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CURRENT TOPICS OF INTEREST
FOR MEN AND WOMEN READERS
MATTERS OF SOME -IMPORT TO
DWELLERS IN TOWN AND COUNTRY,
-P
VOL. XIX.
POHTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, .MARCH 11, 1900.
TWENTY-FOUR PAGES
PAGES 13 TO 24
NO. 10.
Wm. Gadsby
....THE HOUSEFURNISHER....
GADSBY BLOCK Corner First and Washington
WW
JL-
Q HI (II UpG
We would like...
to talk with you about
furnishing your house.
You may be
surprised
If you have never looked through
our Immense stock, to know that we
furnish houses complete from kitchen
to front hall.
"We can tell you exactly what It all
will cost, and the very least it can be
made to cost.
Our Spring novelties
in furniture ,, 1
and carpets
"Will please you, and our prices are
as low as Is consistent with legitimate
business.
1VB SELL
OX EASY TERMS
IN THE CITY
Stoves, Ranges, Baby Carriages,
Refrigerators, etc.
WIVLGADSBY,The Housefurnisher
The Gadby Block, Cor. Washington and First Sts.
We carry in stock
Wiiton, Axminster
Moquette, Smyrna
and Reversible Rugs
Carpets
Axminster
Body Brussels
Moquette, Roxbury
Velvet Tapestry
Brussels
Rajah Ingrain and
Two-ply ingrains
Furniture
Brass, Metallic and Iron
Bedsteads
Mahogany, Blrdseye Maple
Birch and
Golden Oak Chamber
Suits, Chiffoniers
Dressing Tables, Dress
ers, Wash stands, etc.
Parlor Suits, Davenports
Rockers, Corner Chairs
Bookcases, Desks
Whatnots, Cabinets
Lounges, Hail Trees
Couches, Sofa Beds all of
new and exceptionally
pretty designs.
Special this week
Oak Chamber Suits, French beveled
mirror In dresser, 24x30
Inches :
11
1 nPFfnniNf'nTYPAPPFSFMT
r -Vi" "" VOR tho many years bT the Federal Government, In 1S43 the the afternoon, when there was a dinner. &W Wv 'imf nJi! Hfejlmrt
KsLi .thnt th fin r the American residents established a tempo- At midnight supper came, and all sat down -W ' ffl I ,-.,, J 18 kM& ffetP 7
5,OR tho many years
that the flag of the
United States has
floated over Oregon
her history has been
one of romance. The
picturesque adven
tures of Qaptain
Bonneville appealed
particularly to the
greatest of all Amer
ican, romancers,
"Washington Irving;
and the later expedi
tions of Lewis and
Clark and their hand
of Intrepid followers
the men who "con
quered the wilder
ness and fashioned
the slate" read like
pages from a fairy
tale. Interest In this
land of romancecen
ters at the great
Palls of the "Willam
ette. In this historic
region, the most his
toric spot is Oregon
City. What Ply
mouth -Rock is .to
grim and Weak New England; what St.
Augustine is to sunny Florida; -what
Jamestown Is to the -whole country; that is
Oregon City to Oregon State and the Pa
cific North-west.
Situated at tho great Falls of the "Wir
lamette, 12 miles aboe Portland, it Is dos
rined to become a great manufacturing
city. As with the -water power furnished
by Niagara, or -at the Falls of Spokane,
nature hasiJjffen lavIMln her expenditures
at jbregonIty. Its prossjetiijb jfcommer-
-clal Importance does not alone make It
prominent ClusteredJarouna Jljefold town
are legendaryloreJ!andJthlstorlc traditions
t that-make it dear to the hearts. of rolUOre-
tgon people.
First Immlffrnilon.
The first Immigration of American peo
ple to the fertile "Willamette "Valley was
In 1&12. when a band of hardy emigrants
crossed the plains and mountains and set-
tied at tho Falls of the "Willamette, -which
spot afterwards became Oregon City and
the first capital of Oregon Territory.
Thirteen j'ears previous to this Dr. John
McLoughlln, the chief factor of the Hud
son's Bay Company, -west of the Rocky
Mountains, appropriated a large tract of
land, whero Oregon City now stands.
Between Dr. McLoughlln and the early
missionaries who settled there, much liti
gation folio-wed concerning the ownership
of this land; but that is another story, and
the matter was finally adjudicated. Dr.
McLoughlln might be called the uncrowned
king of that great area, a vast domain
lying between the Rockies and the Pacific
Ho had absolute control over t!he property
and even the lives of the 600 employes of
the Hudson's Bay Company. In. order
that ho might legally hold this Oregon
City tract of land he renounced allegiance
to tho Kingdom of Great Britain and be
came a citizen of the United States. In
the old cemetery at Oregon City, among
the mosses and tho -lichens, -where the
briars and the ferns and the flowers grow,
exempt no more from the ravages of time
than the other rude stones that mark this
somewhat neglected spot, stands a plain
marble slab. Under this lies all that is
mortal of Dr. John McLoughlln. During
his life he "was the guiding spirit of Ore
gon's destiny; after his death his mem
ory remained green In the hearts of the
, people.
' A Ul of History.
Prior to 1S4) the few Americans who
wore In Oregon braved many kinds of
appallinif death. Their only protection
was their own prowess, and scores of
them fell prey to the hordes of red-skinned
savages who -roamed through the valleys
and mountain fastnesses. The .river, from
Oregon City to the sea, is lined with his
toric spots, the scenes of historic acts
performed by these men. Tidings of tho
wonderful beauty of the Willamette Val
ley, the great fertility of Its soil, the per
ennial greenness of its verdure, reached
the East, and In the early '40s Immigration
turned Oregonward. Oregon was debatable
ground, over which the United States re
fused to extend its jurisdiction. Ignored
WipartlcuIarly to the grants to arrive in 1842, was emplojed the high water swept It away in l&n. Jir. vjMi RT 08zg&g02f " 3 A M fa I
S Yv irrontnot rf ail Amtf. He ti- MT.miehiin tn nint th tnsntitt Baum continued in the hotel buslnesd, and, - -71 srSJ Vi iaLs&I V X v !l K??tS I
kKEEZP:
by the Federal Government, In 1SI3 the
American residents established a tempo
rary civil government for the Territory
of Oregon and founded the capital at Ore
gon City. That was the year that the site
of Portland was claimed by "William Over
ton, who, it may be remarked, parentheti
cally, was afterwards hanged in Texas.
S. "W. Moss, who was among the emi
grants to arrive in 1842, was emplojed
by Dr. McLoughlln to plat the townsite.
He did his engineering with a pocket com
pass and a rope, and mapped out he city
on tho right bank of tho "Willamette, be
tween the river and the high bluff of
basalt rock. The city now lies on both
banks of the river, and some of the pret
tiest residences are or top of the bluffs.
The first capltol buildins of the territory
was a rude cabin of split logs, -with slab
seats for the members. Here, also, was
built the first Protestant Church on tho
Pacific Slope, In North or South America.
This quaint old Methodist Church was
In the center of the old part of the town,
and on the .same lot grows the first apple
tree planted in Oregon. That part of tho
town oni the west side of the river was at
one time called Xynn. It is now all within
the same corporation.
"When the capital was established here,
the place was called "Willamette Falls. The
seat of government was moved from the
falls to Salem; thence to Corvallis and
again to Salem;, where the State Buildings
were erected. For many years the village
was kept In a .ferment of excitement by
the fear of Indians and by the Indians
themselves. Peace was secured with tho
savages only at Intervals, and most of the
fighting forces were raised at Oregon City.
It was here that Klockstock, a sub-chief
of the Molalla tribe, who was a cruel
and bad-tempered man, caused much
trouble. A code of laws had been pre-
pared -by DaiMhJ.dunder
these a'reward of J10"was1oflered for, the
apprehension, of a relative of Klockstock,
-who had injured a Methodist Missionary
named Perkins.
Klockstock and four of his braves
lted Oregon City in ISM, to talk the mat
ter over. The chief was around the town
for a half hour or so, and then rode
across the river to procure an Interpreter.
It was then that an attempt was made to
arrest him, and he was killed while re
sisting. His four followers escaped, but
George "W. Le Briton, a settler, was
killed and a man named Rogers was shot
in the arm with a poisoned arrow, and af
terwards died. This inconsiderate act
caused much trouble, and the Provisional
Government was forced to form a mllltla
company. Tho Indians looked upon these
acts of the whites and the Protestant Mis
sionaries as cause and effect, and many a
blow that was Intended for the Indians
really fell oa tho Missionaries. The mur
der of Dr. Marcus "Whitman and wife and
other massacres of Missionaries can prob
"ably bo traced to hasty and injudicious
deeds of tho whites.
The First Ball."
The first great social function that oc
curred In Oregon, of which there la any
authentic record known to the narrator,
was a cotillion party given at Oregon
City, Just 50 years ago. This' was prob
ably the first formal function given by
Americans west of the Rocky Mountains.
An Invitation to this party follows. It Is
printed on pale blue paper, of English
manufacture, with a Hon In the upper
right-hand corner. Just below tho head,
ing Is a cut of the American eagle. The
Invitation reads:
COTILLION PARTT.
Tour company la rcepectfully solicited
to attend a cotillion party, to be glen
on Thursday, the 10th day of October,
at the Oregon House. Party to com
mence at 7 o'clock.
Managers:
Noes Smith.
Jos. Ralston.
George- McCarty,
Wm. S. Ogden,
A. Post.
F. S. Holland,
Andrew Jackson,
Jno. P. Brooks.
Oregon City, October 4. 1850.
In those days, dancing parties began ear
ly and continued all night. Sometimes the
festivities began as early as 4 o'clock In
vis- Iff
tho afternoon, when there was a dinner.
At midnight supper came, and all sat down
to a hearty breakfast at sunrise. Sleep
did not come in for consideration at alL
The "Oregon House," at which this dance
occurred, was a small, two-story frame
building, on tho bank of the river, be
tween Third and Fifth streets, and was
owned and operated by Jacob Baum, until
the high water swept it away in 1S51. Mr.
Baum continued in the hotel business, and,
after this mishap, purchased the Main
Street House from Mr. .Moss, who had
built It In 1&I5, on the lot -where Young'
Livery Stable now stands. This was first
used as a hotel; then as barracks for the
First Regiment of Mounted Rifles, most
of which was here in 1S49 and 1S50. Mr.
Baum enlarged his purchase and rechrist
ened It the Oregon House, which caused
many people to be mistaken In the identity
of the original Oregon House.
Traditions of tlws. Ball.
Tradftlon has .much to say concerning
this ball, those who attended and their
costumes. One man wore a broadcloth
suit that he had brought around Capa
Horn to California, and thence to Oregon.
A few of the Army officers bad blue coats,
and there were a few silk dresses. One
young woman wore a wine-colored Eng
lish cashmere, balloon-skirted and tight
walsted, but with the waist fastened up
the back with a bristling array of pins
whose threatening points protruded, to the
Intimidation of her partners, in the giddy
mazea of the -waltz. The music on this
occasion was furnished by three en,
with accordions, and one "fiddler," who
were seated on a high platform in tha
center of the ballroom.
Tho site of Oregon City -was selected by
Nature. Just here a range of basaltic
hills, several hundred feet In height, cross
es the "Willamette, or rather the "Willam
ette has plowedp.ltSg way Jnroughthcm.
Ainanlowwater(3tfalh?JhIeTiara'
semi-circular In shape, are 40 feet In
W 1
height. From shore to shore they meas
ure a half mile. There are several small
islands at the brink which divides the
stream, and -which does not all fall In
one body. Tho factories are located on
both sides of the river. The main busi
ness portion of the city Is SO feet above
the stream. In the southern portion of
tho town Is an elevation which reaches
330 feet above tho river. From this point
tho view is sublime. As far as the eye
can reach, either to the north or to the
south, can be seen the beautiful "Willam
ottte, meandering through the fertile Val
ley, its banks covered with a carpet of
poronnlal green. A dozen Valley to-wns
can be seen, and a good view of Portland
Is had.
Beautiful View.
Tho elevation on the -west side is greater
than on tho east side, though the cliffs are
not so precipitous, except on the imme
diate banks of the stream. From this
height, tho entire city on the opposite
bank is spread out like a panorama.
This picturesque beauty alone -would make
Oregon City famous. The falls are not
simply a series of rapids, like so many
that are noted, but here the whole volume
of tho river plunges over a cliff of solid
basalt, forming a cataract of much power
and beauty. From the falls the river
flows between solid vertical walls of ba
saltic rock, 25 to 50 feet high and of beau
tiful columnar formation. Hero is tho
confluence of the Clackamas River. Both
the Cascade Mountains and tho Coast
Range can be seen. Mount Hood looms
up, 50 miles away. To the north Mount
St. Helens, and to the east. Mount Adams,
come boldly Into view, and on the south
can be seen the Three Sisters and Mount
Jefferson. All these peaks are perpetual
ly clad in snow and Ice.
Great and historic as has been Oregon
City's past, it is to the future it must
look for Its most lasting fame. This It
-will owe to Its matchless water power.
According to investigations made by the
Oregon City Board of Trade, the "Willam
ette River discharges Into the Columbia
15.000 cubic feet of water per second. The
only tributary it receives below the falls
Is the Clackamas River, which Is In
significant. The Clackamas does not dis
charge over 2700 cubic feet per second.
Thus, the volume of water at the falls- Is
12,300 cubic feet, and these are dry-season
figures. This would make the capacity
of the falls 56,000 horse-power. During
most of the year, it is several times this
amount.
The falls of St. Anthony, at Minneapo
lis, furnish only 20,000 horse-power. At
M -. .j:T VJ W fl ,
Mil ft IT Zisaa553SsSr-JCa fW It MtcCtt I
Great Falls, Mont. 33,000 horse-power Is
developed. At Niagara 100.000 horse-power
has been developed, which -saves the City
of1 Buffalo tt.-C0O.Ott) i annually in fuel
alone. None of these great water powers,
possess moro advantages than the falls
of "Willamette, at Oregon City, "afford? ,
This great power Is practically undevel
oped. Not over 1S.000 horses-power is be
ing used. This is considerably more than
the total water-power of Lowell, Mass.
Boats on the "Willamette pass around ,
the falls by means of a canal on the- west
side. In this canal there are four 11ft
locka, of 10 feet each. This canal also
feeda tho water wheels of several mills,
though it was not originally Intended for
this purpose. The canal was built in 1872.
It is about one-third of a mile long, and
the whole distance la cut through almost
solid rock. It 'cost over,, a halt million
dollars;
iKL
Prior to 1SSS, all the water power privi
leges at Oregon City were owned by tho
"Willamette Transportation and Locks
Company. In that year the "Willamette
Falls and Electric Company was organ
ized, and it obtained most of the rights of
the old company. This company had in
view the generation of electricity and
transmitting It to Portland for Illuminat
ing purposes. It accomplished Its object,
and this Is the first Instance where elec
tricity was transmitted to so great a
distance, to furnish light or power, on so
large a scale.
Brouprht -to First Ranlc.
The Portland General Electric Com
pany was Incorporated In 1852,. with a"
capital of -"WoO.COO. - B&rh""the old'
companies were merged Into the new one.
which contained some Eastern capitalists.
"With this organization began plans that
brought the Oregon City water power up
to first rank. The company owns the
water power, the locks, the canal and
1C00 acres of land.
Tho electric-power station forr turning
the falls Into commercial use, comprises
a great plant. The capacity is W.OOO'1 horse
power. The concrete foundation of thl3
station was laid on bed rock, at the bot
tom of the river, 30 feet below the sur
face of the water. The foundation does
not have walls, but is a solid mass of con
crete. The canal was made 80 feet wide
for a long distance aind. In fact, all the
old plans were broadened. The following
table, showing the water-power capacity,
the number of employes, and the value
of tho products of Oregon City, was pre
pared by H. E. Cross, of that place, and
Is authentic:
Interesting? Statistics.
Aprox.
annual
"Water- No. prod
power, hired, uct.
Oregon City Ice Plant.. 150 10
Portland Flouring Mills. 250 25 500.000
Or. City Woolen Mills.. 500 350 500.000
Or. City Pumping Station 100
"Willamette Pulp & Pa
per Co 0.000 500 1.725.000
Portland General Elec
tric Co 0.700 10
Capen Sho Co. 25 11 25.000
Total 17.725 1037 ?3.150.000
Of raw material, 1.500,000 pounds of
wool, 40.000 cords of -wood, 15.000.000 feet
of wood for paper making, and a million
bushels of wheat are anuually utilized.
Nine hundred barrels of flour and SO tons
of paper are manufactured every day. A
new pulp mill was put In operation last
year.
Six thousand people live at Oregon City.
It Is the county seat of Clackamas Coun
ty, and tho public buildings of the county
are located here. The principal business
thoroughfares of the city are paved with
vitrified brick. It is an educational cen
ter. Seven large schoolhouscs are In the
city and Immediate suburbs, and a Chau
tauqua Is conducted at Gladstone Park,
three miles away. As a residential town,
Oregon City's 'advantages are unsur
passed. The great scenic beauty, the sa
lubrity of the climate, the sanitation, the
congeniality of the people, and the close
proximity of the town to tho metropolis
(Portland), unite to make this an ideal
home city. In a way, it Is a center of
learning and culture.
It is a town of homes and churches, as
well as a manufacturing center. As Port
land continues to grow, "eo 'will the popu
lation of Oregon City .increase. Trans
portation between the two cities Is easy,
cheap and rapid. Portland morning pa
pers are received before breakfast, and
the afternoon papers arrive before 6
o'clock. Residences and pretty suburban
towns are springing up alf along tho
55sVTfl$K
HvJA J v u f
river, and tho electric lino between the
falls and- Portland.
The first newspaper published on the
Pacific Coast, or west of the Rocky
Mountains, was established at Oregon
City, in 1S4G. This was the Oregon Specu
lator, which was printed on a "Washing
ton hand press that was brought to tho
territory from the Sandwich Islands.
Later on, a paper was printed at Mll
waukie, between Oregon City and Port
land, and in 1S50 the first issue of The
Oregonlan was printed.
Oregon City has practically the samo
transportation facilities as Portlands
Steamers ply regularly on tfie river at all
seasons of the year, and the river Is nav
igablo 150 miles above the falls. The South
ern Pacific Railway paes through tho
city. The river not only gives means of
transportation, but serves to keep the
freight rates of the railroad down to tho
lowtst notch. It la believed that several
motor lines will soon he built, from tho
town to points In the surrounding country,
so as to more easily gather the products
of the valley.
Salmon come to the base of the falls, in
large schools. In pioneer days the Cal
lapoola Ipdlans used to catch them thero
In largo quantities, during tne months of
May and June, whenthey ran up stream.
In those tlraes?I was a'CommonvsIghtito
see as many as 50 or 100 large fishjieap
Ing out of the water at one time, endea
voring to climb tho falls.
i