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About Oregon City courier=herald. (Oregon City, Or.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 1902)
OREGON CITY COURIER-HERALD NEW YEAR NUMBER. DEPUTY ASSESSOR J. G. PORTER. J. G. Porter was born at North Yar mouth, Cumberland County, Maine, March 7, 1835. Attended school at Westbrook Seminary, near Portland, went to Lowell. Mass., where he learned the business of wol grading and assorting. He sailed from Bos ton for the Australian gold fields in Decem ber, 1852, where he remained with variable measures of success for seven years. Re turning to the United States in i860, going to California gold mines, where he followed mining until 1864, when he accepted a posi tion in the Pioneer Woolen Mills at San Francisco. Mr. Porter came to Oregon in June, 1866, to enter the employ of the Ore gon City Manufacturing Company, in which employ he remained for over 20 years, most of the time as foreman of wool department and wool buyer for the company. He was five years a member of the City Council of Oregon City, having been chairman of the committee on streets and public prop erty when Main street was improved. Mr. Porter was nominated and elected County Assessor of Clackamas County for 1881-2, and since Jan 1, 1899, has filled the position of chief deputy in County Assessor's office. DEPUTY CLERK O. D. EBY. Is a native of Oregon, having been born in Linn County in 1872. In 1884 he moved I V . , i , with his parents to Lane County, where he worked on a farm and attended district school a few months each Winter. When 18 years of age he taught school and the following year attended the State University at Eugene. In 1893 he came to Clackamas County and accepted a position in the gen eral merchandise store of Robbins & Son, of Molalla, where he remained two years, after which he took up teaching as a profes sion. In 1898 he was elected Justice for dis trict No. 8, embracing Molalla, Marquam and Soda Springs precincts, carrying his home precinct by 166 to 25. He declined re nomination in 1900. Last July he was ap pointed Deputy County Clerk and is now reading law after office hours. Mr. Eby has a comfortable home at Molalla, where he is, as elsewhere, universally honored and respected. DEPUTY SHERIFF J. E. JACK. One of the most prominent young men of this county is Deputy Sheriff J. E. Jack. He was born, reared and educated in Clackamas County, and is therefore a strictly home production the "native son" species. Mr. Jack was born at Marquam, March 11, i860. His father, William A. Jack, was a pioneer v - - jfc ' ' s v J of '47, coining across the plains with an ox team and settling on a farm near Butte Creek. Until about 25 years of age Mr. Jack followed farming, when he accepted a position as salesman in the general mer chandise store of the Butte Creek Grange Association. He was one of the principal promulgators of the Butte Creek fair, which held its first session in 1885, and which is the only fair held in the county. He was one of the incorporators of the association, and held the position of secretary of the same for four consecutive years. In politics Mr. Jack is uncompromisingly Democratic, and in 1896 he was the nominee of that party for the office of County Clerk, but owing to a strong Populistic sentiment, his opponent, Elmer Dixon, was victorious. He served as Justice of the Peace for district No. 8 for a term of two years. In 1898 he came within four votes of receiving the nomination for Sheriff of Clackamas County, J. J. Cooke being successful both in the convention and at the polls. It was a clean race between him and Mr. Cooke, decided by the major ity. He acted as chief deputy for Sheriff Cooke during his first term of office, which position he now holds to the entire satisfac tion of the public. DEPUTY SURVEYOR J. W. MELDRUM. Was born in Iowa in 1839 and came to Ore gon in 1845 and located near Ilwaco in 1850, where his father had a donation land claim. After living there six years he came to Ore gon City in 1856, and has resided here since. Mr. Meldrum took up surveying in 1865. which occupation he has followed since. He ' i ' w " 0 was United States deputy surveyor for 20 years. Mr. Meldrum has no doubt run more miles of lines than any other man in Oregon during his 35 years of experience. He was elected surveyor of Clackamas county from 1888 to 1890 and county judge from 1890 to 1894. While he was judge the present cash system of road work was inaugurated and Mr. Meldrum deserves much credit for the manner in which he withstood the many kicks that are always contingent with any new sys tem. Those that objected at first and wanted the old "picnic" system of working the roads can now see where they were wrong and Judge Meldrum was right. He is at present deputy county surveyor and has been since 1897. All Mr. Meldum's work is done fairly and without partiality. CHAUTAUQUA AUDITORIUM