TABLE OF CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
CHAPTER I.
Leading Events in the History of Oregon
from the Earliest Explorations to the Establishment of
Territorial Government
Voyages and Discoveries Along the North
Pacific Coast--Conflicting claims of Various Nations to the
Country--Expeditions of Lewis and Clarke--Contest for
Possession of the Country--Early Settlements--Efforts of
Americans to Establish Trading Posts--John Jacob Astor and
Astoria--Growth, Power and Purposes of British Fur
Companies--Period of Joint Occupancy of the
Territory--Oregon in Control of Hudson's Bay
Company--Efforts to Secure American Settlers--Labors of
Bonneville, Wyeth and Kelly--Advent of the
Missionaries--Their Influence in Behalf of American
Interests--Arrival of the Home Builders--Establishment of a
Civil Government--Value of the Labor of the Oregon
Pioneers--Creation of the Oregon Territory
CHAPTER II.
Position And Advantages Of Portland
The Modern City--A More Perfect
Adaptation to Human Wants--Value of the Records of Such a
City as Portland--Geographical Posit ion At the Intersection
of the Great Natural Lines of Travel and Commerce of the
Northwest Pacific Coast--Topography--Extent and Beauty of
Surface--Natural Advantages for Commerce, for Manufacturing,
for Residence--The Natural Center of the North Pacific Coast
CHAPTER III.
Settlement And Early Times.
Portland Antedated by other Cities on the
Willamette and Columbia--Efforts to Find a Commercial
Center--William Overton the First Owner Gen. A. L. Lovejoy
Francis W. Pettygrove--The First Cabin--Name Bestowed--Site
Platted Daniel H. Lownsdale--Stephen Coffin--William W.
Chapman--Depletion by the Rush to the Gold Fields--Return of
Pioneers New Comers--Improvements--First Newspaper--Opening
of the Plank Road Purchase of the Steamship Gold Hunter List
of the Business Houses and of Residences Prior to 1851
CHAPTER IV.
Land Title Controversies.
Measures Taken by Proprietors to Protect Land Purchasers'
Rights--The Three Causes of Litigation--Legal Points in the
Stark vs. Starr Case--Decision of the Courts--Causes of
Litigation Over the Lownsdale Estate--Final Settlement of
the Case in the United States Circuit Court--Decision of
Judge Sawyer and Concurrent Opinion of Judge Deady--Public
Levee Case--Grounds of Private and Municipal Claims to the
River Front--How the City's Rights were Lost--Legal History
of the Caruthers' Claim
CHAPTER V
Growth And Improvements
of the City in 1850--The First Brick Building--Brick
Buildings Erected from 1850 to 1860--List of Buildings in
1855--Portland During the Indian War of 1855 and 1856--Rapid
Growth in 1862--Increase in Population and
Wealth--Improvement and Growth from Year to Year--Present
Development and Importance of Portland
CHAPTER VI.
City Charter Government And Mayors.
Charter of 1851--Its Provisions and
Amendments--Charter of 1872--Charter of 1882--Police
Department--Fire Department--Health Department.--Water
Works--Public Buildings--Biographical Sketches of
Mayors--List of City Officials from 1851 to 1890
CHAPTER VII.
Commerce.
Primitive Commerce--Commercial Operations
of Hudson's Bay Company--Trade Enterprises of Hall J.
Kelley, Nathaniel J. Wyeth and Nathanial Crosby--Period of
Commercial Adventurers--Discovery of Gold and its Effects on
Commerce--Early Trade in Lumber--Portland a Market for
Oregon Produce--Early Sailing Vessels Which Visited
Portland----Beginning of Steam Navigation--Character and
Value of Portland's Exports front 1855 to 1865--Steamships
Running to Portland from 1864 to 1869--Value of Portland's
Exports in 1866 and 1867--Measures Which Secured Portland's
Commercial Independence--Growth of Foreign Commerce--Trade
Statistics for 1870--Period of Business
Depression--Commercial Growth and Development During Recent
Years--Present Character and Condition of Portland's
Commerce
CHAPTER VIII.
River Navigation.
Oregon Pioneer Ship Builders and River
Navigators--Col. Nesmith's Account of Early Navigation on
the Columbia and Willamette--Judge Strong's Review of the
Growth and Development of Oregon Steamship Companies--Names
and Character of Early Steamships and the Men Who Ran
Them--List of the Steamers Built by the Peoples'
Transportation, Oregon Steam Navigation and Oregon Railway
and Navigation Companies--Independent Vessels and Their
Owners
CHAPTER IX.
Railroads.
Portland's Advantages as a Railroad
Center--Early Struggles for a Railroad--Curious Features of
the Contest--Labors of Simon C. Elliott, George H. Belden,
Col. Charles Belden and Joseph Gaston--First Survey by Barry
and Gaston--Report by Col. Barry--Provisions of the First
Railroad Bill Passed by the Oregon Legislature and United
States Congress--The Importance of Provisions Suggested by
Col. W. W. Chapman--Organization of the First Railroad
Company in Oregon--Formation of a Rival Company--Contest
over the Land Grant--Interesting Ceremonies in Connection
with Commencement of Construction of the West Side
Road--Progress of the Work--Bitter Warfare between the Two
Companies--The Fight Carried into the Courts--The Legal
Aspect of the Contest Advent of Ben Holladay--His Character
and Methods--Efforts to Build to the Atlantic States--Labors
of Col. Chapman--Henry Villard and the Northern Pacific--The
Southern Pacific--Prominent Railroad Managers of
Portland--The Narrow Gauge System
CHAPTER X.
Manufacturing.
Conditions Which Cause the Growth of
Manufacturing at Portland--Character of Early
Manufactures--Present Condition and Magnitude of
Manufacturing Enterprises of Portland
CHAPTER XI.
The Bench and Bar.
Oregon Under Canadian Laws--Efforts of
the American Settlers to Organize a Judiciary--Peculiar and
Comical Features of their Proceedings--The first Judiciary
System Re-organization of the Judiciary by the Provisional
Legislature of 1845--Early Judges and Attorneys--Manner of
Adopting the Laws of Iowa--Status of the Courts Prior to
Territorial Government--First Court House at
Portland--Establishment of Office of Recorder, and Other
City Judicial Offices--List of Recorders, City Attorneys,
Police Judges and Justices of Peace--Re-organization of the
Judicial System after the Creation of Oregon
Territory--Incidents in the Administration of Justice During
Territorial Period--First term of the Supreme Court
Organization of Multnomah County Court--Sketches of Leading
Attorneys of Portland Prior to 1855--Interesting Cases
before the Supreme Court--Organization of the United States
District Court--Portland Attorneys after the Admission of
Oregon as a State Re-organization of the Judicial System of
the State in 1878--Judges who have Served in Portland and
Multnomah County Courts--Cases of Historic Importance Tried
Before Portland Courts--United States vs. Randall--The
Holladay Cases --List of Attorneys Who Have Practiced at the
Portland Bar
CHAPTER XII.
Churches, Benevolent Organizations and
Hospitals.
Methodist, Catholic, Congregational,
Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Jewish Unitarian,
Lutheran, German Reformed and Christian Churches Ladies'
Relief Society--Children's Home--German Benevolent
Association Boys' and Girls' Aid Society--City Board of
Charities--Portland Woman's Union--Kindergarten
Association--Oregon Humane Society--Portland Seaman's Friend
Society--St. Vincent's Hospital--Good Samaritan
Hospital--Portland Hospital
CHAPTER XIII.
Educational Institutions.
First Schools in Portland and their
Conductors--Early Advocates of Free Schools--Growth and
Development of the System--Central School--Park
School--Harrison Street School--Atkinson School--High
School--Couch and Failing Schools--Course of Study Pursued
in Public Schools-Plan and System of Management--Names of
Teachers--City School Officers from 1856 to 1890--Portland
Academy and Female Institute--St. Mary's Academy--Bishop
Scott Academy--St. Helen's Hall--St. Michael's
College--Independent German School--International
Academy--Medical Colleges--Business Colleges
CHAPTER XIV.
Financial Institutions.
Early Banks--Causes Which Stimulated the
Growth of Banking Interests--Financial Condition of Portland
Banks--Ladd & Tilton--First National Bank--Bank of British
Columbia--Oregon and Washington Mortgage Bank--Portland
Savings' Bank--London and San Francisco Bank--Merchants'
National Bank--Oregon National Bank--Portland National
Bank--Ainsworth National Bank--Commercial National
Bank--Northwest Loan and Trust Company--Portland Trust
Company--Northwest Fire and Marine Insurance
Company--Pacific Fire Insurance Company
CHAPTER XV.
The Press.
Early Efforts to Start a
Newspaper--Growth and Progress of the Oregonian--The
Evening Telegram--The Western Star--Democratic
Standard--Portland Daily News--Pacific Christian
Advocate--Daily Evening Tribune--Oregon Herald--Portland
Daily Bulletin--Daily Bee--Daily Evening
Journal--Evening Post--North west News--Oregon Deutsch
Zeitung--Staats Zeitung--Freie Press--List of
Newspapers which Appeared from 1870 to 1880--Catholic
Sentinel--The New Northwest--Portland Journal of
Commerce--North Pacific Rural Spirit--East Portland
Papers--The West Shore--Sunday Mercury--Sunday
Welcome--Pacific Express--Oregon Times--The World--Newspaper
Mortuary Record from 1880 to 1890
CHAPTER XVI.
A General Description of The City.
Present Appearance of Portland--View from
River and Hills--Prominent Buildings--Character of
Streets--Albina--Parks--Exposition Building--Chinese Quarters--Hotel Portland--East
Portland--Cemeteries--Casualties of Nature--Floods and Fires
CHAPTER XVII.
Social Features And Noted Public Events.
The Cosmopolitan Character of Portland
Changing Character of its Early Population--Their Vices and
habits--Moral and Social Conditions of Early Days--General
Stability of Present Society--Culture and Refinement of the
People--Public Amusements--Excursions, Public Festivities
and Celebrations--Events Connected with Celebration of the
Completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad
CHAPTER
XVIII.
Men of Portland.
Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens
