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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (March 29, 1936)
PAGE THRE2 Salem City of tsinBarsSi The OREGON STATESMAN, Saleo Oregon, Sunday. Morning, March 29, 1936 Only 100 ResMen atesman WtisFoumde Late J. A. Baker Recalled Places In 1851 No Churches Were Standing; Lee House Oldest in Town To the late Joseph A. Baker of ; Salem, who died in 1932, The Statesman la indebted for the data given herewith on the census of ': Salem at the period when the pa per was begun in Oregon City. Mr. Baker had come to Salem in 1848 and at the time of his death was the patriarch of - the ' community no one approached ' the span of years he had been a ' continuous resldant of the city. Mr. Baker recounted from memory that when he came to - Salem there were 11 houses and about 75 to 100 residents. The town having been named and platted in 1850 and .1851, and having secured the capital by . a' vote' of the second territorial legislature -.that met in regular session in Oregon City in 1S50, "tiaf pn IOTP1 a ulirht boom at - this period. f j When the first territorial leg islature to meet in Salem had as- semDiea. uecemoer 3, ioi. mere voa Yin anlf ahl ttw (la W. sloiifl. -except a room for each " 'branch" in the basement of the jOregon. Institute (that by change of name became Willamette uni CTersfty) ana so arrangements '-m. C6nnl of detka and tome snlt- i fVYfi at fnmhkttl - T , annAv that the lonfnni nf 15? mnA 1 SSI 'met at, Rector's hall down town. The'1854-55 session was held In ' completed rooms. of the territor ial capitol; the almost completed building that was burned Decem- ' her 28. 1855, leaving the terri tory,and state,, for about 2 0 years, . with only rented rooms In down town Salem. - -f - Buildings listed by -Mr. Baker N at the time of bis arrival. included the.folowlng: " '. ... '. 1. Th Jason Lee Mission house ' at what is now 9(0 Broadway, the first residence in what be .came Salem, still standing and al most as it was when first erected -In 1840-41, except for the L on the southwest corner. .... Z... Small building tor shed on '-west side of Liberty street on the - south -bank of North Mill creek, .'Unoccupied. ' : ; K;. 3. Residence in course of con- - j atruction . on the - northeast corner 7, of Liberty ariTl Union. streets. ;; 4. A nouse Manding about the r center of the block east of Com ; mercial and north of Court street then occupied by Samuel Parker and family. It had been the home of the Rev. L. H. Judson family. : The Pacifie Christian Advocate - was afterwards published in this - building. It was later moved up to face Court street and a store front added, and in the old days - it was the famous "North Star" saloOn of "Sandy" Burns. It was , torn down only a few years ago. The'space is now occupied by the Dr. Steeves two-story brick. . City Called "The Mills" 5. A residence in the same vl . elnity and a little southeast of the southeast corner of the pres- ent Ladd & Bush Bank building, occupied by James Turner Crump and family. Salem's first (provi sional government) postmaster; before, Salem was named bt the place was then called "The Insti tute," as it had before been called "The Mills." the original Indian name having been Chemeketa. meaning place of meeting, prob ably indicating that it was an In dian city of refuge. Mr. Crump . . ml A w m partner in me ursi nuv lished store in Salem, succeeding, with the son William Cox. Thom as Cox, who brought his goods across the plains in 13 four-yoke ox wagons in 1847. Thus the first regular postoffice was in the first store. 6. A small house Just west of where the Masonic building now ' stands, occupied by Mrs. Brown and family; she was a daughter of Thomas Cox and mother of J. Henry Brown, the historian. The father had died on the plains. - 7. A two-story residence on the site of William Brown's house. Church and State streets, occupied by Mr. Carter and fam ily: a missionary family. S. A small house on the north- streets (where E. M. Crolsan's tlace is now, occupied by Wiley Chapman and family. Mr. Chap- . . . . . ii a . . . . :. cutn was ine uuiiuer oi Ji&rion lounty's first courthouse. sV The Oregon Institute, the finest building at the time on the Pacifie eoast; barring the Califor nia Spanish mission buildings. Parsonage at 31111s 19. The "parsonage." It stood about where the Kay woolen mill water tower now stands: was oc cupied by Rev. William Roberts nd family. He had come, to fin ish winding up the business of .'the Methodist missions in the Oregon country, and remained the balance of his life; one of the able early-day preachers. II. The Parrisb place on the est tide of Capitol street, near North Mill creek. The house was bunt by ReT, J. L. Parrish. It was partly burned in Mr. Parrish's lifetime, and was reconstructed as It bow is. Waller, north side of East State street, about opposite ICth street. 15. The Cox store, northeast eorner of Commercial and Ferry streets. First store and postoffice 'In Salem, as related above. - 14. A dwelling where the back . part of the main machinery room of the paper mill Is now. It was the family residence of W. H. ; Willson. who platted ' the main Salem townsite, and Mrs. Willson was the first teaeher In the Ore gon Institute. They had both been early Methodist missionaries.' 4th Celebrated ia Pasture 15. Rev. David Leslie, who named Salem, had a home on his donation land claim at the south end of Church street; The house was about where the Sallie Bush ----- - 1 m Corner oi State and Commercial Streets in 1861 1 S. 4 Northwest corner State and Commercial streets. The first brick is Moore's block; second brick was then MrCuIly-Starkey company store. The building is now occupied by Buster Brown shoe store. The log honse at edge or timber was moved fro m Marion and Chemeketa where It was first school house In Salem. Celebration seems to be a firemen's exhibition. house now stands. There is where the first Fourth of July celebra tion was held in Salem. 16. The mission mills, across from the Jason Lee home (the site now occupied by the Larmer warehouse). The mills were built in -1840. after the coming of the Lausanne, Mayflower of the Pa cific' Their construction ' started the town-that became Salem. After March, 1851, there, was a good deal of building in. Salem; for gold dust in large quantities had been coming from the Cali fornia mines, brought by the Ore gon settlers who were among the first gold rushers, as some of them were the discoverers of gold near Sutter's Fort. The two main and rival sections of the town were then, first near the mission mills, and second, near South Mill creek the present Commercial and Front and Ferry streets. The famous Island House was built in the period between September, 1849, and March, 1851. on "the island," near the mission mills, as were saloons, blacksmith shops etc. That section was the main business center In that earliest period, but soon the men return ing with their gold dust from the California mines started steam boating on the Willamette, and as the main landings were near the foot of Trade street, the south end of the town boomed, and the central downtown district before long had an increasing number of dwellings scattered : among the firs and oaks. But there was no church build- ; ing until January 23. 1853. when j the original First Methodist : church was dedicated. Church : services had theretofore been held i in the Oregon Institute chapel. ; Even the first courts were held in that building, as well as the 1 other meetings of a public nature including Methodist mission con ferences, i Hallev Johnson Painting Mural As U. O. Thesis MONMOUTH, March 28 Hal ley Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. IP. H. Johnson of Monmouth, spent part of the spring term vacation here. He is a senior student in fine arts at the University of Ore gon, and will receive his degree in June. As his thesis, he is paint ing, as a WPA project, an epic mural, in three sections, on the wall of a campus building. The scenes depict phases of the lumbering Industry of Oregon and the northwest. He can work only four hours each day, and paints directly upon plaster, which neces sitates the aid of a plaster man, a stone-cutter and a carpenter. Few Changes, Pap ers Stewart Building Longest Occupied; - Present ; Home Historic Two Plays Offred HAZEL GREEN, March 28. The Thursday morning English program in charge of Cells Ras per presented -two plays, two de bates and music by the harmonica band, The band has 44 members, only . Owners of The Statesman nave eome and gone but the home of the , Paper nas changed , Infre quently except for the early days when it. followed the course of the territorial government. .,When first printed in Oregon City: The Statesman was located in '.'Frier's building, second story first north of Methodist church,' Main' street" During the period from June 21, 1853. to April 17. 1885 which was the first Salem period of The Statesman, the office was in the second story of a building near the steamboat landing. The site is that which is now occupied by Fry's warehouse, as nearly as can be determined, corner. Front and Trade streets. The steamboat landing was at the foot of Trade street. Office Xear Steamboat Landing At Corvallis the publication of fice was just gWen as "near steamboat landing." Returning to Salem la Decem ber, 1856, the paper was publish ed in the second story of the Gris wold block, southwest corner of State 'and Commercial streets. A picture of this building appears ia another column of this '.issue: It was probably the first, brick' build ing in Salem proper. Then it was single front. Later the Home lor Neatly Half a Century "1 ' ' - " ' I. I if I J ' ' ' ' 1 1.1. -1 -A 4 -jiijgii n :! ! ti I. i The : .- CopjTilht; eosrtesy CroaiM tu. Stewart block. 162-1 64! North Commercial. The Statesman moved here about 1870 and remained until 1818. Offices were nsed In left half of upper floor, later the whole upper floor was used, and a business office downstairs. The Statesman did the printing for "The Oregon Vldette and Antl-slonopolist," a partf sna paper of the late '80s. The Statesman sign Is barely visible at. the foot of the stairs. building was enlarged in .frontage, three stories, and is still in ser Tlce. When The Statesman was merg ed with the American Unionist, the publication offices of the lat ter were use, second floor Moore's bloek; where United States Na tional tank, now stands. When S A. Clark ecqulred the paper, and restored 4he name of Statesman, it was moved to the second floor ot the; Stewart' block, still stand lngrl2" North Commercial, v. The" longest perio'd in any one location ' was in the . .old - Stewart block. Offices at first were the north half of the second floor. Later the south half was also used, a commercial printing de partment being added by Hen dricks and Saubert; and a little later business offices were open ed downstairs. The Stewart build ing was occupied until The States man moved in. 71818 to its .pres ent building,--the first n. which it owned. The.httilding itself is; historic, because jt- wasv-used to. house various public off ices-aad the library during-a: considerable portion of 'the twenty years be tween the 'burning of the terri troial capitol and the completion Rain Postpones Berry Planting HAZEL GREEN, Mtreh 28 . the rain, this week delayed the planting of strawberries. N. P. Williamson had ground ready- to plant 18 acres. Others who will plant them are Robert Massle, three acres on N. P. Williamson's farm; Alexander Sharp, two acres, on Joseph Ziellnski's farm north, of Japanese church: W. H. Wil liamson, two acres on home farm. Plants are the Marshalls from the Silver Creek district. A. T. Van Cleave and son Al vln are to plant six acres of Etter burg berries. Van Cleaves triei the youngberry, last year being their first erop. They are planting five acres this year-.'They hate ready market for an the young berry plants they have. - . Louis Garbereno sold three car loads of onions this week, the last of his large 'crop. of the new state capitol. It was also nsed for a considerable period prior to 1918 by the Holers for publishing the Capital - Journal and by a commercial Printing plant. The building has been remodel ed and is now well adapted for a newspaper home. The editorial and 'business .offices are on the main - floor at the -Commercial street entrance. Composing rooms, light and well .ventilated, are on the second floo'r. Press rooms are on the ground floor in the rear, with the big newspaper press housed in the "ell" opening on Ferry street. . Introduction to Empire Builders (Continued from p"age 2) son to worry about the future. The Willamette valley, perhaps more attractive as a place of resi dence than any other Boot- in the United States, has been of slow development. It was remote from the population centers of the country. It was peopled by an easy-going class of folks, who were satisfied to let well enough alone.'-There were no sensational discoveries of gold to cause a movement in its direction. It was not exploited In publicity med iums. Even as late as 1885 little was known of it on the east coast. I talked with an aged mariner on the shore of Narragansett bay one day. I remember that mariner the more distinctly, because he was digging clams, and his beard was so long that it occasionally came out from under his belt, where it had been tucked away with the tail of his shirt. At such times it Interfered with his clam-digging.' and the language that he used was Very picturesque. I had asked him if he knew anything of Captain Gray, the skipper of the Columbia who had been the first to sail into the Co lumbia river. I chanced to know that Captain Gray was a Provi dence man: Report Not Glowing It turned out that the clam digger knew a heap about Captain Gray, same of which was probably true. The , captain had been dead many. years, but the clam-digger it seems had had a grandfather and a great-grandfather. Also he had a son, a sailor, and this son had been up the Columbia to the mouth of the Willamette and up the Willamette as far as a place called Salem within the year. And he did not think much of either Salem or Portland. He described them as sleepy and mossy places, where the cows grazed in the streets. "And," quoth the clam-digger, "what in tarnation anybody wants to' go to a country like that for is more than I can understand." This view was general on the east coast 50 years ago. But slow ly conditions have changed. Ore gon probably felt the depression of the past several years less acutely than any other state in the union. Indications of vigorous growth are nnmlstakeable. The Statesman has many rea sons for. happiness on its 85th anniversary. Recovery Is Slow EVENS VALLEY, March 28 Mrs. ; Halvor Brokke, who con tracted Influenza about seven weeks ago, hat been suffering from several relapses making her recovery very slow. She has been cared for during the past two weeks at the home of her mother, Mrs. Ole Larson. We Congratulate The Oregon Statesman On Its 85th Birthd av Through 67 Years. . . For 67 years the Ladd & Bush bank has been a clearing house for the financial transactions of the mid-Willamette valley. Founded only nine years after Oregon was admitted to the fra ternity of states, this institution has seen panics and good times, has witnessed men and their businesses grow strong from humble beginnings, has assisted worthy customers through fi nancial difficulties and has taken joy in their successes. From its origin to the present day, an 'entirely Salem-owned institution, Ladd & Bush has taken a consistent pride in the development of its community. It has steadfastly regarded its task as greater than one of receiving and holding private and public moneys. These funds it has guarded as a trust to be used with discrimination for the well-being of its territory. Today Ladd & Bush is vastly appreciative of the good will which this policy has produced. As Salem and the state have grown, this institution has prospered. The fundamentals of its policies remain unchanged. It shall continue a Salem-owned insti tution, proud of its heritage, -thankful for the faithful support . of its friends, always considering itself a public trustee for the continued economic development of the Willamette valley and its citizens. This institution extends Its greetings to The Oregon States man as it has completed its 85 years of service as a newspaper in this community. An Institution That Has Progressed With the Community DEPOSITS June 30, 1870 June 30, 1880 June 30, 1890 June 30, 1900 June 30,1910 June 30, 1920 June 30,1930 June 30, 1935 Llarcli J7 31930 $80,008.74 $157,529.59 893,026.62 F 1,135,824.49 1,940,603.45 64,434,705.25 . $6,783,359.79 ' 9,360,993.81 . . ... . .. . . . Jt' 1 f SjaHnwSM9B9W' 1 " " S "1 '' it' r t A V f", ' 1 '1- ? N&H, akafefigigi i ' ;?Pg-i8SI Pg 'f',.' -iMfeiv U i iiiSp Hid If i : I V i vm-. i ? FT1 : :: r tl'rJl I . -;:rr.i . 5 IrrTr t Opened for Business March 29, 1869 Sixty-Seven Years Today . LADD & BUSH Ban! ameers OFFICERS . A. N. BUSH, President WM. S. WALTON, Vice President GEO. H. RICHES, Cashier ROY BURTON, Asst. Cashier C. M. COX, Asst. Cashier THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION $5000 - Maximum Insurance for Each Depositor. $5000 J. FUHRER, AssL Cashier " H. V. COMPTON, Asst Cashier TTNKHAM GILBERT, Asst. Cashier ROY NELSON, Asst. Vice President