Salem, Oregon, Wednesday, October 24, 1956
Page 4 Section 3
THE CAPITAL JOURNAL:
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Keith Powell Home Retains
Flavor of Victorian Times
House Built
During
1890s
By BEN MAXWEIX
Capital Journal Writer
Keith Powell house, 1116 Mission
St., Salem's towered and filigreed
mansion conceived by Dr. Luke A,
Port in the mauve decade, stands
today as a monument to Victorian
decor and spacious living of the
18905. -Dr.
Port, perhaps of English
birth, had been in Her Majesty's
Indian service, when he came to
Salem in the mld-iasos he nc-
1
quired a drug store on Slate street
and from that apothecary shop con
ducted his medical practice. He
was an educated gentleman of
fastidious taste and tradition has
it that turhaned, soft.spoken Hind
ustani servants moved silently
about the oak panelled- rooms of
the Mission St. mansion to serve
hia every need.
Architect Unknown
Who the architect and builder of
Dr. Port's mansion might have
been is not known. But construction
dates after September 25, 189.1
when he acquired the site from J.
H. Albert, Salem capitalist. Tradition-has
it that secret panels cover
hidden recesses built into the house
at Dr. Port's request.
After a series of misfortunes the
doctor left Salem about 1900 and
died in San Diego some five years
later. A decade later the property
was acquired by the late Judge
George G. Bingham.
Mrs. Keith Powell accounts for
nine rooms in Dr. Port's 60 year
old dwelling, the only known home
in Salem to have a port-cochere
la gateway for vehicles entering
the courtyard). Five rooms are
on the lower floor, four on the
upper.
Paneled la Oak
Downstairs dining and library
rooms are paneled in select East
ern oak now bearing the patina of
age. All have been appropriately
furnished with pieces becoming to
the period. A front entrance opens
into a hallway served by a grand
stairway illuminated by mellow
light from leaded, colored class
side-lights opposite an ornate
newell post.
The platform at the top of
panelled oak flight is lighted by
similar windows. Mrs. Powell has
chosen a figured, period wallpaper
to become the hallway of this con
struction interval.
A massive panelled fireplace
witn carved oak for pilasters and
cip features a recessed chimney
window of colored leaded glass
dedicated to the memory of Omega
ran.
Dr. Port's two children were
Alpha and Omega. Omega, a stu
dious and pensive boy, had been
committed by his father to "the
usefulness of humanity." It was
determined that he should continue
his studies about analytical chem
istry in a German university and
in accordance with the best Eng
lish tradition he was embarked on
a British vessel for the Cape Horn
passage to Europe.
The Glenavon, a heavily laden
carrier in the grain fleet, went
down with all aboard in a raging
gale south of the Arores, Dec. 22,
1887. Dr. Port refused to accept
early reports of the disaster but
vhea it became clear bevond
dwrol that Omega had perished
with his shipmates he commemo
rated the memory of his son by an
east w indow in his new home "that
admits through stained glass the
first light of a new day.
Home Repairs
Dos . ... Dont's
LIQUID millHER painted on
hose and hound with tape will
stop minor leaks.
AP Newtfralurri
DO...repair pinhole leaks in a
rubber hose by allowing, to drv
thoroughly and applying coat of
rubber-base cement, liquid ruhhpr
or any similar product which spe-
cuieaiiy slates mat it can be used
to mend rubber.
DO...alIow the mending material
to set, apply a second coat and
wrap tightly with black electrical
tape.
DO...repair larger leaks bv cut
ling out the had section of the
hose wilh a sharp knife.
DO.. .connect the cut ends with
an inexpensive metal hose splicer.
DO.. .if the leak Is at the end of
the hose, near the coupling, check
first to see whether a new washer
Is needed and. If not, buy a new
coupling, which Is held in plare
either with prongs or a clamp ar
rangement. DONT...forget that, In wrapping
electrical tape around a repaired
section, start the tape a couple of
inches on the other side,
DON'T...cut out a damaged part
ef the hose In a careless manner;
th cut must be made straight up
CFMFNT
m
Powell Home
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Krllh Powell home, ills Mlxlnn St., was ronstrurtrd to meet
the rlild standards of Dr. I.uke A. Por, a lenrnrd ami fastidious
phvslrlnn and npolhrrnry nf S yrnrs ago. It stands tndnr as a
mnmimrnt to Vlrliirlnn ilcror and spurious living In earlier Salem.
The front entrance to the home, opens Into a paneled oak hall
way shmvn In Hip sernml picture. All rooms have heen furnished
by the I'nwcll, with appropriate late Victorian furniture. The onk
panelled ami ornately carved tlreplnre below dlsplavs a recessed
commemorative window In ulnlnrrt class dedicated to the memory
his ton. ()mca I'or. lost at sea In 1M7. (Capital Journal Photos)
and down If the splicer is to fit
properly.
DON'T.. .neglect, when using the
ordinary splicer with prongs, tn
pound the prnnns with a hsmmrr
so they grip the hose tightly.
DON'T., make extra repair work
for yourself by kinking the here,
one of the most frequent causes
of leaks,
Dates From
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r.HRASK-l'ROOF WALL
A kltrhen wall around the range
can be made Impervious to grease
patiprs and easy to keep clean
by paneling it wilh plastic finished
h.-irdlw.ird. This material with a
h.ikrd coating in wood grain and
marble designs as well as In solid
colors Is available at well stocked i
!37
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Mauve Decade
. mi. i j.t-i n i.jnPnii .i ,
Questions
Answered
By MARK M. TAYLOR
la It the proper time to fertilize
trees now? R. H.
It It preferable to fertilize trees
in the early spring rather than at
tht time. To fertilize now would
tend to encourage new growth
which might be susceptible to
frost Injury. Fertilizing In rarly
spring when the tree starts Into
active growth provides the need
ed sustenance to maintain a
good growth and set flowers or
fruit.
What would be a good shrub to
use along the top of a low retain
ing wall? The wall is narrow. E.S.
I was fascinated with a garden
wnll, of similar description, once,
where the shrub used was
Daphne cneorum. It Is a low,
creeping, evergreen shrub with
frngrnnt pink flowers. It enn he
made to grow over the wnll and
trail down Its sides, If desired.
Your Garden
Notebook
DO YOU KNOWT
The cultivation of roses, violets
and lavender as commercial sour
res of material used in perfumery
is confined, largely, to southern
Kurope?
Many colors, such as mulberry,
plum, peach, geranium, heliotrope,
lavender, lilac and violet bear the
names of flowers or fruits from
which the color was derived?
The Mndrona tree is sometimes
known as Oregon laurel?
The Heath family includes the
true heaths (Erica), Heathers (Onl-
lunni, Rhododendron, Arbutus, Ai
nlen. Andromeda, Mountain laurel
and Firethorn?
COMING F.VF.XTS
Oct. 34-26 Holly Society of Amer
ica, Multnomah Hotel, Portland.
Oct. 24-2R Srnttle Chrysanthem
um Show, Norway Center, Seattle.
Dec. 6-7 Oregon State Horticul-
Itiral Society. Corvallis.
The Kuril Islands, between
Alaska and Siberia, get their name
because "kuril" is the Russian
word lor smoking. There are ac
tive volcanoes on the islands.
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Capital A Journal
GAUDiNl PACE
Rhododendron
Garden Favorite
It Is doubtful whether any plant,
in recent years, has attained the
general popularity in Northwest
home gardens, as has the Rhodo
dendron. A popular misconception
is the Azaleas are a separate genus
of plants, but this is not true as
they are members of the great
Rhododendron group.
The Pacific Northwest, with its
naturally acid type soil, abundant
moisture and moderate climate.
makes an ideal home for this most
colorful group of plants.
Over 2000 Species
The genus Rhododendron Is made
up of more species, varieties and
hybrids than any other group of
ornamental woody plants, over 2000
having been listed.
The plants are both evergreen
and deciduous, colorful and, some
times, fragrant flowers.
It has been found more different
kinds of Azaleas and Rhododen
drons can be grown successfully in
the Pacific Northwest than any
where else in the country.
Jioth ot those plants commonly
called Azaleas and Rhododendrons
are, proporly, members of the
genus Rhododendron, there being
no clear cut rule for distinguishing
Azaleas from Rhododendrons. True
Rhododendrons are evergreen.
though there are exceptions, and
Azaleas are, mostly deciduous,
though there are evergreen kinds.
The true distinction between Azal
eas and Rhododendrons lies in the
number of stamens in each Ilorct,
Azaleas having five with Rhododen
drons having ten.
Need Acid' Soil
All azaleas and rhododendrons
should be given acid soil conditions,
their roots kept cool and moist and
surrounded with humus. Mulches
of oak leaves, peatmoss, and pine
needles are splendid and may be
left on all winter.
The mulching of these plants
protect the roots that are close to
the surface of the soil and keeps the
sou cool and moist during sum
mer weather. In winter it- be
comes a protection against freez
ing and, in decomposing, adds an
acid fertility to the soil that the
plants like.
Requirements, then, for success
ful growth of these plants arc good
drainage, sufficient moisture and
plenty of humus.
In planting these lovely shrubs
as they are received from the nurs
ery, they will come with the earth
ball intact wrapped in burlap
(called balled and burlaped), dig
a hole to receive the ball of earth
so the top ot the root ball will be
just one Inch below the surface of
the soil. Do not attempt deeper
planting than in the nursery as
these plants have shallow root
systems which should not be buried
too deeply.
Can Be Moved Easily
One great advantage of rhododen
drons over most flowering shrubs
is their ability to be moved at any
size, so. you may purchase large
sized shrubs ready to give a great
Bath Skylight
Itullding ot interior rooms, ap
proved ny MlA If ventilation is
provided, makes It possible for
homeowners tn take full advan
tage of a home's floor space. An
Interior bnlhroom In the core ot
the house provides convenience
and easy accessibility. OnylUht
ing such a room Is easy with a
roof-llghtlng panel, such as used
here, This Ingenious system re
jects heat from the hot summer
sun, Insulates ngalnst heat loss
In winter, but always provides
an all-day supply of glare-free,
diffused daylight.
HEAT WITH V MODERN
O I L KlIEAT
FUEOtolL
(lJII!n"i-1 IVHI'I
!'!!?''.
MS N. COMMIICIM
NE 3-4163 ANrT,ME
'II L:
display of bloom next season with
out fear oi loss.
Too much, shade may cause a
lack of flowering wood to be form
ed, and, thus, fewer flowers, to
gether with a leggy growth. Thus,
light is necessary to produce flow
ers and a few hours of direct sun
light daily is recommended, despite
the common assumption rhododen
drons do best in shady locations
Extremes of either sunlight or
shade should be avoided.
Single Azaleas belong to the
Rhododendron group, their culture
is similar. Perhaps the most fre
quently seen azaleas m this area
are the Mollis hybrids in various
shades of yellow and orange
through red. These are deciduous
shrubs that put on a colorlul dis
play in May.
The Rhododendron Kaemfiri is
another splendid deciduous azalea
of the taller growing kind, some
times reaching a height of ten
feet. Flowers vary in color from
light pink to red, blooming in May
and June.
A native azalea worthy of con
sideration in home gardens in the
Northwest is Rhododendron occi
dental, found in Southwestern
Oregon. Its bloom are white to
light pink, marked with yellow on
the upper parts. It has the added
virtue of a delightful scent as well
as attractive autumn foliage color
ing.
Of the persistent leaved (ever
green ) azaleas, perhaps, the
Kurume group is best known and
most popular. The flowers of the
Kurume azaleas are small in com
parison with others, but, what they
lack in size they make up for in
quantity of bloom, the bloom being
so profuse the leaves, often, arc
completely hidden.
Now is the best planting season,
though it is possible to plant from
August into May.
Tree Planting
Time Arrives
The best time to plant deciduous
trees is after the leaves have
fallen and before the ground may
be frozen. The hole to receive the
new tree must be large enough to
contain all of the roots without
crowding.
Any bruised or broken roots
should be pruned off to prevent
infection. The soil in the bottom of
the planting hole must be broken
up to permit the roots to have ac
cess to any fertility or moisture
below.
The bottom of the hole may,
then, be partially filled with a
mixture of topsoil, compost, rotted
manure or peatmoss and about a
pound of balanced fertilizer of a
5-10-5 or 4-12-4 formula.
Set the tree so the soil mark
on the trunk is at the same level
as the surrounding ground. Spread
the roots and fill in topsoil around
them. Fill the hole with water to
settle the soil and to eliminate air
pockets. After the water has
seeped down, firm the soil with
your foot.
Then, the tree must be pruned
to compensate for vitality lost
through transpiration. About one
third of each branch should be re
moved. Do not, however, cut the
leader, or main stem. If the tree
being planted is fairly tall to start
with, ten feet or more, it should
be guyed with tree wires the first
year planted in order that it grow
into a shapely, straight tvunked
tree.
A giant swamp gum tree dis
covered in Australia is 320 feet
tall. It was growing 200 years be
fore the first white people settled
in Australia.
mm
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Natural Gas
Furnace
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BED IK i U OE N
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Top style expansion Is featured tn this plan
which provides for two additional bedrooms and
a third bedroom upstairs with a broad dormer
facing the rear to preserve the long low lines
In front. Flexibility also Is provided by the den,
which can be used as a family room or extra
Fall Ideal Time to
Plant Shade Trees
By MARK M. TAYLOR
Capital Journal Special Writer
Late fall is the best time to
plant the shade trees desired to
provide protection from future
summer sun, for the natural moist
ure at this season helps the plants
become firmly established before
severe weather sets in. Shade
trees should be selected for the
home grounds that will add to and
not detract from the natural at
tractiveness of the home. Colorful
foliage, flowers and the height and
shape of the tree to be planted
must be considered In making your
selection:
Some of the most attractive trees
for home grounds planting do ex
ceptionally well here in the North
west. It is, however, foolish to
plant trees that expect climate
conditions other than ours.
Learn Growth Habits
It is a good rule, in selecting
trees for the home grounds, to
learn, first, their growth habits,
ultimate size in height and
breadth, lest they have to be re
moved when they "overgrow their
location."
In our estimation, one of the
most beautiful trees in existence
is a native of the Pacific North
west, the Pacific dogwood (Cornus
nuttali). Our dogwood is a large
tree when lull grown, so. is best
used away from the house lest it
dwarf it. Plant it at the rear or
to one side of the lot as a tall
background for the rest of the
landscape planting.
The tulip tree is another popular
shade tree in this area. Often con
fused with the magnolia, this hand
some tree is one of the best large
trees for creating a shady area
in the home grounds. It is a
splendid lawn or street tree that,
U.S. pat. off,
' V VSe-' i
Nothing Down
Firit Payment
In December
nn
ITXhI M DINING RM. I P VV
SINttTI I
. LIVING RU GARAGE
bedroom depending on Individual preference. The
house covers 1,935 square feet without garage
and porch. It Is 80 feet long including Us two-car
garage. This Is plan K-1687AP by Derrick Kipp,
architect, House Plan Headquarters, Room 75,
117 West 48th St.. New York 36, N.Y.
under ideal conditions may reach1
a height of ISO feet. It should not
be planted adjacent to low houses
as this gives the illusion of greater
height to the tree and lower height
to the house. Greenish-yellow,
tulip-like flowers appear on mature
trees in May or June, and, in the
fall the leaves turn a brilliant yel
low. Crimson Maple Gives Shade
The new Crimson King Maple
has deep red foliage throughout the
winter and creates a dense shade.
It is difficult to grow a good lawn
beneath it because of the dense
shade it casts and the shallow
roots that reach out for plant
food. The use of a ground cover
beneath this tree is the solution.
It is a fast growing tree to 45 feet
and may be used as an accent tree
in the landscape plan.
The American Redbud (Cercis
canadensis) is a small tree con
spicious with rosy-pink blooms
along its stems and twigs before
the leaves appear. It seldom ex
ceeds 20 feet in height and is,
thus, ideal for accent planting
with the low type of house.
Among the flowering fruit trees,
the flowering cherries are the larg
est growing, some reaching a
height of 30 feet. Their spring
bloom in profusion is a welcome
sight and, later, the tree provides
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needed shade beneath its spread
ing branches.
The following crabapples have
beautiful spring flowers, some de
lightfully fragrant, seldom exceed
ing 20 feet in height. Crabs should
not be planted near red cedars as
cedar rust, a most destructive dis
ease. Some of the flowering crab
apples and flowering almond and
apricots are too small to be con
sidered as trees, though they are
fine shrubs for the home grounds.
The European Mountain Ash
(Sorbus aucuparia) has white flow
ers in May and orange fruit in
early fall. It casts a filtered shade
and, not being too large, is useful
as a lawn or accent tree on the
small home grounds. Do not plant
it by a patio as the fruit fall is
messy.
The Goldenrain tree (Koelreutria
paniculata) is a handsome tree to
30 feet with upright pyramids of
yellow flowers in the summer. It
is not particular as to soil or ex
posure and, thus, becomes the
answer to what tree to use in
problem locations.
Locusts Praised
Two trees that have received a
lot of notice recently are the
I Moraine Locust and the Sunburst
. Locust. Both arc rapidly growing
(Cont. on Page 5, Col. 1)
floor to ceiliogl j
bloilll
3-3603
111
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sls.ssis.saM.alt i r .1
lumber yards.
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