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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (March 28, 1931)
Oregon City, Ore., March 28, 1831 -Salem, Ore:, March 28, 1931 Pace Twenty-onb Q eer Home in Waldo H pry of 80 Years St ills Speaks of History By Helen m. Comstock ! Preeminent am one the spot of historic interest In the Waldo Hills is the Geer farta "which has been owned by the Geer family for 80 y tars. This home which was built by Ralph C. Geer in 1851, has be come famous not only as the Geer home, bat also as that of Homer, Davenport, world famous cartoonist, who was; a grandson of Ralph Geer. '1 -Ralph C. Geer, with his wife and four children, crossed the plains to Oregon in 1847, en- daring all the naraanips oi pio neer travel. They came first to Portland and later o the home of Mrs. Geer's unclej James Cul ver, near Macleay. The trip from tortand to the Culver farm took five days. ! The story" is told! that shortly after -their, arrival Geer sold a sheet iron stove thai he brought across the plains for 9125. The first year found the; family with very little money, but Mrs. Geer had brought with her a stock of needles', pins, buttons and calico print. Mr. Geer packed two suit case with these and started out with his ox? team to sell to his neighbors, In a few cases he was back with on case: unsold but enough supplies to last the fam ily all winter. j Ralph Geer was the first school teacher in the dUtrict. The school was built north of, the "Warren cemetery; and Is still standing. Thirty pupils were en rolled. Located on Supposed Road to California When in 1851 the Ueers decid ed to build a home they chose a site on an Indian trail which they hoped would; be a road to California. If the proposed Cas cade highway becomes a reality, it. will pass Just a few rods to one side of the house. .Hand hewn timbers were used in the house and they were mor ticed and pinned in all joints and braces with four by four studding, hand sawed. Boards in the ceiling' are of varying widths but all the same length, 36 feet. The floors were the same, being of tongue and grooved ash. The floors were In use until three GEER RANCH A -:r .V I ? 4 f t , a IS TTVF A. A. C.F.KTI T"ARf TN THE WAi.no Hii.T.e is iiw HisroHirAi. 1 NT'KK EST IN M AKIOX : COUNTY. IS THE HOUSE AKK WAXY OV THK iRwixas or tiomfr davkspokt. KAMOl'g (MHTOOMT, UKA.NDiON' Oi' RALPH OEKR. years ago, when the grandson. A. A. Geer relald them. The door and windows came around the Horn'. The door cas ings had been made before the doors arrived and were too large so that the doors iiad two-inch piece added, which are notice able today. Some of the same window glass is in use and com pares very unfavorably with that purchased later. Much has 'been written of the cartoons of the grandson. Homer Davenport, which are to be found about the house. The tree, now more than 80 feet high, which stands near the house, is said to be the Tiding whip of Homer's mother which was stuck care lessly into the ground. The story of the big rock near the home has, however, never been written. According to the family tradition. Mr. Geer had brought with him an un mounted cannon and when sur prised by Indians, had set it off many times during the journey across the plains. He placed it close to this rock, and many times when danger from Indians threatened he set It, off, and neighbors answered the signal and hurried to congregate at Cap tain Geer's borne. "Bert" Hoover, Chubby, I Freckled-Faced Youth pearly memories of Salem are jflot complete without recalling thie freckle-faced lacf who used to be "office" boy tor the old Oregon Land Co. in the '90's, and is now President. 'Herbert C. Hoover. B. C. Miles is one person in Salem who well remembers him. MrV Hoover was born In West1 Branch, Iowa, 10 years follow- ing the birth of Mr. Miles in the same towp. Mr. Hoover left the vlljfage when about 'seven years . old to come to Newberg, Oregon. "Mit Miles followed several years later and became an instructor of Mr. Hoover in the old Pa cific academy, wow Pacific col lege. Then Mr. Hoover came to Sa lem with his uncle, Dr. J. Min thorn, a brother-in-law of Mr. Mites, his Grandmother Min thorn and his brother "Tad" and sisr, Myv; They Uuk up resi dence on the northwest corner of jthe present Hazel and High land, avenue, which house is pointed to today as a landmark. Next door to this old house- is, that of Mr. and Mrs. j. N. Smith who have lived there for the past 39 years. Mr. Smith took "Bert's" desk when he left the Oregon Land Co. to go to Stan ford, and as to Hoover's life in Salem Mr. Smith has several memories. "Everyone called him 'Bert, and he was a round, freckle faced" lad, very boyish and ser ious." said Mr. Smith. "Accord ing to the men who worked with him in the company he would he reading Shakespeare when other boys of his age were readiug Diamond Dick, or fooling around. When he left to go to Stauford be called on me in Portland where I wad with the Portland branch of the Oregon Land Co. At that time he Eaid if he got into Stanford it would be be cause the school needed stu dents. He seemed d:acotiraeed over Momt algebra and examina tions." Hoover's Memory Said to be Excellent According to report. Hoover had a wonderful memory. Mr. Smith said that John Cook, a salesman fn the old. land com pany, had told him maiiy times that ''Bert1' never lo-jctt asy anything which came to hi 'at tention, and that when any one in the office wanted to recall something in connection, with the businesL "Bert" could tell exactly if he had ever had any thing to do with it. There were: times, however, when the future president was not so . commendable. Mr. Smith recalled having heard that Dr. Minthorn useL to "get after" , k him for neglecting to care for the horses. pr. Minthorn was president of i lie Oregon Laud Co. and the jbustnees required the use of many horses. It is also reported that Aunt Phoebe Hammer, Quaker minis ter aunt of Hoover, thought "Tad" to be the smart one and that "Bert" as "dull". How ever that be, St was "Bert" who became president, and it is told that he It was who helped "Tad" and several relative to get educations! "Tad", Her bert's brother, jwas linotype oper ator on The Statesman, followed Herbert to Stanford and la. now it dean of the school of engineer ing there. Herb's job ttf Pull 'Old Dock's Tail Amusing anecdotes concerning Hoover- include; the old horse-car street railway system which ran down Commercial street. Where the new bridge is on North Com mercial street there was in Hoo ver's time a low-water wooden bridge. A steep grade ran down to the bridge on both sides. "Old Dock" was one Of the horse power". It was claimed that un less his tail was pulled be would balk on the hills. When Bert took the horse-car home, so the story goes, he i sat outside with the driver and got great glee in pulling jold "Dock's" tail when the hills were, reached. 1 The Minthorns were hospitable people ajnd always were "putting travelers up jfor the night." When beds were filled it was Bert who had to give up his bed, and his retreat at such times was often the hayloft of the barn where the "car-horses" were stabled.: Here he slept in the bed of Prank Frahmm, superin tendent of the barn. The street cars were owned by the Oregon Land Co. so Bert had some claim on the barnloftj bed. W. C. T. U. PLEDGE This is pledge 4ken by orlgw fnal W. " C. T. U. members in Salem; , The first pledge in part: "We hereby .pledge' ourselves fo disr courage the use of anything which can intoxicate and in order . to strengthen our influence In this regard, we promise not to use any intoxicating liquors as , beverages or in cooking nor to furnish them at social entertainment." : ; ' ' WHEN CLEVELAND WON "Salem last night was a whooping, howling, ; ; boiling, foaming, frothy, noisy asylum f excited teothuslastlq people al) interested In the hew from be yond the flockles. ' A collection tof various sounding musical and boisterous instruments paraded the struts up and down and ent the wilq echoes flying; jumping; skipping! and hopping through the airl" Statesman, Nov. I, 19?. SLOW NEWS The semi-monthly steamers carried the malls between the At lantic ports and the ports of the Pacific . . and the transit usu ally required from four to fire weeks. -Salem, 1S3S. Took Girls to Church- Stayed Very Late Another interesting anecdote is that told about the present Mrs. K. K. Lee Steiner. One day she went i into t lie office where Bert worked, to see Lu clhi Hewlett. Who also worked in the same off Bert asked the to church with Sunday night. Ilia church s ce. While there two girls to go him the coming They accepted. irvices were in volved with raiding some money. The required amount had not. been raised at midnight so the nearly 2 o'clock! and her mother doors were locked and no one could leave until the money was forthcoming. The girl who is now Mrs. Steiner did not get home until was waiting up for her. Bert did not to tlie door for a vcly good l euiiOU ' knrpiug young ladies out until 2 o'clock in that day was not "done" and Bert even then was showing simis of a Rood politician he knew when to lie absent fs . ' ; . I 'I ' L . .. .. a CRONISE STUDIO i Established 1880 ARTISTIC PORTRAITS 193 N. Commercial Street SALEM, OREGON Cronise Studio Has Interesting ; History Many of the old photographs appearing' in this Eightieth Anniversary number of The Statesman are from the "Early Days In Salem" collection of the Cronise Studio, ' ThU studio has on file hundreds of old negatives. thatBa.ro now of real historic value. The gallery it self has an interesting histpry. Fpundedi In IS 80, the business . Is one of Salem's pioneer Institutions having : run continuously for more than fifty years. The original owner, a Mr. Johnson, was photog rapher with great' en thusiasm for his work and no place or event of, importance escaped the everready lens of. his camera: Horse shows firemen's . tournaments, Fourth of July, celebra tions, picnics, steamboat excursions, weddings, parties, street scenes, public buildings, resi dences, factories, bridg es, ferries, offices, schools, individuals, Ll.b mmI 1 a : all Mia within range of his cam- HARRY CRONXSS era and were recorded for posterity. In 1830, Miss Sperry, who had been studying puotognplry with Mr. Johnson, bongbt the studio and moved Jt to its, present location in the Bush building, corner of Commercial and Court streets. Miss Sperry was an exceptional artist. Tbe grouping, posing and lighting of her subjects were ln- variably artistic and full, of grace. Her studio was petron iied by all of the well known families ef Salem during the "gay nineties".: Miss Bperry sold her huslness to Hart and McLennon who conducted it for a short time under the name of the "Elite Studio?, In 1902, the gallery was purchased by T. J. Crontse, s well known business man of that period. Mr. Cronise se cured the services of Mr. Carl Nordstrom, young artist from Portland who brought with him a wealth of artistic talent and many ideas that were fresh1-and new to the peo ple of Salem.. Mr. Nordstrom'' was a source of much Inspira tion to Mr. arid Mrs. i Cronise. Much of bis skill and artistry were absorbed by them; and they always maintained a high standard of quality in their work. Mr. and Mrs. Cronise were "old timers" In Salem and their wide acquaintance and friendly personalities together with their reputation for fine workmanship and fair, dealing won for them a large fol lowing. .Four years ago, with tbe passing of Tom Cronise. his son, Harry, who had spent a number of years in Seattle In the study of Architecture and Fine Arts at the University of Washington, returned to Salem to be with his mother and to carry on the photographic business, Mrs. Cronise died December 1, 1530, leaving the studio in the hands of her t?on, Harry. Having b-en literally Lbrought up from childhood in a photograph gallery, Harry Crontse is- thoroughly familiar with all of the processes and materials of photography. Dur ing the past four years he has made an intensive study of modern photographic methods and has combined his artistic t mining with hit knowledge of phptography to produce some very creditable work. lie has introduced several new ideas, ; aniwng .them. Mon-O-Kronis and the new electric photo flash in home portraiture. ! . For studio portraiture be believes that natural daylight combined with the electric spot Is tbe Ideal light source for securing natural expression and artistic lightings. In this opinion he is backed by no less an authority than Mr. Rich ard Spalght. the Royal Court photographer of Europe, who prerers daylight to any artificial light. For the convenience of bis customers Mr. Cronise has con templated moving to a more modern building; but he feels that since his present location is the only bnlldlng in Salem perfectly equipped for a studio, with tbe softly diffused na tural light of a north skylight, the benefits of a now location would not compensate for the loss in artistic quality of his work. j , ; - When Hairy .cVontse was introduced to a freshman at the. University of Washington, Hih boy pondered over the rather unusual nam for a j moment. Thun u happy light spread over his faee and be isald, "I have it! 'Syri Cronise syn croniee like they do in the talking pictures. That's how I'll remember your name." From that day Harry Cronise has been "Syn" Cronise to his fraternity brothers. And now, believe it'or pbt, "Syn" Cronise makes "pictures that'talk."