Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/557

 public and every private citizen, no matter how poor or humble, would get absolute and unqualified justice in the discharge of every duty. The great bank is a monument to his business sagacity and fidelity to the interests of its patrons; and not a single dollar ever passed into its treasury that was made by the foreclosure of any mortgage or the pressure of any debtor. With a brusque exterior, Henry Failing possessed one of the kindest and most sympathetic hearts in existence. And with generosity to all he was the absolute standard of honesty, justice and fair dealing in all his ways. With justifiable pride, his children have placed over his mortal remains, the epitaph:

With long personal acquaintance, the author of this history can testify that no man ever deserved the above tribute more than Henry Failing.

Captains Couch and Flanders have been already referred to, but not as they deserve to be. Captain John H. Couch most assuredly drove down the first stake to fasten the city at this point, when he tied up his ship at the foot of Washington street, before there was a house here, and said, "To this point can I bring any ship that can get into the mouth of the great Columbia river." Like most men developed on the high seas, when he knew anything, he was sure and confident of his knowledge. When others were trembling and temporizing for fear Portland would fail like the dozen other places, Captain Couch lost no sleep over their fears. He knew just as well that the city had to be built here as the experienced locomotive engineer can tell how many loaded cars his engine can pull from Portland to Dalles City. That confidence was worth millions to Portland because it converted all other sea captains to the idea that Portland was the seaport of the Columbia river. In this view Captain George H. Flanders fully occurred. These two men practically made the Pacific ocean contribute to the success and prosperity of the city. This was their great contribution to the building of Portland, although their help in other ways would fill a book. When railroad development was proposed these two men—John H. Couch and George H. Flanders—placed their names at the top of the roll of Portland men who aided in starting railroad construction by donating ten city blocks in the north end of the city for depot and terminal grounds. The Union depot stands on land which they gave to the old Oregon Central Railroad Company when the author of this book was its president and manager forty-two years ago. But in every other way, and especially in contributing to the religious and charitable institutions of the city, they and their families have taken a leading part in making not only a rich and prosperous city, but also a moral, peaceful, healthful and clean place to raise families in.

As the life and growth of the city goes on, and for generations upon generations hereafter, the name of Simeon G. Reed is likely to be more in the minds of men and women in this city than the names of all the other men above combined. Like R. R. Thompson, for the greater part of his career in Portland, Mr. Reed shone by the reflected light of J. C. Ainsworth. Reed was a closer friend of Ainsworth than any other man, although Ainsworth, Reed and Thompson, were always spoken of as "The Triumvirate." Mr. Reed was always a very charitable man, kind-hearted and gentle, with lucky fortune dogging his