20 THE TOBXTN'G OBEGOJSHCAST, TUESDAY JAn7AB 1, 1805. BY BRIDGE Means of Crossing- trie "Willamette at Portland. HISTORY OF EARLY AGITATION FOR BRIDGES Tlic Four Modern Bride Structures, and Troo Commodious Steam FerricB-A. Description of the Free 23riclres and City Ferry. "We'll have a bridge, I feel it yet, A bridge across the "Willamette." " HUS -wrote Stephen Maybell a score of years ago, and from that time until Port land's first bridge at Morrison street was opened to travel on April 13. 1SS7, every proposition to bridge the "Willamette at Portland was re garded as a chimer ical undertaking, as far removed from the hoped-for con summation as the millennium is remote from the expectations of the practical man of affairs. The two districts of Port? land, lying respectively on the east and nest sides of the Willamette river, are today connected by four well-built and commodious bridges, but the herculean tabic of constructing these open highways across the navigable waters of the Wil lamette can only be appreciated by those w Lose memories carry them back a quar ter of a century or more, and who have seen Portland grow from a town of a few thousand population to a magnificent c.ty in -which 80,000 or more people make their homes. On tho 4th of July, 3SC3, Portland held a WEST APPROACH BURKSIDE-STREET BRIDGE. monster celebration. The city on the west bank of the river at that time was a mere aggregation of frame structures, with a low brick scattered here and there, ana the principal streets were quagmires in winter and beds of impalpable dust in the summer Front street, the principal bust rcss thoroughfare, was kept comparative ly free from dust during the heated term for the short distance of three or four blocks, in which the main business cen tered, by the frequent playing of water from the numerous lines of hose as re ligiously cared for by the average busi ness man of those times as the latest im proved electric sprinkling car is by the . ity & Suburban line of railway in Port- i land today, but the rest of the city was j as dusty in summer as the Powell's "Val U y road is today. As far back as 'C3, how cver, Portland people knew how to make the best of a situation, and with all the enthusiasm of the frontiersman they had made every arrangement to have a big time on the "Fourth." The good time waj to include not only a surfeit of noise, an imposing street parade in which the now antiquated hand fire engine was to play a most important part, but also the spe cial featun-s which could cater in any way to the amusement of the horde of country visitors who were expected to grace Port land's streets with their presence on the gkrious Fourth. "4-- - v.o visitors come?" is asked. "And didn't they come!" might every man who witnessed the pageant exclaim. From early morn till long after sunset the creaky Stark-street ferry-boat, steered by an oar dragged in the wake of the steamer, groaned under the heavy loads of vehicles and variously colored ribboned crowd from the interior w ho had come to Portland to have "a big time." The crowd did not reach the city in Pullmans, neither were they favored with the luxurious accommodations of a eat on a Hat car. In their transit to Ore gon's metropolis. Ox teams, farm wagons drawn by cayuses that never felt the to acli of a curry comb, and other prim itive mode? of rapid transit were plenty good enough In those days to bring people 20 miles or more to a big Fourth of July celebration, and families that were accus tomed to ford streams of considerable width and at times of unknown depths jnado no protest to being ferried over the W illamette in a mere shell of a boat, con if it did often require half an hour or more to make the round trip across the stream. Portland has grown since then, and the means of transit across the river at this roi-t have been improved to a point never dreamed of by those who attended the i Ubration of the nation's holiday in l$fc Tor many years the Stark-street ferry was the only means of communication o tneen the oust and west banks of the Wil lamette river at Portland. When the vtt rran Sam Douglas was at the helm of the boat, people grumbled less at being t harged M cents for the privilege of cross ing the river than they do today when they ian cross free with the occasionaPslight rrnoyanoe of waiting for the draw while one of the floating palaces on the Willam- Otirr : - : AND FERRY 7 ette is steaming through. Following the .Douglases (Sam and his father) in the management of the Stark-street ferry, came the elder Knott, and after him his two sons, Jack and Levi. Under the Knott boys, as the latter were called, the ferry was run for years as the principal means for traffic over the Willamette here, and during that time the line was a veritable bonanza. Although the fare had been reduced from time to time until the commutation rate of 2, cents for a foot passenger was reached, yet the boat continued a paying investment, and it amassed fortunes for the brothers who so ably managed it. The Knott brothers did away with the primitive method of steer ing by oar. They built large and com modious boats, comfortable pontoons for landing places on either side of the river, and laid a cable to which attachments were made from the boat so that it steamed as easily and unerringly over the stream as a car might glide over a track on which it was kept by the resisting powers of the flanges. In 1S70 Ben Holladay established the steam ferry at F street on the west side to connect with the Oregon & California Railroad Company's main depot and warehouses on the opposite shore. Fol lowing the establishment of the railroad ferry, a number of years later came the ferry at Jefferson street, one block above the present location of the Madison-street bridge. Still later was established the steam ferry at Albina, on the same route which the free ferry at that point now operates over. In the mean time a num ber of small steam yachts began opera tions on the river, connecting the East Side districts with Portland proper, as far north as St. Johns and south to Mil waukie and Oswego. These ferries af forded excellent means of communication across the Willamette for years. With the exception of short periods of extreme high water during the winter months, or ot one or two seasons during the many years the ferries were operated when the harbor was closed by ice, these boats made fast trips during the day and night, and thousands of people were dally ferried over the Willamette by this means, and the passages were all made in safety and with the greatest degree of comfort. THE FIRST BRIDGE. The Central Structure at Morrison Street. N the early 'SOs, when Portland was just emerging from the pretensions of a town to the importance of a metropolitan City the demand for a bridge over the Willamette began to be deemed an Imperative one. People then did not ask for a free bridge: then did not even expect to be enabled to ride ovc-r the bridge in a comforta ble car for the modest fare of 5 cents. All they wanted was a bridge, and the man who could have assured the city a bridge over the Willamette in those days would have been recognized as a public bene factor with the unquestioned right to x act tolls across his finished bridge struc ture that wo aid have Insured him a princely fortune. The owners of the Stark-street ferry, from the reasonable position of business protection, were implacable enemies of a bridge. It was not the project of a free bridge those gentlemen opposed, but any means of conveyance across the Willam ette that would depreciate the value of their property in the ferry line which they had displayed such commendable enter prise in perfecting, until it was regarded as one of the best-conducted ferries of the coast. Added to the influence of the Knotts was the antagonism of nearly ev ery owner of water-front property within Portland's limits, and the aggressive fight made by tho entire shipping interests cen tering here. While public sentiment de manded a bridge, and while public senti ment usually is the detei mining quantity in any question affecting in the least the public weal, the great Influences in Port land opposed to a bridge confined the peo ple to the ferries for years as the only means of crossing the river, and Port land's first bridge was only secured after innumerable delays, vexatious and costly legal contests, and years of patient effort on the part of Portland's pioneer bridge builders. Although work was first commenced on -35S URXJDE'STEEET BRIDGE From c SUtch by Tic Orestmian Artist the present Morrison-street bridge in IS S, it was not until August 31, 1SS6, that active operations were commenced on the work of construction that led to the last stroke on the finished structure In April follow ing. To Messrs. H. C. Campbell and C F. Swigert falls the distinction of having carried the work of constructing the first bridge over the Willamette at Portland to a happy consummation. In prosecuting this work these gentlemen suffered innu merable delays; they surmounted obsta cles before which many men would have quailed, and doubtless one of the proud est moments of their lives was the inter val on the 13th day of April, 1SS7. when the expectant populace were admitted to the bridge through the open gate ai its western end. For a number of years fol lowing the completion of the Morrison street bridge, the principal traffic acrobs the Willamette at Portland was via the Stark-street ferry and this bridge, and m til the opening of the free bridge at Mad ison street In 1S91 Morrison street was the principal thoroughfare of the city, through which the vast travel from the East Side districts gained ingress to the business district of Portland. The bridge at Morrison street is what is technically known as a "Pratt Truss Com bination." Its total length with approach es Is slightly over 1600 feet, a little more than one-third of a mile. The middle pas sageway for teams and street-cars is 20 feet wide in the clear, and the walks on either side for passengers are six feet in width. The draw of this bridge, affords a passageway for vessels on either side of 13S feet. This draw Is operated by means of an electric motor, and Is easily hand led at all stages of water in the Willam ette. The approximate cost of the bridge was 5200,000. It rests on concrete piers and piling fully protected by iron casings and concrete and, as was evidenced by the extreme high water of February, 1SD0, it was built in a substantial manner and with the proper attention to the changing currents of the river during the periods of Its greatest freshets. THE NORTH AND SOUTH BRIDGES. The Open Higruways at Madison Street and the Steel Bridge. HE next hridge to be completed xver the Willamette at Port land was the magnificent steal structure of the Union Pacific, the approach of which com mences at Glisan and Third streets on the West Side. This bridge was completed in 1SS9. It is built entirely of steel and iron, resting on concrete piers, and is perhaps one of the most substantial bridge struc tures of the West. It is of the style known as the "double decker," the lower part of the bridge being used altogether for the passage of steam cars, while the upper part is devoted to foot passengers, teams and the fine line of the electric railway which operates cars across the river at this point. The total length of the main bridge is 1235 feet, while the total length including the ap proaches is 1835 feet. The bridge is 22 feet wide over all, and the draw, operated by steam power, affords a safe clearance for river traffic of 150 feet in the clear. The approximate cost of the bridge was $500, 000. In the spring of 1S91. the Madison-street bridge was completed by the Columbia Street-Bridge Company. This is a wooden structure of a total length of 22S2 feet. In cluding approaches. The middle passage way for teams and electric cars Is 22 feet wide, and the sidewalks on either side are 6A feet In width. The draw Is operated b. electric power and is 317 feet in length, affording a passageway for river steamers' of 141 feet on either side. Until November 12, 1S91, all three bridges spanning the Willamette at Portland were operated Dy companies who charged an average toll of 2 cents for foot passengers, and from 5 to 15 cents for vehicles crossing the stream. On the latter date was completed the purchase of the Madison-street bridge by the city of Portland, and the following day the bridge was opened to free traffic. The proceedings of the purchase of theJ bridge were a little of the "star chamber" order, but the deal had beenclosed at the snug little figure of $142,500,' and, while the people had been clamoring for a free bridge across the river at the central part of the city, they immediately recognized the value of free transit at Madison street, and the enormous .travel which Imme diately sought the "free route attested its appreciation by an industrious commu nity which was disposed to be a little fru gal with its nickels and dimes. In this connectlon.-it Is not necessary to enter Into any discussion of the merits of the legislative enactments which empow ered both the elty and the bridge commit tee to purchase and erect bridges for Port land. It is enough to recur to the fact that after the city had operated the new bridge at Madison street as a free struct ure for several months, the question arose whether the city, under the bridge bill passed by the legislature, had the author ity to maintain a free bridge, or whether such a responsibility did not devolve alto gether on the bridge committee created by the legislature under the terms of what Is known as the Meussdorffer act. This act, passed in 1E91, provided that a com mittee of eight citizens of Portland be ap pointed by the local circuit judges for the avowed purpose of building or leasing one or more suitable and commodious bridges across the Willamette river, with in the limits of the city of Portland, and bonds to the amount of $500,000 were au thorized to be sold by this committee for this purpose. This original committee as appointed consisted of M. C. George, E. A King. C. C. Redman, William M. Ladd. C. H. Meussdorffer, J. L. Sperry, John Parker and T. W. Pittenger. The matter of authority between the city and the bridge committee was finally determined by a lawsuit, in which the circuit and su preme courts of the state decided that the authority to purchase and operate free bridges at Portland rested altogether with the bridge committee. It was thus estab lished that the city had no authority to issue bonds to buy bridges, and that if Portland wanted the Madison-street bridge as a municipal investment it must pay for the structure out of its own treasury The city thus found Itself in a dilemma which might have been annoying had not the bridge committee come to its rescue , and taken the Madison-street bridge oft its n hands at the full .purchase" price and the accrued interest up to date of purchase by the committee, April 24, 1SS2. The total price advanced by the hridge committee for this purpose was $143,567 With nearly $150,000 of the 5300.000 au thorized, by the legislature for securing free bridges at Portland applied to the purchase of the cheap wooden structure at Madison street, but $250,000 remained to provide free bridges across the river for the rest of the city. When the Madison street bridge was purchased, the city council accepted a lease from the line of street-cars operating across this bridge at the absurdly low rental of $100 per month. One of the best-equipped lines of electric cars on the coast, a line that operated as far south of Portland as Oregon City, and to Mount Tabor and outlying suburbs on the east, gains an entrance to the h'eart of the business district of the city on the West Side at the nominal charge of $100 a month, a little more than the salary of a single gateman on the bridge. This in come of $100 per month has constituted the only return the city has had from its investment of nearly $150,000 In the Madison-street bridge. On November 27, 133, the present bridge commission, consisting of Messrs. J. L. Sperry. C. C. Redman, William M. Ladd and T. W. Pittenger, was formed. This commission succeeded the former bridge committee, and It has been under the au thority of the commission that the Madl- l iiHErr2L Jk5i HfegrAlSirIA son-street bridge has been operated and the magnificent new structure at Burn side street was completed and operated since it was opened to traffic on July 4 last. After repeated conferences with the management of the steel railroad bridge and the bridge at Morrison street, with the hope of opening these bridges to free travel, the bridge commission finally de cided to build two bridges across the Wil lamette, one to be located at a point be tween; the MorrisonstcfetiJjrldge and the steel bcidce. and, JtherftherJn-lhe northern end'Ofiihe citV.tft.connecfejitVh that parj, of the Eagtt Side knpwn g Albipa". After mupi,dlsucsslpn,,the Ipeation.jOf the pes etljj&yrnsldestfestuctre was estab lishedand the line ior.,jLhe bridge at the northern end was fixed at Knight and Qulmby streets. Immediate application, under a misconception of the government's rights over the Willamette river at Port land, was made to the secretary of war for authority to build bridges at the sites selected. Major Handbury, the local engi neer in charge of government works here, to whom this communication was referred by the war department, practically gave a decision that meant no more free bridges at Portland. This aroused the ire of the people, who promptly sent a delegation to Washington to Intercede with the sec retary of war. Secretary Elkins, at that time at the head of the war department, not only approved the choice of the local commission for the new bridges, but he Informed the committee that their jour ney to Washington Was unnecessary, as the matter of the location of these bridges was in the hands of the state of Oregon, which had delegated Its power to the bridge commission. THE BURXSIDE BRIDGE. The Finest Bridge Structure in the State. EFORE work was commenced on these proposed bridges, It became apparent to the bridge commission that the remain ing money they could secure from the sale of bonds would not more than pay the con struction price of a single bridge. In this dilemma the more important of thevtwo sites was selected, and immediate arrange ments were made for the inauguration of work on the new Burnslde-street struct ure. Mr. W. B. Chase, of this city, was appointed chief engineer of the commis sion, with instructions to prepare plans and specifications with as little delay as possible for the new bridge. Bids were finally called for, and on October 15, 1892, the contract for the Burnslae-street bridge was let to the Bullcn Bridge Company for $262,2S7. This contract price, was afterward In creased to $285,000 on the commission's de ciding to build a bridge of greater width than the original estimates provided for. The east-side approach to the bridge was purchased at a cost of $10,000. The ap proach on the west side cut through some valuable wharf property. After consider able litigation, condemnation proceedings were commenced by the bridge commission and Judge Shattuck awarded the owners of the property abutting on the bridge site damages to the extent of $19,200. On April 2 last, the circuit court denied the defend ants' motion for a new trial, the bridge commission immediately paid over the amount of award for damages, and the work of finishing the last span of the bridge on the west side was commenced in earnest. Prior to the settlement of the west-side approach, the work of construc tion on the bridge had proceeded without interruption, and when the award was finally made the entire structure, with the exception of the west-side span, was com pleted. The Burnside-street bridge is pronounced to be the best-constructed bridge on the coast, and it is the pride of Portland. It is built entirely of steel, resting on the best of foundations. The foundations for the pivotal pier are very heavy. To carrj this pier 300 piles were driven into the bot tom of the river to an average depth of 27 feet, some of these piles being sunk to a depth of 32 feet below the bed of the river. This piling was cut off close to the river bed, and on this rests a grillage of 12x12 inch timber. The dimensions of this gril lage where it rests on the piles is 44x60 feet, and It maintains this size for 15 feet upward. It then gradually becomes smaller by steps one foot wide by two feet deep on the north and south ends till its dimensions are square, 41x44 feet. The depth of the grillage Is 41 feet, Its top be ing IS feet below Jow-water mark. On this rests a steel drum of half-Inch steel, 43 feet in diameter and 14 feet high. The drum Is filled with concrete In layers. Above this base of concrete is the mason- l.ry of the pier, 42 feet In diameter and about 33 feet high, finished"" with neSLvSCXStructlon of solid and permanent improv coping and stone. The Burnslde-street bridge rests on five j piers. The pier of the western end is des ignated as A, while the one on the east abutment, a platform pfer, is known as E. Piers B and D, on either side of the pivotal pier and draw-rest, are of the cushion variety, and define the channel of the river. The spans, with the exception of thefloor plan, are built entirely of steel. An innovation in affording free trans portation over a navigable stream has been made, on the authority of the last legislature, in establishing a free ferry to connect the West Side districts of the northern end of the city with that part of the East Side known, as Albina. Under me act or ine legislature autnorizing tne establishment of this rerry, the bridge commission was empowered to issue $50,000 in bonds for the purpose of operating a free ferry. "Under this act, the commission purchased the franchise, boat and land ings of the old Albina Ferry Company, which had long operated a ferry on the route now covered by the city's boat. The price paid the company was $20,000. The amount of travel which Immediately fol lowed the establishment of this free ferry compelled the bridge commission to com plete arrangements for building a larger boat for the route. From plans and spec ifications drawn by Mr. Chase, the pres ent commodious ferry, the W. S. Mason, was constructed. This boat made her FERRY LIXESPAST AXD PRESEXT. first trip on the Albina route on June 25 last, and she is now making regular and frequent trips, thus affording ample ac commodations to the people of Albina and the peninsula to reach the city on the west side of the river. W. B. CHASE. Early in 1892 the bridge committee se lected Mr. W. B. Chase as chief engineer on account of his recognized engineering ability and his knowledge of Portland and the Willamette river. After a careful sfudy' or"the;cneeds of the city and the engineering problems of the location, he prepared the general plans and speciflca-fcftra-s from which the Burnslde bridge was built. To Mr. Chase's careful and con stant attention both in designing and the execution of this work is due the fact that Portland today -nas the finest bridge on the Pacific coasts .. Mr. Chase has had large experience in railroad work and in designing and constructing sewers, water-works plants and bridges. In 1SS0 he entered the 'r W.B.CHASEi Photo by McAlpIn & Lamb. service of the Northern Pacific Rail road Company. He designed many of the first bridges built by this com pany in the West. He was assistant engineer on the Albina bridge commenced by Henry Villard. He was also engineer of bridges for the Oregon Pacific during the construction of that road from Corval lis to Yaquina. Among his other work, he designed the Eugene City water-works system. He also made the drawings and specifications for the W. S. Mason, the substantial and commodious Albina ferry. Mr. Chase's work is before the public, and it is evidence of his entire fitness for the position of chief engineer of large pub lic works. He is careful and conservative, and he gives special attention to the con- zsssSJ&' RfliuROACo 5tel Bridge ' vhi 'iwytfsmpj Morton SiRre r BfiibGe.. jOSs B7j rz-' FREeBRibGE.MflbisoN Street. j THREE POPULAR BRIDGES, xnents. He is a hard student, and is today one of the leading engineers of the coast. Mr. Chase has shown his faith In Port land by Investing his capital here, and he will make this city his future home. HE HAD HEARD ENOUGH. How Senator Palmer Fooled His Old Friend, the Judge. An old republican judge from Illinois on his way West from New York stopped oerhere yesterday long enough to have, as he intended, a little fun with his old friend, Senator Palmer, says the Wash ington Post. The senator's committee room was rather full when the judge en tered, and he felt a little diffident. Still, after clasping the senator's hand in a firm grip of friendship, he said, with a grin: "What do you think of the election?" "Hey"" the senator, with his hand be hind his ear replied. The judge, somewhat surprised at this, to him the first sign of deafness in his old friend, said in a louder tone: "I say, what do you think of the elec tion?" "Sir?" said the senator, with his hand still behind his ear and bending near the judge. "I say," the judge loudly responded. & " &P turning a bit red as he saw that every one had stopped talking to listen to him; "I say, what do you think of the elec tionthe election the election?" The senator looked pained as he does when he has to turn down a needy office seeker. He glanced round, as if to read the judge's question in the faces of those present, and then, apparently falling, he turned again to the judge, and without even so much as a twinkle in his eyes thrust his ear to the judge's mouth and said: ., "W-h-a-t?" This drove the spirit of victorious and gloating fun from, the judge's mind. "Dear ih'e," he sard in a low voice full of sympathy and regret, "I had no Idea that my old friend John had become deaf." Then he shook the senator's hand and left the room, whereupon the senator turned to those present and winked the other eye. A State Mystery. A private letter from St. Petersburg mentions the mysterious disappearance of a valuable diamond from the crown of jewels. It is well known that the Im perial crown of the Russian czar is set with a number of very fine and large diamonds. During the late czar's funeral procession, this crown was carried by a high dignitary from the NicolajevskI rail road station to the castle of Peter and Paul, and during thi3 time it is thought the jewel was lost. Great secrecy is ob served by the officials, hut still the rumor has spread. An inquiry is known to have been ordered. A prominent jeweler ex presses the opinion that the stone may have crushed into the interior by careless ness and might be found between the met al rim and the purple velvet lining. Took Trap and All. A farmer named Sam Jones set a trap for a fox the other day in a clearing in Seabury Settlement, N. Y., and when he went to see if he had caught anything he found that the trap was gone, notwith standing It had been secured by a chain and a heavy staple driven into a log. The chain had been broken off, and fox tracks led away, leaving a tolerably plain trail In the dead leaves. This trail Jones fol lowed until he 'reached a small opening some dozens of rods away, where, on the moss, lay his fox dead, and holding fast by the throat with his jaws a dead eagle. The eagle in sailing over the woods had spied the fox In the trap, and had swooped down upon it, but tho fox. though crippled by the trap, had made a game fight and killed his assailant while yielding up his own life. Siamese Funerals. In Siam, when a funeral Is passing, the women take down their hair and unfasten their beads, and the men fumble around in their pockets for a little piece of metal to hold between their teeth. Turin Crossing Stlel Bbiose '.35i" ggSsaBwgTfc' ,1 THE SEW CaTT EALL FEV'EST 3nJXIClF.U, BUHDIXG EV THJt PACIFIC NORTH-WEST. Constructed at a. Coat of Over $500,- OOO Interior Arrangements and Appointments LIsht a.ad Heat. N the contemplation of the early comple tion of the new City Hall, the people of Portland may be ex cused for displaying' something of a par donablo spirit of pride. While tins magnificant structure is today practically completed, yet there remain a few finishing touches to be put on the building, which will add percept ibly to its general attractiveness. No city of Portland's size In the Unllad States claims a public building devoted to the use of tho officers of the municipal government which approaches in point of beauty and finish, or in its modern con venient interior arrangements, the fine city hall new about completed here. Like the construction of the great Bull Run water-works plant, the City Hall has been built under tho direction of a board whose appointment was authorized by the state, and the entire construction of the present edifice has been economically; handled. ' Portland has long felt the need of a building of its own, which would be ample in size and contain the necessary modern appointments for the expeditious handling of the heavy business of the city. An exhaustive research would hardly determine the different locations .the headquarters for the municipal ofhcer3 have been domiciled in since Portland was first incorporated. A change in the lo cation of the "city hall" was regulartv made after nearly every election, and some of tne rooms occupied by the mu nicipal officers during the early history of Portland's development are today tha headquarters of much less august as semblages. Some of the later quarters of the city officials have been strictly modern in their appointments, and they have been supplied with all needed con- venlences, but the new City Hall just completed Is the only hullding ever occu pied by the city as its own which tha citizens could point to with any spirit of pride. The first practical move in the direction1 of building a city halL In Portland wa3 the successful attempt made by tre mu nicipality to have an act passed through the legislature of that year which would authorize the construction of such a build ing here. This act authorized the ap pointment of a board of commissioners, who were empowered to issue and sell bonds to the extent of $175,000, these bonds to run for 30 years and to draw 5 per cent: interest. With the money received from the sale of thsse bonds, the commlssio-i was to purchase the necessary ground and construct a building which, in their judgment, would be suitable for the de mands of a city of the pretensions of Portland. The first board was made up as follows: Henry Failing, L. Fleischner, William M. Ladd, Donald Macleay, L. Therkelsen, A. H. Breyman, J. J. Fisher. Out of the $175,000 realized from the first sale of bonds, the board purchased the block of land bounded by Fourth, Jefferson. Fifth and Madison streets, and the foundation of the building was soon commenced. It was subsequently found impossible to utilize this foundation, as it was designs! to support a building, the cost of which the city board could not meet from the moneys it had en hand. The legislature of 1890-91 passed another act, which au thorized tho appointment of the present board, and this board was also empowere-t by the same act to issue and sell bends tdtthe -extent oe:$500,eC0,-ta runT30. years! and to draw 5 per cent interest, for the express purposes of completing a city hall at Portland. The names of the members of the present bord are as follows: Will lam M. Ladd (chairman). W. B. Ayer, C. B. Bellinger, A. H. Breyman, H. J. Corbett and C. M. Forbes. The clerk of the board Is Charles Randolph. The issue of $500,000 in bonds authorized by the legislature was sold in a lump sum on May 25, 1S92, to Rollins & Son, Boston and Denver, at a premium of $22,610. This sale was made subject to the agreement that the bonds should be de livered only as money was required for the prosecution of the work of construc tion on the City Hall. The last of these bonds were delivered on August 9 last. The principal contract for the con struction of the building was let July 25, 1S92, to Rocheford, Gould & Gladden, of Omaha, Neb. This contract called for furnishing the material for the building and for doing the principal part of tha work of construction. The amount o the contract made with these people was $301,368. The contract provided for modi fications of the original plan of construc tion to bring the entire cost of the struc ture within the amount authorized by the legislature. The other contracts for the construction were as follows: Marble woik, $39,965; apparatus and appliances for heating, $20,295; plumbing, $15,226; or namental iron-work, $15,168; scagllola work, $8170; two elevators, and for plac ing the same in position, $7000; electric and gas fixtures and other work, $3738 75; electric wiring, $2982; hardware, $2600; iron work on stairs, $2580; counters and other fixed furniture, $2500; vault doors, $1662; conduit under building, $1280. The contract for the completion of the third floor was let some time after for $6955. The other contracts had been awarded. Miscellaneous sums called for by other contracts, including the ex penses of the commission, foot up to $3921. The total sum that will be paid the arch itects on a basis of 5 per cent of the total cost of the building, will amount to about $25,000. This, with the extras already allowed for, will bring the total cost of the building up to $519,535 35. The neces sary sums of money it will require to finish the building will absorb the funds now remaining in the commission's hands. In addition to the $522,610 realized by the commission for the sale of bonds In 1S92 the commission received out of the old funds left over from the proceeds of the first bond sale, the sum of $79SL The commission now has on hand $11,056 which they can apply to finishing the building. The members of the commission have worked without pay and the close at tention they have given to supervising the work of construction has doubtless saved the city a number of thousands of dollars. The city hall Is today ready for occupancy, although some work yet re mains to be done on the structure which It is hoped to have entirely completed by February 1 next. The contract for lighting, heating and ventilating the building and for operating the elevators was recently let to the Portland General Electric Company. The amount this company is to be paid for this service is $475 a month. THE BLILDIXG ITSELF. Description of the Mnprnlflcent Jfew Structure. HE City Hall comprises sim plicity of design with state liness of outline. The yellowish-gray sandstone of which the outer walls are con structed Impart a most pleas ing effect to the eye. The de sign is In what is known as Italian Renaissance. Its total length is 200 feet, the full dis tance of the block. The width of the main building is 110 feet, but wings which extend on either side at the north and south ends bring the total width up to 142 feet. It is four stories in height. The grade of the block of land on which it stands slopes grad ually toward the river, and this makes the entance on the Fifth-street side one story higher than it is on Fourth street. The entrance on the Fourth-street side is through a semi-circular vestibule, the ex- ffisrammZ& " SB A