7 PORTLAND TRULY A CITY OF CHURCHES All Denominations An Well Rep reseated and Work Together Aar Kreaalvely for the Public Good. By Rev. Clarence True Wilson. VERY few cities. East or West, de serve the appellation of "Tbe City of Churches" more than Portland. As a stranger drives through the city, mong his first Impressions i how well equipped it is with large, commodious, convenient and desirable church build ings, many of them of brick and stone, such as the White Temple, First Presby terian, the Trinity Episcopal and .he Centenary Methodist Episcopal on the Bast Side. All denominations are repre sented here from the Catholics to the Christian Scientists and many modern cults which present themselves as sub stitutes for sll the rest. Methodists are decidedly the most numerous having more tlian 20 important churches in the city Onits. but the Baptists and Presbyterians ire strong in their city organisations and 111 Catholics are well represented at ;he strategic points in this metropolis of the pacific Northwest. Among the characteristics that mark the church life of the city must be men tioned the unity of spirit, aim and co operation in methods. A union preach ers- meeting of all of the denominations is held on the first Monday morning of each month at the Y. M. C. A. hall and such is the spirit of brotherly love and hearty co-working that it is impossible to tell "which is which."' And when a I PORTLAND COVERS S8,- 13. ACRES. I ' Portland has a total area of 28.136 acres within the boundary J lines. This is divided into a land I area of 26.742 acres, while the area of water outside the harbor lines In the Willamette is 1391 acres. There are 6920 acres on the West Side and 19,822 acres on the East Side. Prior to the muni cipal election of June 4, 1906. when several suburbs were admit ted to the city, there were 6600 acres on the West Side and 17,236 acres on the East Side. temperance campaign is to be waged, a good government move inaugurated, or union evangelistic gatherings, like the Chapman .meetings two years ago, to be held the evangelical churches of this city work as harmoniously as If they were ail In the same denomination. Equally marked is the aggressiveness of tne religious leaders In municipal affairs. It Is significant that all the noted men who have been In the pastorate In Port land ill recent years have been noted nulte as much for being strong men, manly ctlsens, leaders In all good works and especially in civic reforms as for their pulpit ability and pastoral fidelity. It Is-only necessary to name Dr. Hill, Dr. Brougher. Dr. Short. Rabbi Wise and Archbishop Alexander Christie to show that the devoted ministers who have made the greatest mark have also been the lead ers In reform movements of our day. The crusade against gambling, the removal of undesirable resorts from the business and residence sections of the city; the enactment of -the best local option law in ' the United States: the suppression of nickel-In- the-slot machines; find the clos ing of saloons on Sunday as wi U as the turning of the city and part of cue State .Government over to reform candidates by. defeating the dominant machines, are ail indications of what the churches have (lone in the influence of public sentiment and In co-operatlns with the newspapers In demanding a better state of things. This shows that the prevailing charac teristic of relglous life in Portland is eminently practical, it Is not too ethereal lor human nature's daily food; its head may be In heaven but It's feet are solidly planted on the earth; Its soul may soar but its hands are busy with daily minis tries. It maintains several elegant hos pitals: It in building a home for the Boys' and tJlrls' Aid Society; It maintains a Babies' Home and an Orphan Asylum, and a beautiful building is being erected as a Florence Ciittenton Home for the fallen: it has missions for sailors and reading rooms and kindergartens in the north end for the poor; it's sescue mis sions dot the city wherever the need is greatest; It visits the almshouses and the county and dty prisons and with religious comfort and entreaty seeks to cheer the wayward into better hope end faith. There is a growing sentiment that in all good works the ministers who come to this city must lead or leave. This practi cal Western world will not allow its re ligious leaders to palm off platitudes about spirituality as a substitute for the Christ-like work which leaves a commu nity better than they found it. It be lieves that a religion that does not make a man manly is not good for men: that the reason the lion did not eat Daniel is because he was all backbone; that a Christian is a Chrlst-foiiower and that a Christ-follower cannot be known by h.s creed what he believes, by his testimony what he professes, by his church how he was baptized, or by what he Joined or even by what he thinks he experiences. The question is, does he go about doing good? An ounce of goodness Is worth a ton of grace. To make the world better Is better than to feel tetter. CLIMATE CITY'S GREATEST ASSET TC !. Thompson Reviews Ad vantage of Portland mm Place f Resldenre, Br E. I.. Thompson. IF I were asked to give one all-sufficient reason why Portland is the best place to lire, and to express It in one word, I would say climate."' Oregonians are not great boasters. They have not. like their neighbors in Southern California. . subsidized the Eastern magazines, by the expenditure of thousands of dollars in their adver tising pages, to sing" the praises of their climnte In season and out of sea son: but we know and the records of L'nele Sam's weather bureau are al ways accessible to prove it to all "doubting Thomases" that the climate of Portland, taken as a whole from January to December, is unsurpassed by any city, "bar none." Not long ago an Eastern weekly printed in extract from a letter written by a young man residing here, who commented upon the announcement that Edison was preparing plans for a model house witli heating apparatus and Ice plant so contrived that they wouid produce an even temperature in side the houe, Winter and Summer. The Portland letter writer aald: "In short, Mr. Kdison Is striving to pro duce, by artificial "means, what we in Portland enjoy, year after year, front liaturs! causes." 1 The editor, commenting on this, com-' mended the writer for "his enthusiasm nd loyalty." The truth of this, how ever, is gradually gaining credence THE juited States National Bamfc PORTLAND, OREGON UNITED STATES DEPOSITORY r Capital, $500,000.00 Surplus and Undivided Profits, $400,000.00 OFFICERS ner J. G. Ainsworth, President ' R. W. Schmeer, Cashi R, Lea Barnes, Vice President; A. M. Wright, Assistant Cashier W.A.Holt . Assistant Cashie ner BOARD OF DIRECTORS I. W. Hellman President Wells Fargo Nevada National Bank, S. F. ; Union Tvust Co., S. F.. and Farmers & Mer chants National Bank, Los Angeles. Percy T. Morgan President of the California Wine Association, S. F. Rufus Mallory of. the law firm of Dolph, Mal lory, Simon ec Gearin. George E. Chamberlain Governor of Oregon. R. L. Macleay President of the Macleay Estate Co. R. Lea Barnes Vice-President. J. C. Ainsworth President, also president of the Fidelity Trust Co. Bank of Ta coma. Wash. D. W. Wakefield of the real estate firm of Wake field, Fries & Co. throughout the Incredulous East. With in the past ten years the population of Portland has doubted and the 100. 000 newcomers are writing to their friends to come, too. They tel". them that roses are in bloom in December; that the grass is green not only at Christmas, but the year around, and that blankets are not Infrequently necessary to the comfort of a sleeper, on a July night. Time was when the visitor . com plained of our rainfall, but it is pretty widely understood now that the rains purify the air and prevent diseaso. The Oregon farmer counts the rain among his assets. And, as the rain comes usually when It is most needed, he is justified in looking upon it as adding so many Z0 gold pieces to his annual profits. No other city in all the land is so healthful as Portland. Pure air. pure J water and pure food combine to pro mole health and longevity. Our death rate, as shown by the carefully com- I piled vital statistics, tells the tale only nine deaths to every thousand in habitants and this, too, in spite of the fact that thousands of the newcomers, on their arrival, have deeply-implanted in their systems the seeds of dis ease. I have personal knowledge of one family which came here two years ago trom an Eastern city. In which family sickness was the rule rather than the exception, over $200 a year having been paid out for doctor's bills. Since they came to Portland no member of the family has been ill. But climate is not all that Portland possesses to make it the most desir able city in which to live. Its inhab itants are industrious, educated, culti vated, refined, prosperous and happy. A highrschool education is at the free command of every parent for his chil dren, if he desires it, and the oppor tunity for employment in every field of labor and business is so great that this city may. with perfect truth, boast that it has no poor, as the word "poor" Is understood In the Eastern cities. A noteworthy fact among the residents of Portland Is the tendency to home life, and the disposition among all classes to occupy their own homes. There is little of the so-called Bohemian life among us and the all night restaurant or cafe has ever had a struggle for existence here. Apartment houses In Portland are prob ably fewer in number than in any other city of Its size a significant fact"' when considered in connection with our cos mopolitan population and it must be In a measure due to the splendid character and attractiveness of the city's early homes, as well as to the opportunity af forded for residence life at a cost not greater, than In the "janitor's, fiat" else where. The idea of home adornment is a part of Portland home life, and velvet lawns, with their borders of .roses, extend from Sellwood to St. Johns and from Monta villa to Council Crest. Civic pride as expressed in the "home beautiful" idea extends from the King's Heights and Nob Hill district to the humblest cot tage In our most remote suburbs. Its common form of expression is through the well-kept lawn and the exuberance of the rose. So we have roses, roses and roses in such profusion as can be seen nowiiere else. All of which bespeak ths tender sentiment that makes life In Port land worth while. During the year 1907 more than 2000 new residences were erected, adding more than 7.000,00O to the sum total invested In Portland homes. The type and char acter of these newest dwellings are un surpassed. From the Colonial styles of architecture to the got hie and Old Eng lish, every modern, quaint and artistic design has been worked out In harmony with its neighbor and its setting. Civic Improvement Associations for the advancement of the "home beautiful" idea are active in all parts of the city, and as the fame of Portland spreads and her population increases all that can be said of art, beauty and wealth as ap plied to homes will find full expression here. Secorlty Savings amid Trost .:Compaoy.;:-- 'Si ifelf - m V-ilm? I DIRECTORS L. A. Lewis Jos. Simon Jas. F. Failing E. A. Wyld a A. Dolph ' A. L. Mills J. N. Teal C. F. Adams OFFICERS C. F.Adams E. A. Wyld Preildcnt. . Vice-President. R. G. Jubitz Secretary. L. A. Lewis Vice-President. A. L. Mills Vice-President. G. F. Russell , ' AM't secretary. , TRANSACTS A GENERAL BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY BUSINESS INTEREST PAID ON SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AND TIME CERTIFICATES The Canadian Bank of Commerce HEAD OFFICE: TORONTO, CANADA Branches throughout Canada, also In . London (Eng.). New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland. s. Sterling Exchange Bought and Sold Drafts, Commercial and Travelers' Letters of , Credit Issued Available in All Parts of the World. Interest paid on money deposited in THE SAVINGS DEPARTMENT at current rates; also on DEPOSIT RECEIPTS for fixed periods Portland Branch: F. G MALPAS Z Cor. Second and Stark Sts. Manager Z V . The Bank of j California Founded 1864 Head Office: San Francisco, California Branches: Portland, Oregon Tacoma and Seattle, Wash. Virginia City, Nevada Capital Paid in Gold Coin - - $ 4,000,000 00 Surplus and Undivided Profits - 10,472,584 93 A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS TRANSACTED Interest Paid on Time Deposits Geo. W. Bates & Co. BANKERS 161 Russell Street and 253 Williams Avenue , Capital . . . $50,000 Surplus . . , $25,000 General Banking Business Interest Allowed on Time and Savings Deppsits CHAS. B. LADD, President. F. .McKERCHER, Secretary, THEO. B. WILCOX, Vice-President. Equitable Savings and Loan Association 240 and 242 STARK STREET Reserve Fund, guaranteeing against loss $ 100,000 Loans at this date 2,261,000 Secured by homes worth over - - 5,000,000 As nearly absolute safety to investors as is possible to attain. Investors' Certificates merely define their individual interest in the total loans. A unique, plain monthly payment loan, interest charge . reduced by each payment. Lester Herrick & Herrick Certified' Public Accountants Office Wells Farsj. Buildiag. Other OHIeea San Francisco Merchants Exchange Seattle.. Alaska Building Los Angeles Union Trust Building New York ....SO Broad Street Chicago Hi La Salle Street Hydraulic Rams For Country Homes, Farm Houses, Sfock Yards and Irrigation Mado In sizes from 1 inch up. Write for Bulletin R-J and R-3 Columbia Steei Go. PORTLAND, OREGON