Hlirsrla' c.jirlr
Labor Day Issue
ST. JOHN
REVIEW
VOLUME 14
ST. JOHNS, PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1918.
NUMBER 42
St. Johns the
to Portland
HISTORY OF ST. JOHNS
Featuring Its Development and
Rapid Progress
JAMES JOHN, the Founder of St. Johns
It has been the history of the founding ami building
of every gicat city that those who laid the foundation
for future greatness sought primarily n location afford
ing natural means of transportation; the greatest cities
of the world today stand upon the banks of the navi
gable rivers or arc builded by the harbors that afford
anchorage for the deepest draft vessels that go down to
the seas.
The great transcontinental ami trunk railway systems
seek these places ns their terminals, for alter all it is the
ocean-going craft that make possible (he 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 Unit
eel States and at the same time affords rail transporta
tion over the lines of the greatest railway systems
of the world ?
Such n city is St. Johns, the key to the transportation
ST. JOHNS THE KEY TO PORTLAND
on the Columbia and Willamette rivers.
A few years ago there stood on what is now one of
the most prosperous manufacturing cities of the North
west a few scattered dwellings and one or two small in
dustries in u vast forest of firs. The din that follows
in the wake of development, the shriek of the whistles
of factories, and the buzzing of the saws of mills were
seldom heard. The 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 Columbia. Hut the genius of
commerce and industry does not long allow locations
that offer pre-eminent advantages to remain unutilized.
Adjoining St. Johns and n part thereof lies the great
city of Portland. Uer future greatness depends upon
her water transportation facilities, and St. John is near
er the mouth of the Columbia and the confluence of that
mighty stream and the Willamette,
The possibilities opened by this fact were first real
ized qnd appreciated by what is now known as the St.
Johns Lumber Co., which has one of the largest saw
mills ou the Pacific Coast. A smtll bud comparatively
insiguificent mill was installed. Then oue by one other
captains of industry, with far seeing and unerriug
judgment, saw the wonderful opportunity offered them
at St. Johns.
With the establishment of these industries began the
building of St, Johus, which today stands high above
the water front on a wide spreading plateau, aud is a
community of 7, 500 inhabitants, throbbing with the
multitudinous activities of a manufacturing center.
lint it is with modern St. Johns, the gateway to the
Willamette and the key to the transportation of Port
land and southerly cities on the magnificent stream that
drains one of the richest aud largest valleys ou the face
of the globe, known as the Willamette valley, that we
wish to deal with in this article.
Almost within her limits is the entire poiut of thepe
n'.nsula, whose point is washed by the waves of both the
Columbia and the Willamette, hence St. Johns has a
great water frontage. The day is not far distant when
this entire water front will be a solid line of docks and
industrial plants.
It is inevitable, because with the marvelous develop
ment that is now going on in the Northwest, the de
mand for manufactured articles and for industrial activ
ity will increase in proportion to the increase in popula
tion. Great transportation experts have declared emphatic
ally that the Peniusula, in other words, St. Johns, is
eventually the New York of the West.
St, Johns' remarkable growth has not been in any
way the result of unnatural methods, nor can it be
classed with the boom variety. It was the natural, in
evitable result of a full comprehension and realization
of a desirable location on the part of thousands of pro
gressive American people, coming from every section
4 of the UnitecStates to the Northwest the land of op
portunityand to St. Johns the coming metropolis of
this mighty empire embracing the states of North Da
kota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Northern
California, Washington and Oregon, with all their
wonderful resources; their great fields of waving grain,
their flocks feeding on a thousand hills, their orchards
and vineyards, their forests aud mines.
Controlled by the wonderful Western variety of pro-
gross, the inhabitants of St. Johus have surrounded
themselves with all the institutions that arc the product
of modem times. A magnificent city hall, built ou the
old colonial style of architecture, graces oue of the
prominent locations of the city, providing a home for
municipal officers and shelter for the performance of
other functions.
While this is essentially and primarily a manufactur
ing aud industrial center, the call of modern limes for
education of the younger generation has not remained
unheeded. Today St. Johns points with pardonable
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a
service to all parts of Portland.
The Portland Gas Co. supplies gas for light and heat
ami is most successful in meeting the needs of its pat
rons for all purposes at a very reasonable rate.
In nearly every instance the first questions that a
person asks when contemplating investing in a city is
concerning the water system. St. Johus can boast of
as good water us any locality in the state, better than
the majority, it having been analyzed by the state
chemist and declared to be pure. Judiciously scattered
throughout the city arc hydrants with a heavy water
pressure, which, combined with a well organized and
equipped fito department, gives ample protection from
conflagration.
Our merchants carry such a splendid grade and va
riety of goods, and our factories aud industrial plants
cover such a wide range, that every necessity of life is
obtainable in St. Johus.
Scfhor-iMiic . o v1
Datum Is mean sen level Q O
.ContourlntonnlZSrcet J
APPROXIMATE MEAN 1
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Titrn An Aon lti
side -down anc&
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ii - I x i i
f - A PHOTOGRAPH of U. S. Go-
olocricnl Survey Man, Portland
Quadrangle; that tmrtillustmU,
IUK Willi UUUIllUne. Ol.
gpdpart of PORTLAND, ORE.
Aprrcat city is growing" at the fork
of two errand rivers, ono hundred
Tand ten . miles from -tho Pacific
: Ocean, at the cm of deep sea
navigation on.tno uoiumbia lover
Npto the Columbia River and trib
utaries, like a great fallen tree on
the map of; three Western States.
The water-fehed of the Inland Em
pire breaks through the Cascade
-Mountains to the sea. Everything
jiiioHiH una reus iiuwn wuier gnmo
oto.meet the deep sea ships at
?.ST. JOHNS. St. Johns isdes-
. tined to bo the commercial and
f manufacturing part of Greater
Ni'oruana. xne norm jetty ww in
cisure forty feet of water on the Co-
Itlumbia River bar; then ships can bo
' i e o im u i i t i
jiiuvwu iuro cuma jwr uvi mil (uunu
from SL Johns and Pacific Ocean.
ttfcy JOHNS COMMERCIAL CLUB
jyr ST. JOHNS. OREGON
' Turn Ac Nap fXb-fV CC(3
Vt?g v P side -down anc WT A - Cy
W'rf" I " 1 ft , " ' III
pride to one of the very finest high school buildings in
the entire state, which was erected at a cost of $40,000,
while three grammar or graded and a catholic school
are afforded those of the children who have not as yet
advanced to the high school curriculum.
True to their history the churches of all denomina
tions have one by oue established themselves in our
midst as the population increased aud the demand for
spiritual ministrations grew. The Methodist, United
Evangelical, Baptist, Congregational, Christian, Ad
ventist, German Baptist aud Catholic, have good edi
fices here.
The moral atmosphere of St. Johus is such that no
person need hesitate to invest, build a residence, make
a home and rear their children in this environment.
The people of St. Johns' believe in so regulating the
affairs that it shall rank high as a community of homes
as well as of industry.
Absolutely necessary to the permanent and enduring
greatness of any city are public service corporations
that serve the public in the fullest sense of the word.
In this respect The Portland Railway, Light & Power
Co. one of the foremost public service concerns in the
West, furnishes ample transportation, lighting and
power facilities. It operates an excellent streetcar
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Differing from other cities in the Northwest, St.
Johns is not dependent on buck country for her pros
prity; it does not depend on the seasons; droughts have
110 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 and to every im
portant port of the world. It is always iu demand,
St. Johus is essentially an industrial and manufactur
ing center and it is to these plants that were several
yeurs ago established here aud that are now being
established, that she owes her greatness. Their im
mense payrolls go to swell the accounts of her merch
ants, to increase her taxable property, aud to aid in
the general development of the locality.
It is slf evident that the men who are at the head of
these concerns would not have located iu St. Johus un
less there was a well defined reason for it, and a decid
ed advantage in doing so. The reason is that we are
six miles nearer the mouth of the Columbia river, the
great outlet to the Pacific ocean, than Portland prop
er, (hit metropolis of Oregon; below the many bridges
which span the river in the congested district of the
big city and retard maritime operations in spite of oil
regulations. Here we have plenty of sea room free
from all obstructions,
THE CITY BEAUTIFUL
Nature Favored Spot in Which
to Establish a Home
To pen a picture that would do St. Johns full justice
aud describe its numerous merits in n manner commen
surate with its wonderful advantages aud resources
would, Indeed, require the master hand of an artist and
poet combined. Nowhere ou God's green footstool
has nature been so lavish with her beneficent giftn.
Blessed with a climate that is incomparable in tiny clime,
it is a real pleasure just to be alive iu this gloi ions local
ity. As a magnificent site for homes it lias no equal
A scenic beauty is here presented that almost make
the famed wonders of the Alps pale in comparison.
The snow crowned mountains iu the distance riding in
their grandeur seem to almost commune with the worlds
ou high, iu their shining robes of white. Tlielimdik.Tq
is picturesque iu the extreme. With the mighty WHtr
of the Columbia and the stately Willamette washing iu
feet, the effect is simply ravishing from an artist's (toitit
of view. As1 11 manufacturing site St. Johns hiui to
greatest advantage. Situated upon the peninsula, with
deep and navigable water surrounding it tiH)ii thrte
sides, It is peculiarly adapted for exporting ncrow the
high seas. The harbor leading into the city of Port
laud laps its shores, nnd huge ocean vowels me con
tuually passing up and down its entire length.
As a residence district its location is superb. I.oug
stretches of level and slightly rolling green Motlmr
Karth greet the eye 011 every side, lilevatwl above the
water, with a gentle incline leading from the watur lw
low to the plateau above, good air, good health and
u magnificent view is nffotded.
Although practically just emerging from its swaddling
clothes, the gifts of nature have been greatly augmttiilnl
by the hand of man. The Immediate watur front is
well taken up with numerous manufacturing plant, to
which have been added ship building mid extensive
-sarST. JOHNS THE KEY TO PORTLAND
elevator system.
Today St. Johns is represented in fit cIum ktyle by
many stores aud busiuewi Iiuiih.. Practically every
want that its citizens may requite can he obtained here.
In an educational way no better schooling fiicilitleticftii
be louiid in any locality of its si 011 the iHHititMiit.
While u part of the city of Portland, it is so situnttd
that it is really 11 town ol its own.
Good brick blocks adorn the litminewistrwu, himI flue
residences may be found iu abundance. Fruit of near
ly every variety, dowers, shrulw, etc., grow hetts in
great prolusion, and many home rcteiuble a veriubic
(lower garden. Many thousands of dollars hve beta
expended upon the numerous highway, hiwI cement
sidewalks is the general rule. With TfiOO wml m the
present time its population in iucieusiug hk mpMly
dwellings are being provided.
Taken as a whole, St. Johns offer Ixstter KUractitHM,
better opportunities and the most udiuiruhle climate,
tuken the year around, of almost uny city. To visit it
is to become favorably impreMHl with it at ouce. 'IV
person who docs not like St. Johns or who lines ttot
believe it bus a great future before it would, iudeed, be
a curiosity. Its doors are always opu to the slinuger,
who is cordially received mid welcomed. In fact, the
people here urc so enamored of this beautiful spot that
they feel like shouting the glad tiding of a perfect
habitation fo that the whole world muy know of their
good fortune aud share it with them if they so desire.
So if you live in the cold, blustery climate of the fi
Kast, or iu the sun baked country of the Middle States,
come to u laud where the extremes of heat aud ookl
never reach you, where zero weather is it uoueity,
where a man is a man whatever his financial circum
stances may be, where thunder storms and lightiiiitK
are seldom experienced, where poverty is but little
known, where ilowers are in bloom the year u round
aud the grass is ever green, where the roses lave most
to bloom, aud where the fullness of life and joy uf liv
ing reach highest attainment come aud dwell with its
amid the flowers, the trees, the birds, the sunshine iwd
the happiness of this our city most beautiful.
BOOST!
Boost you town, boost your friend,
Boost the lodge that you attend,
Boost the street ou which you're dwelling,
Boost the goods tltat you are selling,
Boost the people 'round about you
They cau get along without you.
But success will quicker find them,
If they know that you're behind them.
Boost for every forward movement,
Boost for every new improvement,
Boost for ships aud boost for harbor,
Boost the man for whom you labor,
Boast the war aud boost our soldier
Cease to be a chronic kicker,
Ccuss to be a progress blocker,
If you'd make St. Johns better,
BOOST IT TO THE FINAL LETTER.