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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1910)
THE 3IORNING OREGONIAX, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1910. 13 PRESTIGE OF PORTLAND AS PORT IS SUSTAINED BY 1909 SHIP MOVEMENTS Coastwise Business Is Heaviest Ever Recorded, While Largest Grain and Lumber Vessels Afloat Are Taking Huge Cargoes to Chief Harbors in Orient, Europe and South America. By E. W. Wright. . w i ITH the largest coastwise traf fic ever bandied out of Portland In a single year, 1909 made a new . record in the number of vessels of all classes arriving and departing, although the net registered tonnage of the fleet was slightly less than for 1908. This de crease in the tonnage figures was all accounted for in the foreign grain trade, the small crop of 1908 being .all shipped out prior to January 1. 1909. and an Eastern movement by rail and heavy home demand taking up most of the early offerings of the 1909 crop. Including coastwise and foreign vessels, there were entered at Portland in 1909 724 craft of 860,960 tons net register. The clearances for the year from Portland were 699 vessels of 849.777 tons net regis ter, a grand total of 1423 vessels or 1,710.737 tons net register, and with a carrying capacity of more than 3,500.000 tons of freight. Lumber and grain are the two great Maples which, to an overwhelming ex tern t. 6upply cargoes for the ocean car riers, both foreign and coastwise, and botji of these staples made new records for the coastwise trade. The newest and most satisfactory feature of the coastwise water traffic was the large amount of Inwaini cargo brought by the vessels. , Prior to 1909, nearly all of the lumber steamers coming to the port entered In ballast, but last year full cargoes, both ways ware the rule instead of the ex ception. The econolnlc advantage of this new, order of things is obvious, for It has resulted in lower freight rates on both north and southbound cargo. The year witnessed a considerable increase In the lumber trade out of Columbia and Wil lamette River points below Portland, a large number of coasting steamers that brought freight to Portland after dis charging going down to the lower-river ( mills to load outward cargoes of lumber. In the aggregate, these shipments from Astoria, Knappton, Prescott. Rainier, St. Helens, IJnnton, St. John and other ports reached a large total and proved an Important addition to the Columbia River shipments. In addition to an increased service to California points, there was a very pronounced increase in the volume of business by water with Oregon coast ports. The two regular steamers oper ating between Portland and Coos ray carried capacity cargoes of freight and passengers for the greater part of the year, and a movement is now on to place a steamer on the Coqutlle- route out of Portland. During the year an additional regular steamer was placed on the Tillamook route, and the traffic Inward and outward was more than double that of any previous season. Ill addition to these regular steamers, extra gasoline schooners made numer ous trips throughout the year. While the numerous steam schooners with passenger accommodations made it pos sible for passengers to and from Cali fornia to secure a steamer nearly every day in the year, the service for 1910 will be Improved to such an extent that there will be an average of one flrst class passenger steamer leaving from and arriving at Portland every dav in the year. This line service will be made possi ble by the appearance on the route early in the year of the new stefemers Beaver and Rear, built expressly for the Portland-San Francisco route. These vessels are 400 feet in length, and are llttod with all modern conveniences for sea travel. In speed and elegance, they will surpass anything- in the Pacific Coast trade. The river channel from Portland to the , s.-a is in .better shape than if has ever been. The very effective work of the Port of Portland has resulted in a 26 foot channel between Portland and As- torla. and the jetty work has begun to show highly satisfactory results, unoffi cial soundings showing an increase of about two feet in the depth or water on the bar. The result of the work on both river and bar has been so satisfactory that the practicability of a .30-foot chan nel in the river and a 40-foot channel on the bar is no longer in doubt. The ad ditional depth required can be sjtcured ' with much greater ease than was the depth we now enjoy. The year 1909 witnessed the 40th anni versary of the export grain business from the Columbia River. While Portland was handling a growing coastwise trade and occasionally shipping a mixed cargo of (train, flour, lumber and other products to Honolulu, and even the Orient, nearly SO years before the port became a direct exporting point for grain, it was the Eu ropean wheat trade that proved the foun dation from which our present great maritime prestige has developed. Long before the Columbia River began to at tract attention as a lumber port, the people of Portland began spending monev to Improve the channel in the river in order that our merchants and producers could secure larger and more economical carriers to move the grain crop of the Inland -Empire. To a remarkable extent we have witnessed the grain trade and river improvement. with a mutual Interest. developing simultaneously throughout a period of 40 years. River Improvement end the grain trade being thus so closely connected, a brief review of what has been accomplished In the 40 years Is interesting. The first cargo of wheat sent foreign from Port land was dispatched by J. McCraken. on - the Americanshlp Helen Angler, in April. 3 869. It con,tcd of 36.943 bushels or wheat. Corbett & Macleay, in October. 1869, dispatched the Adeline Elwood with J2.000 bushels. It would, perhaps, be un fair to take but two ships to use in com parison with a larger number In later years. There were five ships in the fleet of 1S70. and the two fleets and their car goes were as follows: Vessel. Helen Angler Adeline Klwood Herman Doctor ......... Alpha. l.ovrirt TordonsVjold Lyra Avfrsg per cargo .... Wheat, bu. 3S.04:! 22. 000 1S.77B 2S.OOO 24.5!2 I 22.S29 23.193 25.190 ' As the Merchants' Exchange records, from which these figures are compiled, show, in the 1871 fleet, a number of smaller vessels than the Herman Doctor, the sbove affords a very accurate average of the type of vessel which was used in the Columbia River wheat trade. Even these diminutive carriers were unable to load all of their cargo at Portland, and not infrequently, after a portion of it had been lightered to Astoria, the vessel would get aground on the numerous bars in the river, that at St. Helens being the -worst of these obstacles. High freights and an increasing output of wheat, how ever, brought the grain carriers, and as far back as the late "70s, Portland busi ness interests contributed money for the 1'urpose of Improving the channel over some of the worst places in the river. The 10th anniversary of Portland's ap- PORTLAND'S ENORMOUS GRAIN, LUMBER AND GENERAL. I. SHIPMENTS, FOREIGN AND COASTWISE. EXPORTS FROM PORTLAND (FORGIGX). Compiled by Merchants' Exchange. 1909. ' 1905. I 1907. WHEAT. ! i Bushels. Value. Bushels. Value. Bushels. Value. January.... 664.244 $ 622.988; 2,032,256 $1,815,428! 842,997 "$ 597,026 February .. . 276.619 270,031! 2,279,790 2,063,505; 652,725 470.636 March 109,138 103,5001 1,421,987 1,304, 974' 505,535 SCd.722 April I 1,107,113 986.0941 612,723 460,296 May I 464,732 417.237: 763,094 596,456 June.'. i ." 437.044 38"6,134: 193.810 168,614 July li j 109,946 93,455; August., ; i I 50,000 37,500 September.. 465.987 432,040! 1.711,578 1.559.219' 639,507 540,002 October j 1.910,998 1,795,151 1,821.050 1,646, 700 1,119,655 1.032.600 November.. 1,095,856 l,067,287l 701,071 619.208' 1,135,821 1,020,032 December...' 919,784 926,326:j 953,387 876,431: 2.710,587 2,458.078 Totals. . . . i 5.442.G26 $5. 217,323ij 13.039.556 W1.768.78sl 9.226.454 47.742.962 FLOUR. I Barrels. Value. Barrels. Value. Barrels. Value. January 71.316 $ 285,4651 85,701 $ 321.938 S5.913 $ 316.234 February...! 33.111 132,445; 55.245 213,047 13382 516,464 .March I 56.926 226.453i 51,508 206.032! 19A.208 662,160 April II 42,550 170,092j 19,028 76.1 1 li 68,345 244,443 May ! 8,225 34.3021 78.620 250,86ll 244.705 916,098 June I 1,000 4,750 50,801 164, 428! 185,836 695,362 July 11.248 51,621; 45.266 135,799' 51.904 186.850 August 82.647 330.588' 31,941 125,399 September. . i ....... I . 50;723 202.892 1 164,236 606,625 October.-:... 39.203 176,289'. 15.000 56,250' November. . 30,797 138,606; 150,109 600,436 158,542 591,505 December... 71,350 310,472j 106,117 396,701 Totals 365,726 $l,530,495j 684,648 $2,548,382 1.421,629 $5,257,841 , LUMBER. Feet. Value. Feet. Value. Feet. Value. January 2,037,862 $ 22,633 11.552,642 $ 142,995, 3.373,662 $ 47,205 February 11,903,1 46 169,204' 7,650,836 9S,940 3,913,092 69,129 March 6.133.214 SO, 164 6,530.561 87.430 6.976,909 103.887 April 9,341,897 104,345 13,375.863 223,862 10,077,796 150,932 May 5,073.362 52,945 13,336,182 152,349; 7,633,324 117.365 June 6,8847955 81.4S4 5,971.837 60,063 12,651,968 212.315 July 13,945,367 137,181 14204. 115 J82,69ol 4,677,764 65,470 August 11,143,190 145,1931 12,463,887' 193,126 September.. 5.368,627 51,726 4,655,739 47,772i 4,522,061 70,814 October 9,670,833 107,0351 2,037,421 26,633 13,726.288 204,100 November.. 8,387,247 89,533 6,332,552 70,7141 6,128,494 95,398 December... 7,206.000 75,663! 3,815,366 45.56l Totals 85,952,510 $ 971,913; 100,686,324 $1.234, 202j 86,233,245 $1,331,743 Last half of month estimated. EXPORTS FROM PORTLAND (COASTWISE). WHEAT. 1909- 1907- Bushels. Value. Bushels. Value. Bushels. Value. ' January 400,811 $ 388,787 221,377 $ 188,160' 39.977 $ 29,583 February... 382,26 401.379, 132.930 112,990, 53,166 39 343 March 619,655 681.620' 154,820 131,597' A33.094 24,500 April 426.822 512.186 247,963 211,969! S4.427 63,476 May 240.305 288,366! 450,880 383,228! 233,017 172,433 June 188.236 1 225,883! 558.826 475,002! 73,562 54,436 July l'.9,936 .127,5281 302.667 257,182 82,792 46.466 August 375,756 161,695' 155,566 136.89SI 74,730 33 300 September..! 256.990 236,4311 450,069 396,06til 75,416 64 104 October 397,677 385,747; 262.425 230.934' 124,284 105642 November.. 537.15$ 542,528, ' 202,969 188,761! 167.710 142554 December. . 500,340 560,380j 301.200 2S0,116jj 174,508 148,332 Tot aj . ' 4.235.952$4.512.530l 3441.592 $2.992.898l 1.196.683 $ 944,169 - : . - FLOUR." Barrels. Value. Barrels. Value. Barrels. Value. January 1 36,967 $ 72,110 22,579 $ 93,961 7 664 $ 30 656 February... 22,235 94.498! 14,576 58304 March 29,219 146,095! 24.716 305.043: 7,311 '9 44 April 23,871 142,290 38,598 79,042 9,655 3S 620 aiay j 34,842 191,631 16796 1 71.383: jbTsV io 144 J.u'le I i'.-H JS2,150 26.403 112,213; 14.134 56.536 Ju 1 y . . . 21,247 18.415 78.264, 16,772 67,088 August i2'?2l 12.184 51.782 19.501 42,004 September.. - 7,496 3.3b8 18.981 . 80,669 13,544 57 562 October H-4J6. ' S?24i - 20,349 86,483 12.739 54.141 November.. 99.926 30.036 127,525 24,080 102.340 December. . . 14,9a3 89,718 22.312 100,951 ,23,474 99,764 Totals 262,148 $1,435,533 253,604 $1,083,814 164,486 $ 674,403 LUMBER. Feet. Value. Feet. Value. Feet. Value. January 9.700,000 $ 126,100 6.149,450 $ 73,793 9,141,572 J 337 1)4 February... 8,177.000 104,582 4.409,000 1 52,908113,483,000 202245 March 12.180.000 152,250 2.640.000 J 31.680 13,860,000 207 900 April 6.239.200 77,990 6,840.224 82,083 8,312.000 1 '4 680 May X.764.000 109.550 5,875,000 -70,oTJ0 6.576,000 98640 J"" I 3.425.000 42.812 5,403.000 64,8361 7.441,200 1J1.618 July 1 8.344.000 308,472 5.375,000 64.500 2,965,000 44 475 August 8,620,000 112.060 3.760.000 48.880 5.027,000 75 405 September.. 9,255.000 120.315 4.972.000 64,636 4,500,000 76500 October 8.41 4,000 109,3821 S.060.000 104,780 7.483,225 126815 November.. 7,56,t.00 86,900; 3.420.000 44,460 5,708,735 97 048 December.. 4.8io.000 73,130j 4,435,000 57,655 5,120,000 6L440 Totals 95.549,700 $1,223.533161.338.674 $ 760,711 89,617,732 $1,373,890 Last half of month estimated. pearance in the export grain trade wit-' nessed a striking increase in the number and size of the vessels in the grain trade compared with those of tne aecade ear lier. Of the 1879 fleet, the 10 largest car riers and their cargoes were as follows: Vessels. Prince Amaues . . . , Iavid Law Cockermouth Hannah lanclles . Star of ilie Seas . . Victoria Cross ..... Valley Forgre ....... St. Louis Samaritan Tabor Average per ship "Wheat, bu. , SS.4'28 84,308 72.0S6 73.242 73.54S , 71,312 , 87.090 68.114 B7.0OH , fi. .0-M 73,103 The 10 years following witnessed the expenditure of considerable money'' on the Columbia River by both Portland and the Federal Government. The effect of this work is shown in the cargoes car ried by the 10 largest vessels of the gram fleet of 1889, as follows: Vessels. C. S. Hement Scottish Glens Vanrlura Metropolis M. K. "Watson Clan MoPheraon .... Larwo Law- Wheat, bit. 104.78H 116.7-tK 1 06, 325 102.8.V. 95,:iS0 02.SI62 &O.HS Milton Park 3 Hornby Castle 809-S6 Karl Dunravfln 77 417 Average per ship ! 95il23 Ten years ago the work of the Port of Portland had reached a point where the largest sailing ships afloat could en ter and leave Portland without lightering. The "big ten" for that year and their cargoes were as follows: Vessels. Royal Forth Balascre Achnashle ........ Balmoral ..." Bermuda Pegasus K ual or Fannie Kerr ltirhri3ge King David Average per ship Wheat, bu. 147.19i 140.555 346 6j5 136.923 136. son 116. OOO 13.-.. 3 22 134. 7SO 143.83t Within the past decade, the sailing ship has been to a large extent crowded out of its field by the tramp steamer, and most of the big cargoes taken out of TONNAGE ENTERED AND CLEARED AT PORTLAND. Compiled by Merchants' Exchange. 1909. 1908. MONTHS Entered I Cleared Tons. I Tons. Kntered I Ton. I January. . . February. . March April May June July , August. . . . September. October. . . November. December. Totals. . . 68,655 55.498 74.909 55,512 51.087 62,734 54,462 85.735 90.284 93.318 82,700 $86,066 . 71.687 86.156 74,823 82,516 63.000 62,805 7S.323 60.358 73.329 94,198 77,977 71.533 76.088 66.8031 71.793! 59,3121 65.318! 51.067! 63,718, 62.995! 66.566! 99.470i 85,770 J95.278! 860,960 849.77711 901.106 Ice blockade In river for ten days. JLast ha.t of month estimated. Portland in the year just closed were car ried by tramp steamers. The 10 largest cargoes were as follows: Vessels. Karl of .Douglas laneta . . , Vtfaril . Wheat, bu. 2.H2.201 -.-2.O50 l''.S27 21.04J 210.U4U 20:i, 6U7 201. 40C JOiGO'J 16.-.2.-.7 147,488 . . . . .203,220 wa ,KUre Nederland . . Furitan Taunton ........... Titania Katanga Hebe Average per ship From these figures it will be noticed that despite the steadily increasing size of the vessels, the gain over the previous 10 years is greater than that which pre ceded It. For example, the greatest gain in any previous decade was that of 1899, when the average of the 10 big cargoes was 48,113 bushels greater than those of 1899, while the "big ten," in the year just closed, showed average cargoes 57.383 bushels greater tjjan those of 1899. These figures, covering the entire ex istence of Portland's foreign grain trade, show, in the clearest possible manner, the remarkable change that has been made in Portland s highway to the sea. The ex port lumber trade of the port is of very recent date, J5ut in little more than a dec ade it has reached proportions that, give Portland the distinction of shipping more big cargoes than are floated at anv other port in the world. Details of these ship ments will be found elsewhere in this paper. To show that the lumber carriers are. not outclassed In size by the vessels of the grain fleet, the names of the ves sels carrying the 10 largest cargoes out of Portland in 1909, with amount of cargo carried, is herewith given: Vessels. Bessie Ixv.Iar ' Clan McFarlane Selja Christian Bora Guernsey Christian Bors . . Arabia Hazel Dollar Fuveric , Cape Finesterre , Lumber, feet. . . . . . .3.712.69 3. CIO. OOO 3.599,000 3.557.01X1 3.5O0.0OO 3.4O0.0OO S.250.00U 3.120.533 ::.04:;.ooo - . .. . .3.392.000 The year just closed witnessed un usually low rates in the foreign trade. 1906. Cleared Entered I Cleared Tona I Tons. Entered I Cleared , Tona I Tons. Tona 97, 85, 66. 82. 84. 61, 69, 63, 79, 95. 85, 68. 898 057 62.250 71,864 67,106 65,391 57,025 55,852 73.476 62,065 "73,936 77,506 100.459 89.326 719! 346! 390; 8491 045! 642 189, 0991 828: 863; 596! 902! 46,827 50,027 49,244 34,713 51.785 50,127 57,696 43.995 52.468 SI. 539 60.200 63.409 78, 54, 5 6. 48, 36, 36, 56, 50, 43, 44. 79. 70, 812 642 291 369 673 696- 113 570 225 368 025 602 875 212 997 916 178' 40l! 918! 653' 770! 999i 94t.874ii846.245 831.468:j642.030 656,186 Throughout the year there- was an abundance of sail grain tonnage avail- . able at union rates of 27s 6d. and the ' supply was so far in excess of the de mand that in December the rate was suspended, and tonnage was a drug on the market at much lower figures. Steam, grain rates were slightly higher, but at no time during the year- was there anything like a scarcity of ton nage. . The improved channel in the river and the lopping off of many PQ.rt charge? have made Portland a very at tractive port for steamers, and at all times during the season it was possible to charter to steam tonnage on even terms with Puget Sounds which in the past has enjoyed a differential. City Is to' Pave 100 Miles Present Hard Surface Area Will Be Jlore Than Doubled in 1910. By James W. Morris. Cily Engineer. PORTLAND has come to a realization of Its need for good streets. It has repudiated the low-priced but ex pensive gravel and macadam. This is as it should be, for from the time of the ancient Romans to the present day the engineering profession has experimented with crushed rock as a pavement and has yet to build one road which will remain in good surface for any appreciable length of time. We have now projected for the coming year 100 miles of hard-surface pavement. Our earliest pavements were made of plank, which, in those times, could be cut almost on the site of the street. Next followed the macadam and gravel and, t f .' CLASSIFIED PERMITS SHOW OUTLAY FOR NEW BUILDINGS IN PORTLAND DURING 1909. Statistics prepared from the records of City Building Inspector Dobson show in interesting detail the number of building; permits issued during 3909 and the expenditure for the. various classes of structures. The total building expenditure was $13,562,553. as compared wit$10 505 151 for 190S an increase of $3.07.404.-The growth of the business section is shown by the issuance of 120 permits for Class A, B and C structures that cost S4 9-7 "or and of 58 permits for reinforced concrete structures, costing: $1,271,520. Two thousand, three hundred and eighty-eight dwellings were built 'all 'but 194 on the East Side. For these $3,100,720 was expended- In compiling these figures the Building Inspector s estimate for the latter part of December !l Sheds and Barns. Repairs. Value. January. . . February. . , March April May June July August September. October. . . . November. . December. . Totals. . . . 53 72 115 114 95 95 146 168 ,179 158 119 120 29,4151 41,900 6S.875! 61,6401 59.320 60,030! 61,775! 50,940; 53,550 50.000' 21 42 54 62 46 43 50 .45 43 68 46 45 1434 $639,075; 565 to a small extent, the ''Nicholson" wood pavement. In 1895 there were approxi mately nine miles of hard-surface pave ments, four miles of which were stone block roadway on streets near the river and parallel with it; the other five miles being asphalt pavement covering Morri son, Washington and Third streets. Only five years ago there was not one square yard of hard-surface pavement east of the Willamette River. Toflay, with a city covering an area of 51 square miles, we have 1500 miles of streets, 61 miles of which are covered by hard-surface pavement. - During the past year there have been completed 17 miles tof hard surface pavement, six miles on the west side and 11 miles on the east side of the river. , . . The present administration has brought about a reduction ifw', cost of paving to the extent of abouVT2 percent. The significance of this statement is not real ized at a casual glance, .but is when one stops to consider that' for the 100 miles of hard-surface pavement projected for the year 1910, this will effect a saving of $35 to each of 16,000 lots affected and the total saving to the property holders will be seen to rise above $500,000.- And this is not yet the end. Resolu tions and petitions are being filed 'every day for more hard surface. - and it is hard "to foretell what the total mileage will be by . the time Spring opens up and the work begins. Unfortnuately for our beautiful city, the Winters are not adapted to the carrying on of street im provements and we must "make hay while the sun shines." which. I regret to say, is for just one-half of the year. The hard-surface pavements laid during 1910 will be limited only by the capacity of the contractors' -plants. Every possible detail is being carefully arranged so that when the good weather bell taps in the Spring the improvements will start off with a rush. The original recorded plat contained" approximately 290 acres and gave 16' miles of streets to the public, being about equally divided between north and south and east and west streets. The north and south streets were dedicated 80 feet in width, except Front, First and Second streets, which w'ere 60 feet wide: all east .and west streets were 60 feet in width, and all practically remain as originally platted, with the exception of Second street, which has since been widened to -70 feet as far south as Madison street. The making of the north and south streets the widest indicates that the ex pectation at that time was to turn them into business thoroughfares, but subse quent years and growth beyond expec tation have congested the north and south streets near the river and have brought about the natural spreading of business toward the west. The value of a tract" of ground for business purposes- is governed by the number of people that pass the site. The bulk of city trade in the early days came in from the prairies beyond the western hills, from Tualatin plains and other parts of Washington County. Morrison and Washington streets were the main ave nues of travel between the country and the city, and this acted as an impetus toward business growth along those streets. In later years that portion of the city between the business section and the hills on the west became the most thickly settled residence district. The east and west streets have followed up the advan tage they acquired in the early days. This is particularly unfortunate in view of the narrowness of our east and west streets, and the time must come in fact, it is upon us when some provision must be made for relieving the congestion in the "traffic carried on in an easterly and westerly direction. This is a serious un dertaking, as it will necessitate the slic ing off of many , costly buildings, the best of which have been built in the past few years. The sewers are being well taken care of and occasion no uneasiness. One of the first acts of the incoming administration- was to clean up the muddle of the Brooklyn sewer. This piece of work represents an expenditure of over one quarter of a million dollars. It has now been accepted by the city and plans are being filed for the laterals for this great district, comprising four square miles. By February 1 the entire district will be ready for the contractors. v The next im portant trunk sewer to be built will be theSSullivan Gulch sewer and will drain a -territory eight or nine square miles. The field work has been completed and plans are being drawn up In the office preparatory to the construction of the city's largest sewer. PORTLAND IS SOLVING PROBLEM OF TRAFFIC ACROSS WILLAMETTE RIVER Hawthorne-A venue Bridge, Which Will Be Completed Early Next Summer, and Broadway and Rail road Spans. Soon to Be Erected, Will Increase Facilities More Than Twofold. By JE. E. Howard. PORTLAND is a city with remark able natural advantages of loca tion. As is usually the case, nat ural advantages must be developed to make them actual advantages, and the laws ofjBature that fix responsibilities in proportion to opportunities, lay on the city a tax for this possession.. Portland has her extensive practi cally level area well adapted for a bus iness section, well equipped with low grade streets from freight stations to warehouses, from warehouses to re tailers and yet she has her hills and her river. Surely many cities have riv ers, and many claim to have hills, but their hills are usually insignificant compared to Portland Heights, and . their rivers are not comparable to the Willamette. Strangers coming from other cities of local reputation as "high," can best appreciate the mag nificence of Portland's hills, and those from such undulating; areas as Pitts burg, Kansas City or Seattle can most readily see Portland's remarkable com bination of overtopping hills and yet a level area large enough for the busi ness district, of the city Portland -will become in the next 100 years. Equally remarkable is her river slt uation. The Willamette is a wide riv er, it is a deep river, it is one of the Dwellings, I East Side. Dwellings, West Side. Value. No. Value. Value, i) 22,250 23.1G5 . 22,600 34,755 9.455 76 159 22 244 1S6 205 166 189 227 202 158 160 138,300! 307,373! 438,460; 502.850j 356.5 1 5 j 433,4001 347,755' 404,150 466.7751 434.2551 306.8751 300,0001 5 10 f 13.E00; 31.050! 23,100; 46,650' 84,700- 102,500, 53,600, 114,900! 44.800 70,250; 28,800 50,000! 14.040 16,300! 10,565! 20,600 1 2, 31 19 19 11 15 13,130 18,705 15,000 $220,563 2194 $4,436,770 194 I $663,950 great rivers of thiscountry. Compare it with the Eastern, rivers your school geographies and histories made great to you by width, by depth, by actual discharge, and you will be surprised at the dwindling of those streams with such mighty names. Here is another .unusual thing to con sider: While the principal business dis trict, the principal hotels, theaters, and municipal buildings, with a very sub stantial and densely- populated resi dence district, are and always will be west of the river, the larger part of v the resident population Is, and ever will be in increasing proportion, on the east side of the river. This seems natural to Portlamders, but its uniqueness, where a river even approaching the size of the Willamette, is considered, is apparent by looking at other cities. This is what makes Portland's bridge problem a large one the size of the river, -the proportion of the -population across the river.' Omit New York as PORTLAND POSTAL RECEIPTS FOR 1909, $778,552. Business activity and growth in population are reflected by the rapid increase in stamp sales of the Portland postoffice. During 1909 postal receipts of the local office showed a gain of nearly $100,000. the total business amounting to $778,552:11 Every month brought added business over the corresponding month of 1908, with the exception of January, when there was a decrease of $1,039.51. The largest gain was in No vember, which made an advance of $15,128.66, amounting to 29.07 per cent. December, 1908, ws a phenomenal month,- the receipts reaching , b.is J.ol. in tne loiiowing table estimated, a gain of 10 per cent being allowed. real total will run higher. MONTH. January February March. April May June. .. .. . . July August. . .. September. October. . . November. December. . Totals. Decrease. ielng beyond comparison j-ith any American city, and you will hardly find a city in this country with comparable conditions. To be sure. Chicago has a river and a multitude of bridges across it,- but comparably it is an insignificant creek which could flow down Sullivan's Gulch and hardly discommode the rail road track. New Orleans has the Mis sissippi to the east, south and west, bnt is all practically on one side. Kansas City, Omaha and St. Joseph all are on one side only of the Missouri River, with perhaps a small residence district across, a negligible proportion of their population. East St. Louis, slightly larger, has not 5 per cent of the popu lation of St. Louis. Pittsburg keeps the greater part of her population on oneside of the Monongahela, and Har risburg is content to straggle along one , side the Louisville, So Portland's bridge problem is unique, and this is the way it has been met. When the "bridges now under construction and contemplated imme diate construction are finished, there will be the following bridges across the Willamette within the city limits: -The - Spokane, Portland & Seattle Bridge, near St. John, providing for double-track railway service. As pro vision for river traffic, this bridge has a large swing span of usual type. The .structure Is large and heavy, and when development down the river 'requires it, roadways for vehicular traffic could be provided on cantilevers outside the trusses on each side, at no excessive cost and without serious inconvenience to the railway traffic, it Is proo.ble that such arrangement was considered In the design, but no information on the subject is available. The proposed Broadway Bridge, near the Unioir Depot, about four blocks from the present Steel Bridge, will pro- vide a 70-foot total width for street cars, vehicles and pedestrians. , It is to give a clearance at the center of 65 feet above high water, and is to have a double bascule span to permit the pas- sage of higher boats and masted ves sels. For me time it will provide principally for streetcar traffic, for a certain volume of vehicular travel, and for a light pedestrian traffic. The lat ter is more likely to choose the shorter and more direct routes. Plans are now being prepared for .the Broadway Bridge. It is expected to cost between one and a half and two million dollars -7 the amount of the bonds voted for it. A word of description may be desirable. A bascule bridge is one which is hinged .at one end and swings upward about that hinge to au upright position. A double bascule is one that has two such hinged spans one on each side' the chaitnel, that come together for bridge traffic, and eacli rotates upward to open for boats. The O. R. & N. Bridge, on Glisan streetproviding a 73-foot total width for. streetcars, vehicles and pedestrians, and for a double-track railway on a separate deck.' Tt is thus to be the bridge of greatest capacity on the riv er, providing for as much traffic as both, the S. P. S. Bridge, near St.. John, and the proposed Broadway Buildings. Class A, B. C. Reinforced Concrete. Frame Busi ness Blocks. Xo. lue. No. Value. I No. Value. 4 $ 54,000 1 1 9 $ 47,950; 4 453,330! 13 70.030; 6 35,600! 28 72,475 12 - 74,200! 28 216. 800! 2 '30,130! 30 263.000' X 80..SOU ' 13 42.8(I0'I 5 47,320 ! 3 1 . 70,800 f 2 22,000! 23 127.750, 4 14,000 17 1 93.700 3 323.600 5 I 195,500 5 104,500 9 49,500: 3 50,000 ' 7 50,000, 58 $f.271.320 I 19 $1,300,325! 5 14 10 15 5 9 12 17 6 10 10 120.0001 393,950! 208.023! 710.300! 356,00o! 1 19,000" 307,000! 254.000i 582,450; 6r4,000! 272,500 ,000,000 120 1 4,937,225 Bridge. This bridge is to have a tele scoping vertical lift span. . The rail way deck will be below, and will he arranged to lift to a height of 53 feet above high water, to permit the pass age of the smaller river traffic without in any way interfering with the high way traffic on the upper deck. For masted vessels the entire span, both lower and upper decks, will be. lifted clear above the highest masts. The j. plans for this bridge have been under way for some time, and the coming year may see the bridge completed. The present O. R. & N. Bridge, called of old the "Steel .Bridge," provides a double track , railway and an overhead road way, and is'29 feet clear above low wa- ' ter. As it has an ordinary swing- span, all bridge traffic must be stopped for almost every tug. It is understood that this new bridge will cost about $1,300,000. The Burnside-street bridge, provid ing" a 50-foot roadway for streetcars. the figures for- December. 1909. are but it is probable the 1908. $ 58,952.27 50,443.39 55,001.47 57,905.24 55,086.67 54,640.46 55,121.49 53,494.30 54,034.46 57.809.12 52, 042.58 76,282.51 $680,813.96 1909. 57,912.76 58.276.57 62.013.86 61.287.97 63,570.47 65,006.94 64,769.81 60,835.62 66,945.25 66,870.91 67,371.24 83,171.24 778,552.11 Increase. $ 1.039.51 7,833. 3 S 7.01S.39 3,382. 7JJ S.4S3.SO 10.366.48 9,648.32 7,321.32 12,910.79 9,061.79 15,128.66 7,628.20 $97,738.15 vehicles and pedestrians. It has a swing span, giving two channels, each 157 feet wide, and is at a clear height of 42 feet above low water. Excepting the Steel bridge, so soon to b"e re moved, this is the oldest bridge now on the river. It was built in 1892. and cost about $360,000. Tihe Morrison-street bridge, provid ing for same traffic as the Burnside, but with a total width of 54 feet and a clear height above low water of 34 feet. This excellent structure was built in 1904, and cost the city about $450,000. It has a swing span of usual type. An engineer conversant with the design and construction of many swing spans re cently stated he never had seen a span which operated more evenly and smoothly, was opened more readily or was more sensitive to control than the ewing span of this bridge. The whole bridge, if properly painted and kept in repair, will do service for many years to come. It is called on to carry an enormous and continuous traffic, sit uated as it is on the principal high way fi-o-n the West Side. The Hawthorne-avenue bridge, with a total width of 65 feet, provides for both wide and narrow-gauge street ears and for vehicular and pedestrian traffic The roadways are so arranged as to separate the various traffic so that streetcars will be able to run at full speed without danger. It will be at a height to give 50 clear Ceet above low water, so that for the greater part of .the year, at ordinary stages of the river, many smaller boats will be able to pass below. To provide for larger boats and masted vessels, there is to be a lift span 244 feet long, thus giv ing one wide channel for the river. The lift span can' be raised vertically between towers, being kept always in a horizontal position,, to the height re quired for the greatest ships. Its time for operation to total height will be one minute. As, however, it will only rarely have to be lifted to maximum height, the average time will be much less. Also, the span need not be raised till the boat is almost to it, and can be dropped as soon as the boat has ad vanced say 100 feet to clear it. V'ork on the foundations of this bridge has been under way for some ' months, and but for the recent unex pected rise of the river three piers would be finished now. The approaches are practically oompleted and a por tion of the steel of the superstructure has been delivered. It is stated by those in charge that the structure wiil be ready for traffic early next Sum mer. This will provide immediate and much needed relief for the southeastern district. Hawthorne avenue is a splen did highway, 75 feet wide, and by the time the bridge is ready will be paved clertr out to the city limits. On the West Side. Madison street gives imme diate access to all the downtown streets. The Hawthorne-avenue bridge takes the place of the old Madison-street bridge, being on exactly the same loca tion. This bridge is longer between harbor lines than any other bridge now built or proposed. Its total cost is to be $450,000. A summary of widths or highways at the present time and when these bridges are all built is as follows: Highways, Carways, sidewalks. NOW. Taot. Morrison-street bridge fit Rtirnside-street bridge no leel bridge ---"........,...111 32 Total THEX. Hawthorne-avenue bridge . . . 138 Feet. . . . S Exca va tions. Totals. No. ( Value. No. Value. 6'$ 5,900 6,70i 16.2501 4.0001 3.200! 7.7251 12.200! 179 .)0 449 505 3S2 400 $ ,431,415 1,329,540 885.385 3,651 1,1 42 400 6 I ,300 4 406 931,570 996.345 2,950li 473 4,200! 6,0001 09 1.288,301) 464 359 353 75 1.000 3,000 83 1,51 ,.430 i.OOt) 48 I $73.125!:I801 $13,562.555 Morrison-street bridge ......... Hurnside-street bridge. ......... O. It. X. bridge Broadway bridge Votal 314 Superficial Area Between Harbor Line. NOW. ' Sauare ft. Morrison-street bridge ...... Rurnside-srreet bridge ...... Steel bridge, Total v THEX. Hawthorne-avenue bridge .. Morrison-street bridge ..... Rurnwide-street bridge....... O. R. & N. bridee Rroadway bridge 50,040 -42,n lS,56it . . . .120.500 Square ft. S7.750 50.U40 .... 42.0OO . . . 53,625 . . . . 53.9(10 Total 207,23 5 Traffic Abreaxt That Can Move Over Bridges NOW. Pedes- Ejtreetcars-. Wgono. trians. Morrison bridga 2 2 ft Kurnsule bridge ..... .2 1 8 Steel bridge .-..2 .. 6 Total 6 3 23 THEX. Pedes- Streetcars. Wagons trians. HawLhorne-ave. bridge Morrison-street bridge-. 2 Burnside-street bridge.. 2 O. R. 4 X. bridge 2 Brcadway bridge - Totals 10 9 40 But of particular interest for the new year is a comparison of what is avail able now .with what will probably be available a year from now. The Haw thorne bridge will be long finished and in use and the new O. R,. & N. bridge wllk be so nearly finished that it may be counted in. for an exceptional season might' finish it. It is not expected that the Broadway bridge will be ready for traffic till, a considerably later date. Omitting this from our calculations, we will have: Total Width of Bridges. Feet. Available January 3, 1910. ..... 133 Available January 1. 193 1. ......... H ... . 244 Traffic MovIdst l-'ully Abreast. Pedes- Streeteaxs. Wagons, triane. January 1, J910 6 :i 22 January 3, lull 8 7 32 . There remains but one more step to expedite the travel over the bridges, and that is the one that Mayor Simon has been advocating and working so earnestly for in the past several months. There must be times set mornlng-and evening when the street traffic has the right of way and the draws remain closed. "This method is in vogue in some cities, and isonly a recognition of the democratic principle of the great est good for the greatest number. And the modest period asked for cannot work serious harm to the shipping when it has once been established and is understood If the schedule asked by Mayor Simon is not speedily granted by the War Department, it is high time the citfzens at large give their definite support to the Mayor in his attempts and advise their Congressmen and Sen ators and their Washington influences that this is a crying need, a public de mand that must be heard. And the next logical step will . be either a tunnel for the sole use of streetcars or else a high bridge for the sole use of streetcars. For sole use, because in either case the maxi mum speed could be maintained, fixed only by the power capacity of the cars, and long, steep grades, needed for eith er case, which would make team traffic impracticable, could be used. Such a high bridge, giving ample .clearance at all times, high above all ships, could probably be built for less money than, a tunnel, and if the growth of the city on the East Side continues toward St. John would naturally be located taking off the eastern bluffs some where near Swrfh Island. A tunnel would naturally turn the other way, beginning at some point like Third and Washington, thence running upstream to make the descend ing grade, till perhaps above Madison street, where the river- shallows to about 30 feet, then sweeping across un der the river, with its roof just below this 30-foot channel depth, in an easy curve, and climbing again downstream direction on the East Side. This would give straight tracks, with few curves, permitting high speed, and would be better than going to a greater depth, with steeper grades and perhaps less distance. A tunnel for highway traffio and pedestrians is absolutely unfeasible, so it must- be buijt for streetcars cnly. This would make it equally logical to build a high bridge for streetcars alor.e at, as above stated, a reduced ex'penditure. V But one or the other musf come, for the great desideratum, uninterrupted travel, cannot be bad in ur other wax. V-