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HRST UNIT OF WEST SIDE DOCK UNDER VAY;
." )MPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION ADOPTED
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v- THE OREGON DAILY JOURNAL, PORTLAND; : TUESDAY EVENING. "DECEMBER 4 30, ' 1913;
PUBLIC DOCK COMMISSION RgTOMlQRESgB Rl NG YEAR
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Public Dock Commission .Outlines Scheme of Water, Ter
minal Development Which Involves the Removal
of Swan Island,
WHAT has the public dock commis
sion done during. 1913?
It has sold half of the $2,500,000
In bonds voted by the people November
. 8, 1910, and hag secured authority for
the sale of $900,000 more.
It has taken first steps in realizing
ths Meal of a publicly controlled water
front by securing the west side dock
sits, near the foot of Seventeenth street,
at a eost of $665,000 and beginning there
ths first 663 foot Unit of the public
dock at a contract price of $210,000. The
dock Is to be completed, under contract,
by February 12. 1914.
It expects to buy the property, let the
contract, and begin the construction of
east side dock No. 2 early In 1914.
Ths Stark street motorboat landing
and recreation pier, costing $21,000,
should already be complete.
Ths Jefferson street levee Has been
restored to public ownership by set of
the legislature, the railroad company Is
paying rental for the use of part of
It, and plans have been made for lm-
provement of the waterfront side of It.
"These are first units in a plan of
water terminal development. In October
the commission announced Its complete
plan. It Involves the removing of Swan
Island and the creating of a turning
basin thereby, the filling of Mock Bot
tom and Bridgeport. The cost would be
$14,475,000. The earth removed would
total 30.000,000 cubic yards. Berthing
room would ba furnished 38 ships, each
, 680 feet long. In connection with slips
and piers would be warehouses and
tracks. It Is estimated that to acquire
the properties would require $4,600,009
and this amount In bonds may be asked
by the commission during 1914.
At the request of The Journal, Freder
ick W. Mulkey, chairman of the com
mission of public docks, has told In
detail the dock commission's accom
plishments during 1913. The members
of the commission are: Mr. Mulkey,
chairman; C. B. Moores, Ben Belling,
Dan Kellaher. John H. Burgard. The
engineer and secretary Is O. B. Hegardt.
Mr. Mulkey's statement follows:
In January, 1918, a session of the
legislature of the state of Oregon was
convened. At, that session the dock
commission, through its chairman,
caused senate bill No.. 26 to be Intro
duced. This bill provided that the sub
merged lands of the Willamette river
of the state of Oregon, on the harbor
front of the city of Portland between
the harbor line and ordinary high water
mark, be conveyed to the city of Port
land In trust, for the purgtoae of con
structing municipal docks. Arter a hard
fight this bill was defeated in 'the
senate. Had this bill passed, the city
of Portland would have been enabled
to have constructed Its municipal dock
system without having to purchase from'
private owners submerged lands which
have never been put to a beneficial use
by them. The passage of this bill by
ths legislature would have caused an
enormous saving to- the city of Port
land In the development of Its municipal
- dock system.
After the defeat of this bill the com
mission undertook to establish the right
of the city of Portland to build muntel
' pal docks on submerged lands of the
state without compensation to the up
land owners. This was tested in a case
where the upland owner had never put
ths submerged lands to a beneficial use.
This litigation went to the supreme
court of the state and was decided
against the city. In this litigation the
city undertook to show that certain
property located at the root of Seven
teenth street and east of North Front
street had originally been submerged
land; :that the line of ordinary-high
, water mark was situated In Front street
and not to ths east of Front street, and
that, therefore, east of Front street
there was no upland to which the statu
tory wharfing right granted to private
owners could attach.
Condemnation Proceedings Begun.
While this litigation was pending in
the circuit court and supreme courts, in
order to facilitate the dock work a con
demnation suit against the above men
tioned property was Instituted, the
Judgment of the condeninatfcpn suit to
be contingent upon the outcome of the
suit In which the city advanced its claim
to construct docks upon unused sub
merged lands without payment to the
upland owner. Both of the above men
tioned suits Involved the property owned
, by the Pacific Milling & Elevator com
pany. The verdict of the Jury In the
condemnation suit was for the. sum of
$310,260. The property thus acquired
represented a unit In the construction
of what is known as dock No. 1. The
verdict of the Jury In the condemnation
suit was entered as a Judgment early
in May, 1918. While this condemnation
suit was pending, other condemnation
suits were started against property rep
. resenting the other units of site No. 1.
After the verdict of the Jury in the
Pacific Milling A Elevator case the
' other units for site No. 1 were purchased
practically upon the basis established
by the verdict of the Jury in the Pacific
Milling & Elevator case. The other two
units of site No. 1 are represented by
the land holdings of the Star Sand com
pany and the Martin dock property. The
commission paid $800,000 for the 8tar
' Sand company property and $285,000 for
the Martin dock property. The Northern
" Pacific Failway cempany also had a
' small holding at site No. 1. This was
purchased for ths sum of $35,000 and
there was still to be. purchased at sits
i Ks. 1 a tmall holding of the Northern
, Psclflo Terminal company which could
bs bought ror tne sum oi ao,uuu, us
extent being practically the same as ths
holdings of the Northern JPacifio Ball-way-
eempeny. These holdings furnish
all the ground necessary for sits No. 1.
i -At the present time ths commission
! improving 663 feet of sits No. 1, the
, -remaining .portion' of-site-Ncwl .not
available owing to a lease on me Mar
tin dock property. This lease will ex
plrs on February 14, and at that time!
the eommlsiltra will take over ths re
maining portion of site No. 1 for Im
mediate development.
With reference to this site No. 1, the
commission negotiated for the lease
hold interest of the Northwest Steel
company. The company put in a claim of
damages, something like $77,000. The
commission caused the Items of damage
of this company to be appraised by com
petent and disinterested appraisers and
after long negotiations this lease-hold
interest was acquired for the sum of
$85,000. Under the terms of the agree
ment with this company the commis
sion obtained the, right to construct a
dock across the face of the property
leased to this company, and the com
PtrViy has agreed to surrender the in
side portion by February, 1. 1914.
In August, 1918, the commission let
the contract for the 663 feet of dock
at site No. 1, above referred to, to the
Lewis A. Hicks company, that company
being the lowest bidder, for. the sum of
$210,000. This work is to be completed
under the terms of the contract by
February 12, 1914.
During the year 1913 the commission
started Jh'e construction Of motorboat
landing at the foot of Stark street. The
contract for this construction was
awarded to the Lewis A. Hicks "com
pany. It being the lowest bidder, and
the contract price being the sum of
$21,000, the work to be finished in
December, 1913. It is of fireproof con
struction and la provided with a con
venient landing place for raotorboats
and has two Inclosed rooms, each 24
feet by 26 feet to serve as waiting and
recreation rooms.
Bale of Bonds.
On March 25, the commission passed
an ordinance for the issuance of $1,250,
000 30-year. 4 per cent bonds. Bids
were opened on May 6. The highest bid
received was 95.64, submitted by Henry
Teal for undisclosed principals. All bids
were rejected and new bids asked for,
to be opened on June 5. On May 19 the
commission voted to reconsider the re
jection of the bid of Henry Teal, and
accepted his bid for the entire issue.
By September 4, 1913, the money de
rived from the above sale of bonds was
appropriated to meet the purchase of
property and cover items contracted for
by the commission. It i.ierefore became
necessary to have an additional bond
issue, and on that date the commission
passed an. ordinance providing for the
sale of $1,000,000 five per cent, thirty
year dock bonds of the denominations of
$100, $600 and $1000 each. This bond
Issue was submitted to Messrs. Storey,
Thorndlke, Palmer and Dodge for an
opinion as to the legality of the Issue,
They advised the commission that In
View of ths changes introduced Into the
charter of the city, by the amendment
of May 8, 1913, a serious doubt existed
as to whether the city could Issue any
future docks bonds. It became neces
sary therefore for the city to institute
a suit to obtain a construction of the
charter provisions. This delayed the
work of the commission for two months
more. The supreme court of the state
finally held that the remaining dock
bonds could, be Issued, but must be
issued by the council and not the dock
commission.
Subsequent to this opinion of the su
preme court, the dock commission asked
the council to'lssue $900,000 dock bonds
drawing 4 per cent Interest, payable
in 30 years, of the denomination or iiooo
each. Bids for these bonds were opened
on December 1, 1918.
When the commission passed its ordi
nance of September 4 providing for the
sale of $1,000,000 dock bonds, it placed
some in the denomination of $100 and
$500 each, with the hope that the bonds
might be taken by popular subscription
by cltisens of Portland and while the
commission was required to recall this
issue, it found that under charter pro
visions a popular sale of bonds was not
practicable.
The commission hopes to have avail
able by January 1, 1914, the proceeds of
the bond sale negotiated on December 1,
1913. When this money becomes avail
able, the commission expects to pur
chase a site on the east side of the river
between Enst Washington street and
East Oak. for the construction of dock
No, 2. The commission has already con
tracted for the purchase of this property
contingent upon the sale of bonds. The
original price asked for this property
was $400,000 and this was the figure
placed as the value of the property by
the board of consultation originally em
ployed by the commission for the de
velopment of a comprehensive dock
plan. The commission finally acquired
a contract on this property for $350,000.
If this $900,000 bond issue becomes
available by January 1, 1914,sths com
mlssionhopes to let a contract for the
construction of dock No. 2 early in
January, 1914. and bIho for the remain
ing portion of dock No. 1, the leases of
which will expire and the site become
available by February 14, 1914.
When these contracts are let, the com
mission will have under construction
1076 feet of dock at site No. 1, 626 feet
of dock at site No. 2, and will have
completed Its motorboat landing at the
foot of Stark street. This construc
tion was as outlined originally by the
board of consultation, and will absorb
all of their project for the $2,600,000
available to the commission, except the
construction of a warehouse at site No.
l'and a warehouse at site No. 2; also a
berth, for fireboat and a coaling pier.
The fireboat berth and coaling pier have
been abandoned by the commission for
the following reasons: Because most oi
the funds will not bs available for the
same, and also because the port of Port
land now has Jurisdiction to construct
and operate coaling piers; the commis
sion was compelled to pay more for site
Not 1 than was anticipated by the board
of consultation; again. It Is thought that
It will ba better to locate ooallng piers
at the mouth of the river Instead of at
Portland.;: The commission entered. Into
negotiations for ths acquisition of a site
for a ureDoat Dertn, oui lumwuwu;
a majority of ths commission was of
ths opinion that tt was no( advisable tor
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Top Architect's drawing of Municipal Dock. No. 1, the first unit of which la now under construction.
Bottom Construction work on first unit of public dock. No. 1, 663 feet long, being built on :he West Side
at a cost of $210,000.
the commission of public docks to enter
into such construction.
Private Dock Construction Considered.
During the year 1913," aside from the
construction of municipal docks, the
commission devoted considerable time
to the preparation of an ordinance pro
viding for private construction upon the
waterfront. Up to the time the commis
sion took up this subject, there was
practically no regulation of the con
struction of private owned wharves. The
ordinance as originally drawn provided
for fireproof construction. Public hear
ings -were held on this ordinance, and
it was decided that fireproof construc
tion would be burdensome. The com
mission, therefore, resorted to slow
burning or heavy mill construction, and
Its ordinance as passed met with the
approval of the board of fire under
writers and was considered by them as
almost as satisfactory as the more ex
pensive construction!
During the year 1913 the commission
interested Itself in laying the founda
tion for a future municipal belt line.
Representatives of the commission ap
peared before ' the council on railroad
franchises pending before that body for
streets on the east side, on Fourth
street and on Jefferson street. The
Hill Interests were applying for a fran
chise on east side streets so that they
could build their system from the west
side Into the east side territory. The
Southern Pacific railroad was asking
for a new franchise on Fourth street
and also on Jefferson street between
their depot, situated at the public levee,
and Fourth street. In each Instance the
commission succeeded In having lncor
poratea into these franchises common
user provisions for a future municipal
belt line.
During the legislative session of 19f3
me legislature passed legislation pro
viding that the public Uevee at the foot
of Jefferson street revert from the
Southern Pacific railroad, which was
holding the same as a trustee, to the
state of Oregon, to be subsequently
transferred by the state to the city.
When this law became operative, sev
eral conferences were held between the
dock commission and representatives of
the state and the railroad company, and
In the end the dock commission acquired
and assumed Judlsdlction over the
waterfront portion of this property and
a lease was negotiated to the railroad
company upon fIr compensation for
the rental of the Inside portion of the
property for 25 years, with a reappraise
ment every 10 years.
For over a year the commission
labored to get the tracks of the North
ern Pacific Terminal company on North
Front street, north of Thurman street,
either removed or open to common user.
The commission had no Jurisdiction In
the premises, but was anxious to get
this street open to common user, for
the reason that it furnished the best
access between the heart of the city and
dock No. 1. It was the contention of
the commission that the Northern Pa
cific Terminal company had no fran
chise for these tracks. During 1913 a
number of conferences have been held
on this subject between the commission
of public docks and members of the
city commission.
During the year, at the request of the
commission of public docks, an ordi
nance was passed by the city council
whereby all overhead wires pf all de
scriptions in Front street north of the
steel railroad bridge must be carried on
one set of poles and on the west side of
the street. This change becomes effect
ive on April 15, 1914.
Comprehensive Tutors Plan Outlined.
DuringvJOctober, J 913, the commission
of public docks made public Its future
comprehensive plan. This plan provides
for a development and Installation of
piers, slips, quays and warehouses on
property known as "Bridgeport" and
"Mock Bottom"; also the acquisition
of Swan island and the removal thereof,
and the development of the "Bridgeport"
and "Mock Bottom" properties. This
comprehensive' plan, it is estimated, will
require an expenditure pf $14,476,000,
and these two- Installations will furnish
berthing space at one time for 88 ves
sels of 600 feet each In length, and
would have classification, assembling
and storage railroad yards accommodat
ing 780 cars. Industrial sections In the
rear of the warehouses would contain
about 180 acres for factory development
To acquire these , properties at fair
values, and construct piers and slips to
accommodate II vessels, has been esti
mated to cost ' about $4,500,000. The
commission at one time had under coM
stderation the submission of a measure
to ths paopls at ths Paosmber, 1911, city
election asking for between $3,000,000
and $4,000,000 as an Initial appropria
tion for this work, but It was aeciaea
that sufficient time did not remain for
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publicity for such a project, and the
commission contemplates submitting
such a measure during the year 1914 If
a city election is held during that years
This comprehensive plan, made public
by the commission during the year
1918, also Included the contemplated de
velopment of the waterfront of the pub
lic levee property at a cost estimated to
be $102,000, the plan being to make the
Installation at the public levee property
one serving two purposes: First, for
river craft; second,, as a lumber dock to
take care of the Willamette valley lum
ber shipments.
Freak Water for Vessel la Port
During the year 1913 the commission
succeeded In having Bull Run water fur
nished to vessels desiring to take water
at this port. It established a minimum
rate of $1.00, which entitles a vessel to
receive up to 6000 gallons; In excess of
5000 gallons the rate is 20 cents for
each 1000 gallons.
During the year the commission con
ducted a large number of public hear
ings. These public hearings were with
reference .,4jJieJocatlon pi a dock In
the central east Portland district, hear
ings on the ordinance regulating con
struction of private docks, and hearings
on a recreation' pier on the east side
dock, as well as the location of ware
houses at the east side dock. Several
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NORTHWESTERN BANK BUILDING
Sixth and Morrison
conferences were held with the city
council concerning recreation features
on dock No. 2, the attitude of the com
mission being: that if the city would
furnish the difference in the cost made
necessary by the change in the type of
construction from slow burning to fire
proof, and bear all the expenses of the
ecreatlon features, the commission of
public docks would consent to an in
stallation, of recreation features on the
PORTLAND LOGICAL
DISTRIBUTING POINT
City's Trade Area Comprises
240,281 Square Miles in '
Six States,
The territory Included in Portland's
trade area comprises 240,281 - quaro
miles. Of this, 136,768 ' square miles
belongs exclusively to local wholesalers
i f St
kill Bw
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Combined Resources Over Four
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at the foot of Seventeenth street,
dock. The last correspondence on the
subject was with the mayor and coun
ell, and it is now understood that the
recreation feature of dock No. 2 is a
matter for future negotiation, the pros
nnrti helnir that thpra will not ba suf
flclent money in the park fund to meet
the requirements of a recreation pier.
The dock commission's budget for the
fiscal year ending November 30, 1914, is
the sum of $114,795.92.
and Jobbers. This is divided as follows:
Oregon, 75,608 square miles; Idaho, 68,
900 square miles, and Washington,
7260 square miles. Over 80 per cent
of all the goods sold In this territory
through coast Jobbing houses are sup
plied by Portland dealers, according to
figures compiled by the Portland Com
mercial club. There Is In addition 103,
613 square miles consisting of 16,999
square miles in Oregon, 37,090 square
miles In Washington, 23,740 squar
miles in Idaho, 30,800 square miles in
Montana, 700 square miles in Utah and
6184 square miles in Wyoming In whic-pmiand-Wiwwg,,eanipet
for
business. From. 40 to 80 per cent ol
the-goods supplied this . vast area by
Jobbers are sold through j- Portland
houses. These, figures are Indicative of
Portland's prestige as a point for the
distribution of - merchandise.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
H. L. PITTOCK, Chairman
CHARLES H. CAREY
A. D. CHARLTON
J. D. FARRELL
WILLIAM D. FENTON
F. W. LEADBETTER
L. B. MENEFEE
A. S. NICHOLS
EMERY OLMSTEAD
JOHN TWOHY
OFFICERS:
H. L. PITTOCK. President
JOHN TWOHY, Vice President
EMERY OLMSTEAD, Vice President
EDGAR H. SENSENICH, Cashier
CHAS. M. HEMPHILL, Assistant. Cashier
F. W.
H. W.
C. W.
Northwestern National Bank
of Portland
Portland Trust Company
of Oregon
and One-Half Million
First Unit of West Side Pier
Feature of Year's Water ;
front Development,
Portland is now engaged In building
its first public dock, at the foot of
Seventeenth street on the west side.
Completed, the structure will be 107s
feet long. Present plan however call
for the construction of 668 feet of dock.
The site of Dock No. 1 is considered
ideal. There is a frontage of 1075 feet
on the Willamette river, and to the rear
are the yards of the Harrtman and Hill
ral)road systems. Only a few change
will be necessary to bring rail and
water together, and transfer of products
from car to vessel and vice versa will
be easy and quickly accomplished.
With a depth of 30 feet at low water
along the dock front at the present
time, no trouble will be experienced in
docking ocean going ship of all alies.
In this connection, the dock is ar
ranged to care for both ocean and rivet
craft.
At the southern end. it Is a two level
dock for a distance of 308 feet. The
lower level built 18 feet above the low
water . mark, is especially designed for
handling freight of river boats. Ths
second level dock Is 32.8 feet above
low water, and extends the entire length
of the structure An Incline having only -a
four per cent grade will be built so
vehicles can travel with their loads
from one dock level to the other. In
addition a heavy freight elevator eight
feet by 18 feet will be used to carry
freight from the first to the second
floors. Entrance to the dock building
will be gained by three Inclines on
Front street and a trucking platform 13
feet wide will extend the entire length
t of the dock at both the front and rear
or me snea. me ucu win l uu n
wide.
The dock and shed will be of heavy
mill construction, The roof will con
sist of metal covered with asbestos,
the Interior will be lighted -through
heavy wired glass window with steel i
sashes and the multitudinous doors will
be made of steel. Each end of the
dock will be protected by concrete fire
wall?, which will extend above the
roof and Inside an automatic crinkling
equipment Is to be Installed as an added
protection against any conflagration.
Equipment for rapid loading and un
loading of vessels will be the most
modern. In the two level section the
dock will be supplied with three double
adjustable ramps operated by -electric
motors. These ramps will make pos-
stble trucking direct from vessel to
dock at any "Stage of water.' "
In the dock's one level section there
will be Installed another adjustable
power ramp for unloading ocean freight
ers and In addition a cargo mast for
use in removing freights from the ves
sels' holds will be employed.
LEADBETTER, Vice President
HAWKINS, Secretary
DE GRAFF, Assistant Secretary
Dollars
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