St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, March 19, 1915, Image 1

St. Johns review., March 19, 1915, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textl tfflr St. Johns Is Calling You Hai teven churehet. Una a moil promising future. Distinctively n manufacturing city Adjoint the city of Portland. Hai neatly 6,000 population. Hat public library. Taxable property, f4.500.OOO. Hat large dry dockt, taw m ill J . Woolen mill, iron work. Stove workt, otbettos factory, ' Ship building plant. Veneer and excelsior plant, Flour mill, planing mill, Dox factory, and olhert. More induttriet coming. St. Johnt it the place for YOU. St.Johns is Calling You It tecond in number of Industrie!. It seventh in population. Con to Portland every 16 min. Hat navigable water on 3 tidet. Hat finett gat and electricity. Hat two ttrong banka. Hat five large tchool houtet. Hat abundance of purett water. Hat hard turface streets. Hat extensive sewerage aystem. Hat fine, modern brick city hall. Hat good payroll monthly. Shipa monthly many cart freight. All railroads have accest to it. It gateway to Portland harbor. Climate ideal and healthful. ST. JOHNS REVIEW Devoted (o the Interests ot tbe I'enlniula. the Manufacturing Center of (he Northwest VOL. II ST. JOHNS, OREGON, FRIDAY, MARCH 19 1915. NO 19 "Iilorfe COUNCIL MEETS Matters of Importance v Receive Attention "All members wore prosont nt the regular mooting of the city council Tuesday evening, with Mayor Vincent presiding. 'A petition for an arc light at the corher of Zeigler and Swcn son streets was referred to the . water and light coniiniltee. "J. C. Tr.cn ik asked for permis sion to erect a inrge sign in front of his saloon on Philadel phia strcoU-nnd the matter was referred to the street committee with power to grant such m mission. .Tho following bids were re . coiyed on tho improvement of Oswego street between smith avenue and Columbia boulevard: MajcBke. Martin k Oswald. $2, 711.18: V. W. Mason. $2831.04 Cochran-Nulting &Co.,$2557.79; Hahn & Kebmnn, $2801.20. The bid of Cochran-Nutting & Co. being tho lowest, they were awarded tho contract. Bills amounting to $329.2G were allowed. A firo hydrant was ordered Installed at tho corner of Hayes and. Reno streets. Tho chairman of the street committee was directed to re quest tho Water Company to in stall three hydrants on St. Johns avenue as soon as possible. The city attorney wns directed to prcpnre a resolution provid ing for thcsidewnlkingof Hayes street between Philadelphia and Catlin streets. A resolution providing for tho sldowalking of Ivnnhoo street between Philadelphia and Catlin streets was read and then held over to amend so as to embraco sidewalk across Catlin street. Ordinances referring tho cen sorship ordinanco and tho pur chaso of the local water plant and improvements to the voters at tho April election were- pass ed, as wns also an ordinanco ap pointing election boards to pre side thereat. Monday, April 5th, wa3 desig nated as Cleanup Day in St. Johns, on motion of Councilman Garlick, and a notico to citizens to placo rubbish on tho curbs in readiness for removal on that day was ordered published in tho locnl paper. Upon request of tho school board it wns decided that tho city attornoy draft an ordinance providing for tho vacation of Kellogg street between John and Charleston streets, tho school board desiring to construct out door apparatus thereon for use. of pupils. Tho city engineer stated that wooden block pavement would coat, from $2.80 to $3.25 per yard. This price being deemed prohib itive, tho improvement of Pitts burg street, as requested by the Commercial club, will likely be undertaken with concrete pnv ing instead of wooden blocks, as contemplated. Conditions Are Fierce How about tho good people ttHo were so nnxious about a year ago to annex themselves to the city of Portland, Are they reaping all the blessings they anticipated? The only blessings that have come our way yet are some street improvements thisvrinter. The county did that. And improved street lighting. Mrs. Bright did that and the commissioners oiler to let her pay for it. And quite a number of substantial buildings, and we have ourselves to thank for that. About the only thing the city has done so far to help Lents is to rtlieyeSthe people of cash. That vrill probably assist materially in the prevention of extravagant living, overeating, and wasteful luxuries. We get a notico every week or so calling our attention to some new license.an addition al tax levy, etc., that reminds us that .we are subject to the powers" that be. Every little while" .ye are informed that some one haa4been planning to close up ourstreet,cut down our trees, openVp a .new street, do some grading at your expense for some 'other fellow's benefit. In factr.living in tho city is little less than Sherman's definition of war. But then we get our water so much cheaper save about $3 per year on that. Bea ver State Herald, Lents, Oregon, January 2, 1914. More Truth Than Poetry Yesterday I got' in a jitnoy With a woman From St. Johns And she talked about merger And wanted to know If it would bo better To merge or not Said she had heard That if we did merge Wo would get Water from Bull Run And she wondered If it would bo too warm In tho summer time And take much ice To mako it fit to drink And was afraid The supply would bo short Said she had heard Friends on tho Peninsula Make much complaint About the warm water And Inck of water In tho summer time And they had to set it In tho shade to cool Then she wanted to know Could wo keep our police Or only have ono And would arc lights Bo removed and Lenvi? our town dark Said she had heard Tho depot would go At Cast St. Johns She wanted to know If the' report was true That tho. fire .truck would go To University Park Thought it a shame That pnrentB would hnvo To buy now books For their kids ut school Thafsho did'not like To seo'tho city hall Be entirely vacated Said she had 'heard That the city dock Would bo given To a Railroad Company in'cnuso aho said It wns built from Railroad plans Said she had a cow Anil wanted to know If alio could tie it to A stake in n fitjld ' As sho'could now And then she snid that she could nol.sco 1'hnt wo would bo ' Any better off b.v moraine That she always believed in letting well enough Bo as it is and That a change might . no much worse That sho had heard Many Portland people say For goodness snko stifv out Then sho said that Sho wanted to get off tt btark street And would I see Sho wasn't carried by And I did Believe mo I helpod her oil' Thero is ono thing About tho jitnoya Thov'ro so intimate. 1 What Lents Has Gotten One of tho most unnomilar things to befall our surburb iB the decision of tho city commis sioners, expressed through Mr. Daly, that tho city would not assumo obligations duo on sup port of street lights from July to November of last year amounting to over $900. Tho city of Port land collected a city tax from this district this year; it began col lecting licenses and fees for per mits promptly, collected from tho date of going into the city. For this wo havo received a paltry police service, fifteen dol lars a month to tho support of our local volunteer nro department. a mile of refuse water pipe, laid on Gilbert avenue" merely to give employment to otherwise idle workmen, and about the same amount of good pipe laid on Main street and Mt. bcott avenue. We nave been supplied with some second hand hydrants and a lot of old hose that barely stands tho gravity pressure, stuff absolutely useless in any other part of the city. And a few public spirited citizens who backed the welfare of the dis trict are;now informed that they must meet the delinquency named. If it was right for tho city to assume the payment in November why was it not equally as proper for the city to assume the obligation the date this sec tion became a part of the city? Lents Herald, February, 1914. A few special deals on Granh- ophones. It will pay you to look into them if you are at all inter ested. You cannot equal these prices elsewhere. Terms to suit at the St. Johns Pharmacy. WATERJATES Highest Court Says Ex- t r" i it i i ciusive rrancnises nom Editor Review: As an argu ment to support tho wisdom, on tho part of St. Johns, of merg ing with Portland it has been noised about by tho mergerites that soon after the merger is affected tho city of Portland will bo in position to extend its wc- Iter mains into tho territory now I constituting St. Johns and to give tho people thereof the ben efit of the lower rates as they now prevail in Portland. It is said thnt.this might be dono (in the event of merger) by the city of Portland in the near future without condemning tho plant and property of tho St. Johns Water Company. That is to say, tho mergerites would have tho voters of St. Johns believe that in tho matter of supplying wnt er Portland could provide this territory with Bull Run water in competition with tho St. Johns Water Company and, by thus underselling tho latter, virtually put it out of business. Even our good friend Lewis hns taken this position and so de clared himself. If this argument is taken se riously by any considerable num ber of the voters of St. Johns, the humblo writer believes that tho people should bo disillusioned in that respect. An inspection of tho St. Johns Water Company's franchise will disclose tho fact that said franchise is exclusive till April, 1919. As every law yer knows tho Federal Constitu tion prohibits the enactment of legislation impairing the obliga tion of contracts and a fran chise is a contract within tho meaning of that prohibition. Tho United States Supremo Court hns held that a city ordi nanco .providing municipal com petition ns against tho owner of nn exclusivo franchise, is void as being legislation impairing the obligation of a contract. In 1906 tho United States Supremo Court rendered this decision in tho cobo of Vicksburg vs. The VicksburgWaterworks Company, 202 U. S. 453. Tho franchise in that case was oxclusivo for its entiro Ufa and tho Court said that during tho lifo of it tho city could not mnintnin a competing municipal system. Tho court decided that tho city had tho power to thus exclude itself and by using tho term "exclusivo" it had thereby excluded itself from competing with tho grantee of tho franchise. There is noth ing in tho enso which distin guishes it from the facts in re gard to tho St. Johns franchise, in fact tho caso Is "on nil fours" with tho St. Johns matter, with the single exception that the lat ter franchise is exclusivo for on ly tho first 15 years (till April. 1919). So, before that timo thero could bo no competition from Portland in the matter of water supply unless b.v condemn ing the plant and purchasing tho privileges and property of the Company, and of course that would not be competition. In view of tho law as settled by the U. S. Supremo Court the writer is unable to understand how merger at this timo can possibly be, in good faith, urged as offering any relief from pres ent water rates. In the event of merger tho situation in this respect would bo just tho same for the next four years as it is now. And as for municipal own ership, the city of St. Johns is in just as good a position to take over the plant as would bo tho city of Portland. In the mean time the Railway Commission is the only tribunal with power to regulate the rates. We all know what the Commission said upon this point last year. The writer hold3 no brief for the Water Company, but he is strong for the preservation of the aut onomy of the city of St. Johns and can not refrain from observ ing that the Hon. D. C. and his associates must be hard pressed for argument when he is forced to drag out the poor, old hack neyed water question as a de licious bait for the uninformed to nibble at. Merger at this time would have about as much effect upon the price of water as the war in Europe. Howard O. Rogers. Wanted Several responsible boarders in a nice quiet home, handy to car line, use of piano, All home privileges. 402 E. Mohawk street, St. Johns. A Momentous Question Editor Review: I should like a few lines of your valuable space, in which to offer the pub lic a few of my views on tho merger question, which is now being discussed pro and con by almost every citizen of our little city. This is as it should be, as it is a matter of vital interest. not only to those of us who are today on tho field of action, for upon tho results of our votes on this question on April 5, 1915, rests tho weal or woe of tho des tiny oi those who loliow us. Thero is a crave rcsnonsibihtv resting on our shoulders, hence would it not be better for al concerned to lay asido all bick ering and strife, personal ambi tion, selfish interest and tempo rary emoluments, looking only forward to this end, tho greatest good for the greatest numbers. With this thought uppermost in our minds, lot us look squarely in tho fnco n low of tho bene fits to bo derived by merging and somo of tho things we lose by merging first wo would lose our dent tv ns n mun c nn cor poration that carries with it loss of local self government so far as St. Johns goes. In losing this, however, wc would gnin by becoming an integral part of a greater municinalty. One that is known through all tho civil! zed world, ns ono of tho great seaport cities of tho world there by giving us a commercial standing such as wo never could hope to attain if we choose to remain as wo nrc. No one can deny thnt this is not a com mercial age. It has been grow ing on us rapidly in tho pnst forty years as a nation. Wo as individuals feel its stimulating influences daring us to greater efforts, for grcutcr results, and this can only be accomplished by a united effort. Tho bright est and most capable financiers of our ago aro firm believers in consolidation of capital nnd its manngemont under fewor heads. Wo might say Contra zation to day is tho business world's mot to, and is this not n business proposition? So it seems to mo. Every one believes in union there is strength, this being true, then this is tho only infer ence to bo drawn, that in greater unions thero must bo greater strength and likewise greater opportunity for thoso who nro integral parts of this union. No ono denies that Portland is not a great city. Its record of growth is an opon book. My first visit to this city in 1890- I found perhaps 4,0000 Inhabi tants. Now in tho neighbor hood of 250.000. Thero must be n reason for its growth. It is a simplo question to answer. Merely by annexing adjacent territory. Sometimes one tells us to look what they did to other annexed territory and wo will see what Portland will do to us. I will only cite Montnvilla as nn example. Before annexation she had 1200 inhabitants in nnnexed district. Now has about 12, 000. With abundant supply of Bu II Run water, sower, light. good streets, fire and polico pro tection, ns good as any part of tho city. Havo thoy gained anything? Lents also was an nexed about two years ago. Her population hns not increas ed very little moro than tho nor mal Increase would bo in a healthy neighborhood. They al so havo an abundant supply of Bull Run water, polico protec tion, electric lights this would seem a good start in the right direction and that Portland had dono well by her. Aro all these people satished You might ask aro all satisfied with conditions in St. Johns? The little word no answers both questions. Personally I am for a greater Portland. W. A. Carroll. W. A. Carroll states that Port and trot her nonulation bv an nexation of territory. St. Johns got most of hers through new rnoifinnrn T h ft o. i t v n f St. Johns increased her popula- I 1 . ll A A, lion oy more umn lun uinuu while Portland increased hers ess than three times in the past fifteen sears. And the other districts Mr. Carroll mentions seems to have gotten only those II11IIKS Wllllill kJb UUIIIIO UIIKUUj has in greater measure. It is true that in unity there is strength, so why not unite in making St. Johns a better and even more progressive city? We now enjoy all the benefits that Portland could possibly give us were we a part thereof, and we reserve to ourselves a power of government equal to Portland's. Surely one should prefer to bo iGivc the Women a Chance Editor Review: I have been reading with much interest tho different articles published in your valuablo paper by merger and anti-merger citizens, and have noted with regret that none of the women voters have so far taken advnntnge of your kind offer to publish all articles on this important subject. Now it seems to mo that the women should bo as much interested in this subject ns tho men, and ox- press their views just ns freely The remark has been made sev oral times in my hearing thnt Portland is discriminating against St. Johns nnd holding back the wheo Is of nroirrcss hero because wo are not u part of Portland. To mo this, bv cour tesy called, argument is sheerest nonsense. l rom what I can see. there aro only two things that are preventing us from becom ing a great city without any aid from tho city of Portland and in spite of any unjust dis crimination on her part, the ex istence of which I have grnvo doubts. Briefly these two abovo mentioned "spokes" in the wheels of our progress nro: First, the outrageous nrices ask ed for water front property, while other cities offer reputable industries free factory sites nnd often n bonus for locating, and Inst, but by no means least, the lack of cooperation on the imrt of tho people of St. Johns. 1 oiler tho fo owing as a so u- t'on of tho industrial situation. as it seems to exist: Thnt this city bond itssclf in tho sum of $100,000 with which to purchase ono hundred acres of land. This Innd to bo cut up into 5 acre tracts or less and offered to man ufacturing firms for use so long as tho plant is kept in operation ot a rental of interest only. Which would bo a very nominal sum. Thus sites for many in dustrlcs, employing hundreds of men would bo provided at little or no burden to tho taxpayers of St.Johns and would prove great ly to their benolit, As to tho lack of coouerntion on tho part of our people here, if they would all unito their forces nnd pull together forn greater, better and moro'benuti- ful bt. Johns, thero is no limit to tho wonders wo could perforin hero. I mnko a most earnest appeal to thobroadminded think ing women of bt. Johns to r so up, nnd if our men folks nro so weak-kneed and spineless thnt thoy can no longer govern them selves, lot them turn over tho city government to us for n pe riod of two yenra and wo will set our woman'B wit, ingenuity nnd native ability ta work and prove to them that with tho right spirit and cooperation at work, wc can forgo ahend nt n rapid pace oven If all of tho c ty of Portland bo against us (which they aro not). Let our ambi tion be bt. Johns tho best nnd most prosperous city of tho Northwest and not St. Johns' tho slums of tho C ty of Port land. A Woman Voter. Parent-Teachers Notes Tho Central-East School Par ent-Teacher Circle is arranging to hnvo tho Finley Motion pic tures shown here in Multnomah Theatre. Tho pictures aro of birds, fish and animals found in Oregon and aro very interesting nnd instructive. A very entertaining program was given in Central School Thursday at tho regular monthly meeting of tho I'arent-Teachera association. Tho next regular meeting will bo held in the First Trust and Savings Bank build ing, Last bt. Johns, April 8th, at 3 o'clock. On the evening of March 24th at 8 p. m. in the Central school, tho regular evening meeting of the Parent-Teachers' Association will be held. Miss Alico Joyce one of tho Portland teachers who was in Europe last year will give an illustrated lecture usingpictures which she took during her trip. A most delightful treat is in store for those who attend this meeting. This meeting is open to all, no admittance being charged, known as a citizen of St. Johns, tho Gateway to tho Portland harbor, rather than resident of the North end of Portland. Ed. "Watches" made over into 'Time-pieces" at reasonable rates at Rogers', 309 N. Jersey Btreet. Erroneous Opinions In an open meeting held in tho library last Monday evening by the Merger Ulub, the water sit uation proofs and conclusions were put to tho acid test and the following authorities were in evidence: First Supremo Court decis ions on oxclusivo franchises. Second Opinion of the City Attornoy of tho City of Portland. Third-Opinion of tho Chair man of tho Judiciary Oregon Stale Senate, Languith, who is a corporation lawyer of repute. Last two items were letters addressed to officials of tho Mer ger Club and all to the effect that tho Portland Munic nnl Wa tor Company HAS THE RIGHT to lny water mains in tho City of St. Johns when wc merge and become a part of tho City of Portland, regardless of the St. Johns Water Company's fran chise. The Ulub also presented to the henrcra a letter from the head of tho Portland water do partment, defining tho policy of tho City of Portland on the wa ter question, in case we see fit to merge and become n part of tho uty of Portland, which wns in tho effect that thero can bo no discrimination us to water rates anywhere inside tho limits of tho City of Portland, and refer red us to tho fact that every su burb within the City that had merged nro now enjoying the Portland water rato nt tho pres ent time. It would seem that tho policy of tho City of Port land wns being carried out ex actly in accordance with tho decisions above mentioned. 'l'l.Jn or. ... lulin. (..,. i I. .. t j. mo ouiiiu ivuur jutii:.-) milk when it is possible to buy out tho locnl wntor company nt n reasonable price, and tho equip ment is suitable, it hns been done, but it is no bar to extend ing tho Bui Run water in caso of a failuro to purchnso and hIho no bar to instituting tho Port land wntor rato when they go in. " Tlio authoritfe's wo hold on this question should bo sufficient to lumo thnt wall of tho 14 years yot to run oxclusivo franchise argument to tho extent thnt it would bo a shame to attempt it. Dr. Win. Unvony. a property owner in St. Johns nnd a resi dent of Montnvilla, was present nnd wns asked to toll his views on how Montnvilla fared when thoy merged into tho City of Portland. Ho staled that when tho Montnvilla district went into Portlnnd they numbered nbout 1200 population and thnt nt tho present timo tho population of that district was moro than 15.- 000, and thnt thoy woro enjoy ing tho Portlnnd wntor rates and also had lights and hydrants galore, also tho 35c baso firo in surance rates against our 45c. Something made Montnvilla Krow; wondor if it could havo een good conditions? Anyway, thoy hnvo tho good conditions nnd got us backed olf tho earth on that score. Mr. Carroll also carried into tho club evidence of 50 residents of Lonts showing thut Portlnnd raised tho number of hydrants from n little lone some two to about 80 and also gavo them something like 75 nrc lights and n water system with Portlnnd water rates all in two years. Now this is another il lustration of Portlnnd policy as to how it treats its suburbs that merge and become n part of the city. St. Johns being tho best and most important of them all, must wo beliovo that they would discriminate against us? We don't think so. On tho contrary, wo aro urged by big men in authority, members of tho Com mercial Club and others, to merge so thnt thoy can do some thing for us. A vote No on tho merging into Portland is to re fuse such offers, and wo reiter ate too, that to voto No meanB that you aro satisfied to pay tho present water rates, that you don't want any reduction in your city taxes, and right hero lot mo state that the City Dock bonds will have to be paid for and it is timo to levy for a sinking fund to do it. That has never been done before. Thero is a note in the bank with the City's auto graph on it for $5; 500. 00 for Cooperage road to reckon with, and it is not a part of tho city levy this year. We aro going to lose $4,800.00 next year saloon license; that you will havo to mako up. It is going to bo in teresting in tho future on city taxes. Don't you overlook that. Wo havo got to use tho 10 mill limit from now on. Tho levy of 8 mills this year for city taxes will not carry us through tho year. Let's bo progresaivo and take the advantage of tho opportunity A Ridiculous Statement The ridiculous statement is being made on tho streets by mergerites thnt $11,000 hnvo been borrowed from tho city's sinking fund to mako up deficits in the general fund. This might bo good nrgument wore it not for the fact that it never hnp- Eened. In fact not one cent hns een transferred from that fund to the general fund, nt lenst in recent years. If nny ono says different, nsk him to tnke you to tho city hall and prove it to you, and see how quickly ho finds an excuse for not doing so. He cannot do it, nnd ho knows it is nil hot nir. Tho finnnciul con dition of tho city is in better ahnpc than it hns been in years. All tho old lingering indebted ness has boon clenrod nwny, nnd bills nro being paid promptly. Tho now tnx money is 111st com ing in, nnd tho city will find no difficulty in mnking both ends meet for tho year, in spite of re ports to tho contrary. Can tho same bo snid of Portlnnd? offered us by nnnexing nnd be ing a part of tho Great City of Portland. W. H. King. Tho abovo might bo very con vincing were it not for tho fol lowing facts: Thnt the highest court in tho lnnd has ruled against competition where ox clusivo franchises nro given, tho caso being cited in this issuo by Attornoy Hownrd O. Rogers, who hns made n spccinl study of franchises; thnt Montnvilln does not hnvo 15,000 population. Ham mond's New Era Atlns of tho World, 1910 census, gives tho population of Montnvilln 720, nnd as to truo conditions nt Lenta read extracts from tho Lents Herald published else where in this issuo: thnt tho dock bonds do not have to bo paid for for many yenrs, nnd oven then may bo reissued; that thero is no note in nny bank with tho city's autograph there on for any amount, although the street warrants have boon tnken enro of until tho new tnx money is received: that tho Cooperage roadway WAS includ ed in tho levy budget; thnt while St. Johna will loso $1800 in saloon liconso thnt Portlnnd will loso In tho snmo manner. nnd much moro proportionately. Thero is far more (lunger of tho tnx levy in Portlnnd being ten mills than in St. Johna next year, and that thero la much moro danger or Portland's money running abort before tho yoni ia out than in St. Johns, na tho daily papora atato that tho Com missioners in Portlnnd nro al ready becoming ulnrmed about tho atato of that city's finances. A recent iaauo of tho Telegram otntcs: Bccauso thoro arc indications that tho collections of taxoa and receiota from licensea will fnll far below tho estimntea for tho present year, tho Mayor and other City Commiaaioners yes terday afternoon determined to adopt n conservative policy in tho expenditure of funds, al though thoy nro uulhorized in tho annual budget. Commis sioner Bigelow, of tho Dopart- mentof rinnnco, informed tho Council thnt ns a result of ro- cent legislation in Salem regula ting pawnbrokers and othor call ings from which licenses havo been collected in tho past, sever al thousand dollars would bo lost to tho city treasury, and that tho tax collections nro unusunlly slow. " If wo do not go alow wo will find ourselves in serious trouble," ho said. Lot us grow by keeping nwny from tho onormoua and rapidly increasing indebtedness of tho "Great City of Portland." Ed. Thirty-four nnd one-hulf acres of very choice land, two and one fourth miles from Sheridan, Or egon, one-fourth milo from school, all creek bottom but four or five acres, twenty-five acres in cultivation, lino water at home, running wnter on placo the year round, somo wood, enough for several years, fivo room house, barn, five chicken houses, grninnry, wood shed, young orchnrd about forty trees, first apples last year, prico $100.00 an acre. Will tako $2, 500 in unincumbered St. Johns or Portland property, somo cash and give good terms on balance. A SNAP. For further particu lars, see Dr. W, J. Gilstrap, First National Bank BUlg., bt. Johns, Oregon. For accurately fitting glasses, see Dr. Gilstrap.