu business iu it, determines
to seek another location where the
proper advantages will be afforded
his children.
Au instance of the splendid effi
cieitcy ot the work accomplished in
the St. Johns schools is that they ob
tained the silver medal on their ex
hibit at Alaska-Yukon-Pacific lix
position held in Seattle last year.
Medicines that aid nature are al
ways most effectual. Chamberlain's
Cough Remedy acts on this plan,
It allays the cough, relieves the
lungs, oikmis the secretions ami aids
nature iu restoring the system to a
healthy condition. Thousands have
testified to its superior excellence.
For sale by all dealers.
secretary, and .several commit toiM.
has chosen commodious quartets,
engaged an organization mid pub
licity manager, raised ample funds
to carry the undertaking through
for 0 year - with more promised if
the club makes good and by Jan
uary 15 will be ready to begin the
work mapped out.
What a prominent member calls
"the ills of St. Johns" the draw
l.rlfl. (I. m 1. ...... . . ... ..
.iv.i.i nun iiiivu ieveiiicti iiiecuy s
development along its destined
Hues will be first attempted to Ik
remedied. When good hendwnv is
made iu this work, efforts to sccttrn
new industries will be made.
Another aim is to make St. Johns
nu attractive residential district. Na
ture has done its part in the way of
fine scenic effects aud the citv
council has helped by spending
this year alone $300,000 on civic
mproveinents. Diirinn its seven-
year evolution from the wilderness
to a modern citv of (iooo twnnl...
the city lias erected a lartre 1111 1ii
dock and a fine high school build-
tug, to mention but two of its nota
ble constructions. Several wealthv
Portland men have moved to St.
Johns aud built costly and beautiful
residences. Many of the people em
ployed iu Portland live iu St.Inhtw.
where they buy lots nnd build
homes cheaper than iu the In rum-
city, and have lower taxes to pay.
'11... ...r 1 ,!. . 1 - V ' .
1 iiw iviijiiiirt immcdiaiciy aimed
at by the new commercial club ate:
A hotter car service to Portlantn
daily jwstal delivery (the whole
population now journeys twice a
lay to the postoihee for mail): a
free approach to the citv dock.
which now costs f 10 u dny iutuiet
on the 'foo.ooo investment and
earns nothing; n good highway or
electric railroad to Kenton; to get
river steam packets to stop at St.
Johns to laud ami take 011 pft.in
gers; larger uud better euuipmul
Hilicc ami fire duimrtmeiits: the to
tal and cvcrlastiiu almlition of
iiiosMmckism" in St, Johns w
that several iuiortoiit thorough
fares leading to Portland can lit
improved ami made possible ami
that valuable deep watur frontage
can be made available for foctory
sites at present held ot prohibitive
trices.
These are a few of the ieforiui
the commercial club Iioihm to ac
complish. The club al aim-; to
gut iu with other organisation to
tulp develop ami boom the resourc
es uud attractions of Western Ore
gon. The project to top the .streams
of the Cascades so as to irritate
the Willamette valley during thedry
season, will have the support of
tlte St. Johns Commercial club.
which will also do its bust to en
courage the Mount Hood Railway
company's project on the I'eniiiMilu.
As the largest ocean croft can
come up to St. Johns, where (lie
'ort of Portland has an iiiimen-
ry dock, the watur froiitane huie
offers a situation unparalluiiKl for
the establishment of large indus
tries. On the north side tltu Col
umbia river needs but to be dredged
in parts to offer superb sliiimlii
facilities to manufacturers. On tint
Willamette side there are 12 or 15
important industries, including two
arge lumber mills, and over the
river there is quite a cluster of in
dustries, including the govuriimunt
dock. Direct connections with
this thriving district, aud witli the
arge farming territory in the Tual
tin valley lying south of it, will
be had before spring, through the
free ferry to be oierated by thu
county of Multnomah. It is ox-
pected St. Johns and the entire pe
ninsula will benefit larguly by the
increased traffic aud trade resultant
therefrom.
flie officers of the club, who will
direct its campaign for a gruotur
St. Johns, are: President, Prank
Test, assistant superintendent of
the Portland Woolen Mills located
at St. Johns; 30 directors, compris
ing tlte solid uud representative
men of the city; publicity manager,
Ii. I. Crawshaw; secretary, A. W.
Markle, editor St. Johns Ruviuw.
Portland Journal.
Por Rent. Furnished liousckuu-k
tig rooms, 109 west lltirr street 21
blocks to Burr station
Phone, Col,
egon of similar size.
Por Insurance see F.W. Valentine
184.
If.
ower than in any other city in Or