The Sunday Oregonian., June 28, 1908, SECTION THREE, Page 8, Image 30

THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX. rvKTiaAnu, vnx; sss,
NOV
ELLING5 1 types of residences that make Portland celebrated as city of homes!
LEAD IN
Increase in Population of Port
land Evidenced by Build
ing Operations.
START ATTACK ON SHACKS
PERMITS , .- . . . ; :r
Proposal That Unsightly and Tumble-Down
Buildings Be Cleared
Out, From Business Districts.
Transfer Figures Inaccurate.
From examination of figures given In
nother column, showing the building
operations in Portland since the first of
the year, there is found a condition in the
growth of Portland that will surprise
those who have been paying little atten
tion to what is going on about them.
The erection of something like 2000
new residences in five months presents
Interesting features' beside the mere ex
tension of the city, for even if each new
house does not mean an additional family
moving Into the city, a conservative esti
mate would pat at least one-half the
jiumber of houses 'as having been built
by newcomers. Five thousand increase
in population is thus indicated by this
building record, which, of course, leaves
out of calculation those who have come
and found residence In apartments and
hotels.
One of the most gratifying features of
the statistics, to those who watch the
growth of Portland with pride, is the re
markable manner in which the number
of building permits for new residences
keeps up. In past years after a continued
era of building operations of four or five
months there was a falling off for a
while. This year there is no Indication
this is to happen the present Summer.
Reports from the architects" offices prove
that enough commissions are being exe
cuted to keep builders busy for months
to come. Dealers In building material
report as good demand for lumber, brick,
cement, hardware, paint and so all along
the line, as there was early in the season.
Interior Keeps Pace.
This condition in building operations is
not confined to Portland in Oregon, for
information comes from almost every dis
trict of the state that more houses are
being erected than in any previous year.
Among the larger cities of the state Ba
ker City. Salem. Pendleton. Eugene. Cor
vallis for example important buildings
are being erected and numbers of dwell
ings as well.
Among realty men the past week was
one of comparative Inactivity. There was
about the normai business done in mod
erately priced lots, making the recorded
transfers come pretty near the record or
recent weeks. The dealers who confine
their business to downtown business
sites, however, had little to report,
though each one seen during the week
made the same prediction next Fall will
bring a lively market as certainly as that
ilme shall come. The reasons given for
this belief are that a large number of in
quiries continue to come in from outside
sources and that crops of all kinds prom
ise to be as plentiful as those of last
year. That foreshows vast amounts of
surplus money in the state which will
seek the most favorable and safest In
vestment offered meaning Portland
realty.
Visitors to Portland from other large
cities of the country frequently remark
on two things that attract their atten
tion here. One is the small number of
"to let" signs found in a tour of the city,
nd the other the absence of "squalor
districts" so frequently found in the big
towns of the East and Middle West. As
a matter of fact, there are few to-let
cards to be found on buildings in Port
land, "and. tumble-down houses, what
there are of them, are scattered around
the city on sites owned by nonprogressive
landlords. In Chicago, for Instance, many
adjoining blocks may be found covered
with shacks in which the lowest and
most vicious people exist in some sort of
way. Such districts do not have a place
In Portland, for the Building Inspector
would not tolerate the existence of such
a district, which would be a constant fire
menace. If nothing' worse.
Widen Scope of Committee.
While the purpose of the recently or
ganized Civic Improvement. Committee,
acting under appointment by the Realty
Board, Is to suggest reform of methods
In vogue concerning the construction and
maintenance of parks, streets and boule
vards, a. proposal was made by a mem
ber of the board last week that the scope
of the committee's Influence be extended.
The suggestion was that the committee
take up the matter of improving the ap
pearance of the city through having the
city authorities order the removal of
unsightly, dilapidated shacks in the busi
ness districts of the city. There are sev
eral prominent corners and inside lots
with small worthless buildings remaining
alongside of imposing structures which
are a positive disgrace to the city. It Is
contended that these should receive the
attention of the Building Inspector or the
fire committee of the Executive Board,
and probably, in some cases, the Health
Officer.
"If it were possible to have these three
departments act conjointly in ridding the
city of these eyesores," added the realty
man. "we could have the city make a
much more favorable impression on vis
itors. In ease the owners of these lots
are at present not in a position to build
creditable structures on the sites, for
the love of heaven let them tear away
these old shacks and plant grass or roses
until they are ready to build."
Fortunately there are only a few such
places in Portland, but it Is a fact they
are in localities that make their exist
ence appear obtrusive.
Transfer Record Inaccurate.
The week's transfers averaged about
$40,000 a day. but the number of deeds
recorded with nominal considerations
again reached large proportions. Unless
tome plan is devised 'to overcome this
unfair practice, Portland's official records
will fall to furnish accurately the
amount of realty business transacted.
. Next week bids will be opened and ex
amined by the officials of the Union Meat
Company and Engineer Lombard, of the
Swift construction department. In case
local contractors bid for the piling and
foundation work within the estimate pre
pared by the company, it is the intention
of the officials to award the contracts as
soon as it can be done and work started
when the stage of water in the river will
permit. The plant of the Sulzberger &
Schwarzchild Company In South Port
land is rapidly being made ready for oc
cupancy. Extensive alterations of tru
Zimmerman plant, are being made for the
new owners and special attention is be
ing paid to make the reconstructed build
ings sanitary and up to date in all partic
ulars. Newest effects In Garden Ties. $3.50
and $4.00, At Rosenthal's, Seventh and
Washington.
N- r - lrnwKTH- - Hfi -r .--1 .jewm, Bf'JJ-JU,
aT "
Pacific Paper Company Will
Build at Fourth and Ankeny.
START WORK IN AUGUST
Tenants of Frame Buildings Or
dered to Vacate One-Story Build
ing for Fifth and Ankeny.
Other Projects.
The Pacific Paper - Company will
build a six-story brick warehouse, 100
by 100 feet, at the northwest corner of
Fourth and Ankeny streets. This com
pany has been owner of the site for
several years and yesterday commis
sioned MacNaughton, Raymond & Law
rence to prepare plans for the building
that is to occupy the quarter block.
The tenants now in the old frame build
ings were notified some time ago that
they would be ordered to vacate on
short notice, and they have been
ordered to vacate by the last of July,
as plans will bo ready by that time
and excavation begun as soon as the
old buildings can be razed.
The new warehouse is to have con
crete foundations, and.be of the slow
burning, mill-construction type of
architecture, similar to the building
erected by the Corbett estate at 'the
next corner on Fifth street, now occu
pied by Neustadter Bros. An approxi
mate estimate of the cost of the new
building is between $60,000 and $70,000.
Two or three of the frame houses
now on the block have histories reach
ing back for from 20 to 3D years. On
the corner stands a three-story frame
that was moved bodily to the site and
was used for years by the Seamen's In
stitute as its headquarters. On the
northeast corner of Ankeny and Fifth
stands a small one-story frame house
that has painted on its gable, the let
tering now being almost obliterated
by the elements: "The First School
house Built in Portland 1S50." When
this notice came to public attention a
few years ago Its authenticity was de
nied by George H. Hiines, secretary of
the Oregon Historical Society, and
quite a spirited controversy was car
ried on in the papers over the claim.
Mr. Himea' contention was accepted, but
the small house certainly has stood on
the corner for many years.
In early. days that and the adjoining
blocks were occupied by pioneer resi
dent of Fortland Captain R. R.
NEW 6
STDRYBR CK
-ay
Thompson, Captain John Ainsworth and
Dr. Wilson. The widow of Captain
Thompson, soon after his death, was
reported to have announced her inten
tion to build on the block a large
building as a monument to the memory
of her husband. The property across
Ankeny street directly opposite the
corner now to be improved by the pa
per company, on which a livery stable
is located, is owned by a syndicate, and
several times within ' the last few
months rumors have been current that
a big building is to be erected on that
site.
The Pacific Paper Company also
owns the corner on the northeast of
Fifth and Ankeny, and yesterday Hugh
McGuire, president of the company,
said it Is the intention of his company
to erect at once a brick one-story
building on that part of the half block,
cut up in stores, in order to receive
some revenue from the ground, which
at present is nonproductive. He de
clined a handsome orter for the site a
day or two ago, believing no better
investment can be made than to hold it
for a time.
TO PAVE HAWTHORNE AVENUE
Extensive Paving Work Is Proposed
on East Side Street.
The announcement is made that the Im
provement of Hawthorne avenue between
East Third and East Fortieth streets with
asphalt pavement will be made this year.
J. N. Davis, a property-owner of Haw
thorne avenue, saj that the petition
for this pavement had been signed some
time ago. but had been held up because
the street railway company was opposed
to the Improvement, but he said that now
It would probably go through.
It will be one of the most extensive
street Improvement contracts yet under
taken. Hawthorne avenue has been built
up for almost Its entire distance with
attractive residences and at East Thirty
fifth street a business center has de
veloped. It connects with the Section
Line road and many of the important
highways of the county. The cost of
this pavement will run up to about $100,
000. LOCAIi CONTRACTORS ARE BUSY
Portland In Better Shape in Building
" ' Line Than East.
George C. t Mason, of the concrete
construction firm of Mason-Hurley Co.,
returned a few days ago from a trip
to the Middle West. He spent several
days in St. Paul, Minn., and while there
received the Information that not one
large business structure is In process
of erection, and he heard of none that
was being considered for early con
struction. Mr. Mason said yesterday that be
tween the Missouri River and the Pa
cific he found no city In which evidences
of building progress compared with Port
land at the present time. He said con
tractors in Portland have enough work
ou hand right now to keep them busy
:;::-:v.:;W:-::
2 sAAS&J&ASVC&Cf
into the Fall and that plans for a number
of big warehouses and other important
buildings were about ready, and that bids
would be put in on them in the next few
weeks.
Portland stores have . reputations in
Eastern cities as well as at home. Mr.
Mason says. He inquired in several
stores in St. Paul for a certain article ha
wished to buy, but after making a tour
of the principal stores he had to give up
the search, as the article was not to be
found. At the last place visited he re
marked to the young woman clerk:
"I would have no trouble in finding
what I want if I was in Portland; wo
have much better stores out there than
you have here."
"Oh, I know you have; I've often heard
of the fine stores In Portland." And then
the young woman asked about the size
and kind of business done by three or
four whose names she had at her tongue's
7V
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command, adding that she had never
been on the Coast but would like to make
the trip some day, having heard It was a
"perfectly lovely place'
CHARTER REVISION POPULAR
Push Clubs Advocate District Plan
for Street Improvement.
The movement for revision of the char
ter finds strong approval all over the
Bast Side. That instrument would be
torn to pieces If the various East Side
push clubs had their way, for to the
minds of the members of these organiza
tions the charter la an obstruction to
progress. Especially Is this true since
R. H. Thomsen, of Seattle, delivered his
talk before the Realty Board and the
public. In all the discussions of his sug-
ML J. WALSH CO.
Salesrooms, 311 Stark Street.
Designers and Makers of Fine
Lighting Fixtures
Catalogues containing the latest exclusive de
signs sent free to builders on request. A full
line" of electrical and gas supplies always on
hand. Electrical and gas work of all kinds
promptly attended to. Ring up on either phone.
gestions before the push clubs of the
East Side his views have been generally
indorsed,
The East Side is much interested in the
matter of Improving streets by districts
and also in giving the City Council the
power to Improve a street where needed,
under certain restrictions, even if some
obstructionists be inclined to hold up the
improvement. Union avenue south from
Belmont street illustrates what obstruc
tionists may do in the way of holding
up the paving of a street. The move-
7t
For $7000, we offer the above thoroughly modern, new 8-room dwelling, with
grounds 65x100, located iso. 741 .Broadway; one or tne Desi, in miast ol seieci
homes, and must be sold at "once. Cash wanted, but make proposition.
JACKSON & DEERING
Phone Main 34S 246 STARK STREET
DAVIS & DRENNEN
406-408 East Burnside Street.
Gas and Electric Lighting Fixtures
Sold direct from manufacturer to the consumeir the highest quality
at the lowest prices. Do not fail to get our prices.
Fixtures Built to Suit the Home
B. E. DAVIS Phone B 2151, East 591. H. T. DRENNEN
PACIFIC IRON WORKS
0. E. Heintz, Kanager. Phone East 57, Home B 1157.
' CASTINGS OF ALL KINDS,
STEEL BUILDINGS AND BRIDGES
IN STOCK 3 to 24-Inch Beams. 4 to 15-Inch Channels.
V2xV2 to 8x8-Inch Angles
JSast End Burnside-Street Bridge.
ment to revise the charter to remove
these obstacles will have strong support
by the East Side push clubs. Among
them a wish Is expressed that the Su
preme Court set aside all the amendments
affecting the charter, voted at the election
of J907. so that a new charter may be
drafted.
White
thal's.
Canvas Pump $2.50, Rosen-
Rejuvln aids digestion. At all saloons.
Portland, Oregon,
,