St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1908-06-19
THE PENINSULA
A Suburb of Portland, Oregon
BY W. J. PEDDIcoRD


of Baltimore, Md, says Portland has
been called the New York of the Pacific
and il is an apt designation She is re-
markably like the eastern metropolis in
several particulars. Portland lies on the
shores of the Willamette River just above
the confluence with the Columbia. The
great tongue of land between the William
cite and Columbia, running thence down
TO a point at their intersection, is strikingly
like Manhattan Island. On the west bank
OF the willamette representing Brooklyn,
now stands the business center OF Port
land Across the river, on this second Man
haitian, is East Portland spreading every
day onward and downward until it will
finally reach the Columbia and face the city
of Vancouver, now resting on the north
side Of that river in the same relative po-
sition which Jersey City sustains to New
York" Using Mr.. H. w. Scott's impress
i've illustration, he further says Take
Typographical map Of North America and
draw line from Lower California to Mt.
ST. Elias in Alaska, and you will find that
your line follows a natural depression be-
tween mountain ranges about 100 miles
back from the coast in Oregon. Now draw
another line at right angles east and west,
following the coast OF the Columbia River
the only navgable stream that breaks
through the inland mountain walls. This
line will also follow natural depression,
with a gradual descent from near Lewiston,
Idaho, TO the mouth OF the Columbia Now
Portland is situated just at the point where
your north and south and east and west
lines cross each other, She has, there
FORE downRrade relationship to her i'm
mcnsc supporting territory. This situation
unqucstionably gives her an advantage
which will finally make her supreme in the
Northwest"
Now "thc great tongue of land" so "strik-
ingly like Manhattan Island is the PENN
sua, Of which VIC shall now tell you some
thing that will aid in convincing impartial
judges of our wonderful city that as GER
tainly as the great city Of New York was
built on Manhattan Island. so certainly will
a great city be built on the Peninsula, this
second Manhattan
First--Thc above remarkably significant
lines, IL drawn as indicated will locate Port
land OF the future on the Peninsula.
Sccond-While ocean vessels carry trade,
IN the absence OF railroads. as far inland at
first as possible. the city thus located grows
down stream wherever possible ever after
by natural law.
Third-With a topography suitable for a
great city and with the same chorography
and resources back OF II that our city
proper now has, the Peninsula has, counting
the two great rivers and their deep cut
offs, more than fifty miles Of available
water front along a tongue OF land not
more than ten miles long and averaging
not more than three miles IN width. in
cluding the islands and eut-ohs OF the
mighty Columbia
fourih-Alrcady three great trans-conti-
mental railroad lines are actually being con
structed and crossing and recrossing on the
Columbia side OF this Peninsula, with one
as a belt line entirely around Il, thus afford
ing excellent sites for untold manufacture.
Fifth-Timc, capital aud iar-seeing in
vcstors will construct mighty docks along
-. A.
sells will discharge their carpocs for the
interior OF Washington and Oregon and
even the far East. aud take on the products
oi the Inland Empire for the Orient.
SiNth-Ihcre N so much good water
front bordering on the Peninsula that pro-
hibtive prices cannot soon obtain.
Seventh-From the very topography OF
the Peninsula the mills and factories can
never encroach on her beautiful, healthiul
aud most slightly residence district
Eighth-1he greater part OF the PENN
sula being already IN the limits Of the city
OF Portland, like strong and healthy
young child that has all the elements OF
future greatness in Il, Il is constantly, while
yet young. drawing nourishment from the
maternal breast OF the queen mother, The
City of Roses. for Il boasts the same schools
ol learning. the same excellent library, art
museum, park system, the same pure, cool,
sparkling water, from the heaven-kissed
SHOWS on the silent summit OF "Old Hood"
the same car, telephone and electric light
service, and the same municipal govern
mcnt. with many OF the advantages aud few
OF the disadvantages OF the city proper.
Nnlh-The present population of the
Tenth ward Of the city Of Portland, which
is on the Peninsula, and OF ST. Johns. which
Is also ON the Peninsula, Is, together. al
ready greater than the entire population of
Portland after nearly forty years OF her eS-
istence.
Tenth-The very thing that will make
Portland Supreme in the Northwest will
eventually make the Peninsula supreme in
Portland, The great advantages OF q water
grade To Portland will be more telling for
our great metropolis when freight rates are
cut by competition To a minimum as they
will be when the Panama Canal is open to
the world. than when rates on competing
lines are high. Then u will be that the
slightest difference ia favor of the water
grade and against the great and fatal hoist
over the Cascades To our fair rivals on the
north will send the mighty volume OF traffic
from Idaho, Eastern Washington and Ore
gon sweeping down to Portland, seeking an
outlet To the markets of the world, Just as
The Columbia seeks the mighty ocean
through this same gateway Even now her
growth is almost phenomenal, although
must sometimes be invoked to |
adjust oppressive rates, Chauncey Thomas
5 quoted by DIR, Straton, in his prize story |
II Portland. as saying: There is an en-
largo OF one thousand dollars on every
rain load crossing those mountains as
against a water grade haul down the Co
umbia." MIR, H. w Scott editor Of The
Morning Oregonan for more than fifty
Years, says, in his History OF Portland
.is9o), ANY road which can persistently
AIRY merchandise at one cent per hundred
'r even per ton less than It's rivals will
,eat them in the long run" Well, Portland
: IN for the long rum and from the very
lay the trans-oontinental lines adjust their
ates IN anticipation OF the opening of the
Panama Canal she will begin to feel new
hrlll of life, Low rates by water means
over rates tranS-continent, which also
means lower rates for the interior not only
because OF an open river, but also because
he people will not long suffer dispropor-
M to .Aht h., ,...n a, L. |