Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/480



As showing the immense traffic on the bridges, we copy a count of the traffic early in the morning on the Morrison Street bridge, the counting being made to show the necessity of keeping the bridge draws closed against passing steam- boats in the morning hours. This count was made in September, 1910.

At 5:15 p. m. they started to count the vehicles, street-cars and pedestrians that passed over the bridge. In the half hour ending at 5 :45, 95 cars, 213 vehi- cles of various kinds, and 704 pedestrians traveled across. Of the latter. 359 passed through the north aisle and 345 through the south aisle.

The development of the city in all directions is now proceeding at a greater rate of increase and in a more substantial manner than at any former period in its history. Added to the 200 miles of street railways, electric roads are be- ing extended in all directions. By street railways and manufacturing establish- ments, the city is now practically extended from Milwaukie on the south to the Columbia river opposite Vancouver on the north, and to Mt. Scott six miles east. And real estate speculators more than supplement the steady growth of the city by laying out suburban additions and building roads to sell lots and lands. But nothing shows the solid development of population and business better than the increase of post office income.

Business of the Portland post office, both in the stamp and money order de- partments, has been growing steadily. Each year since 1904 has shown con- siderable increase over its predecessor, both in stamp and money order transac- tions. The annual business for that period, with December figures estimated in the 1909 totals is as follows :

Stamp sales. Money orders.

1904 $379,522.70 $7,378,35370

1905 473.083.38 7,776,208.79

1906 540,266.23 8,891,877.57

1907 628,475.19 10,013,174.92

1908 680,813.96 10,676,473.22

1909 778,552.11 10,828,452.32

Post office receipts for the month of August, 1910, show a remarkable increase over those for the same month of 1909. The percentage of increase shows the month to have been one of the most prosperous of the year.

The report of receipts follows :

August, 1910 $74,976.45

August, 1909 60,815.65

Increase $14,160.80

Percentage of increase, 23.28 per ce:nt. .;