St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1908-06-19
PENINSULA PORTLAND
ByJ. J. WALTER.

Saul Of Tarsus. standing in the midst OF
q rabble just outside OF the gates OF the
Jewish temple at Jerusalem. from which he
had been ruthlessly expelled by religious
fanatics. accused OF heing a Greeian leader
Of sedtion, made reply to the chief captain
OF the guard: i am q man which am
Jew OF Tarsus, n city in Ciicia, n citizen
OF no mean city, and beseeeh thee to suf.
fer me TO speak unto the people" So !
would say, boastingly, II am a citizen OF
Portland. a citizen OF no mean city; suffer
me TO speak unto the people" And what
| am TO say in this brief write.up am sure
will be heartily seconded by more than
100000 Of loyal, boastful citizens OF The
Rose City.
Come with me 10 the summit OF Council
Crest aud, after filling your lungs with
the purest air God ever sent sweeping over
the face OF the earth. look around you. The
greatest architect OF Europe. Christopher
wren. has no expensive monument TO per-
petuate his memory; but. upon n simple
tablet, built in the walls OF one OF his
splendid creations, may be read his name
with this inscription: DO you seek his
monument. look around YOU I am stand.
ing by your side and I propose TO boast
and boost my adopted city. and. as an apol-
ogy Tor my boasting and boosting ! say
with sweep OF my arm. Look around
you"
A stranger in Portland might conclude
that Portland had no back door yard. that
the emerald hills west OF her business CEN
ter marked the boundaries OF her growth
toward the setting sun; but, standing on
this vantage ground. you discover that Port
lands back door yard is as beautiful and
almost as expansive as her front door yard
that even now her population is tumblng
over the crest and spreading itself out over
the charming valley that stretches away
toward the West
Then southwark along both sides of the
beautiful Willamette River Portland is
building her homes by the thousands and
factories by the scores. So To the south
east up to and beyond Mount Scott. six
miles away. and to the east. up to aud be-
yond Mount Tabor. three miles away
almost a solid city meets the eye, with
Mount Hood and the Cascade range form
ing most enhancing background to thh
charming panorama.
But you must take one more view-this
view toward the northeast and north. We
Will call this a view OF Peninsula Portland
need not tell you where the greatest
growth OF Portland is today. the naked eye
viii show that in this territory. hanked by
the Columbia River on the north and the
Willamette on the south and west that three
new houses are being erected to one in
any other direction named
! wish TO call your attention TO three con-
ditions which are found in this part of the
city that make this one of the most desira-
BILE parts of Portland for homes: The first
item is drainage. Not only is this part OF
Portland easy of artificial drainage, but the
subteIranean drainage OF this entire PENN
sula Portland is perfect, as gravel and sand
are found at all points from three TO twenty
feet below the surface,
The second item l name is ventilation
There is no spot in all the environments of
Portland where the ventilation is so good
as It Is in this territory. Here the breezes
from the ocean, coming up the Columbia
River so modify the heat of the Summer
that this writer has often noted difference
of hve or ten degrees between Peninsula
Portland and the downtown territory.
The third item is view" In no other
territory OF Portland (unless you climb
some hilD can anyone find so enchanting
views OF snow-capped peaks. emerald hills
and river scenery.
My space forbids me boasting extensively
OF the finest high school building in the
State of Oregon, to be erected ON Peninsula
Portland, the bonds for which, to the
amount OF $25o,0oo, have already been voted
and issued.
! must mention the vast shipping facilities
that, IN the near future, will cluster along
the north boundary OF this Peninsula, where
Nature has placed at our disposal miles of
deep water channels running in many direc-
lions from the main Columbia River chan
neL These channels are even now being
prepared for the coming commerce of PEN
nsula Portland
One more boast and l have done Port
land leads the world as city of
home owners This is particularly true of
Peninsula Portland. The census of New
York City shows that e5 per cent of her
inhabitants are living in rented houses; s5 |
per cent of Boston's inhabitants pay tribute
70 landlords; 50 per cent OF the people of
San Francisco are renters, while 97 per cent
II the people of Peninsula Portland own
he houses they live in. If any doubt still
,aunts your mind dear reader, and you are
Inclined to say hot air." or. in the language
'f Holy Writ. Behold he filleth his belly