Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/738



Sound. Nisqually and Portland were made ports of delivery by proclamation January 10, 1850, and surveyors of customs appointed at $1,000 per year. About the time when there had begun to be some use for the office it was discontinued, 1861, and foreign goods were landed at Portland in charge of an officer from Astoria. But in July 1864 an act was approved again making Portland a port of delivery, U. S. Acts, 1863-4, 353, in answer to numerous petitions for a port of entry, a great deal of circumlocution being required to deliver goods to the importer, whether in foreign or American bottoms. Deady, in 8. F. Bulletin, July 6, 1864. The legislature of 1864, by resolution, still insisted on having a port of entry at Portland; and again, by resolution, in 1866 declared the necessity of a bonded warehouse, suggesting that the gov ernment erect a building for the storage of goods in bond, and for the use of the federal courts and post-office. Such an appropriation was made in 1868, and the bonded warehouse erected in 1869-70, in which latter year Portland was the port of entry of Willamette collection district. Cong. Globe, 1869-70, ap. 664-5. Later steam-vessels for Portland entered at Astoria (Oregon dis trict) and cleared from there to Portland (Willamette district). Outward bound they cleared at Portland, entering and clearing again at Astoria, some sailing vessels doing the same. The harbor is safe though small, the channel requiring the constant use of a dredger. Pilotage to Portland and insurance were high, drawbacks which it was believed would be overcome by the application to river improvements of a hoped-for congressional appropria tion. A comparison of the exports and imports of the two districts are thus given in Fai-risKs Commercial and Financial Review for 1877, 20-4. Foreign exports cleared from Portland to the value of $3,990,387; from Astoria, $2,451,357. Foreign imports entered at Portland, $461,248; entered at As toria, $27,544. The number of coastwise vessels entered at Portland in this year was 177, with an aggregate tonnage of 188,984. The clearances coast wise were 114, with a tonnage of 125,190. The number of foreign vessels entering was 37, with a total tonnage of 12,139. Most if not all, of these vessels loaded with wheat and salmon for English ports. About an equal number of American vessels for foreign ports loaded with wheat and fish. The wheat was taken on at Portland and the salmon at Astoria. At the close of 1878 the wholesale trade of three firms alone exceeded nine million dollars. Eight ocean steamers, sixty river steamers, three railroads, and a hundred foreign vessels were employed in the commerce of the state which centred at Portland, together with that of eastern Washington and Idaho. The year s exports from the city amounted to $13,983,650. The value of real estate sales in the city were nearly a million and a half, with a population of less than eighteen thousand.

There were in 1878 twenty schools, public and private, sixteen churches, thirty-five lodges or secret organizations, fifteen newspaper publications, three public and private hospitals, a public library, a gymnasium, a theatre, market, and four public school buildings. I have spoken fully of the Portland schools in another place. Of societies and orders for benevolent and other purposes, Portland in particular and all the chief towns in general have a large number. Of different Masonic lodges, there are the Multnomah Council of Kadosh, 30th Degree, No. 1; Ainsworth Chapter of RoseCroix, 18th degree, No. 1; Oregon Lodge of Perfection, 14th degree, No. 1; Oregon Commandery No. 1; Grand Chapter; Portland Royal Arch Chapter, No. 3; Grand Lodge; Willamette Lodge No. 2, Harmony Lodge No. 12; Portland Lodge No. 55; Masonic Board of Relief; Washington Lodge No. 46, East Portland. The Masons have a fine building on Third Street. The Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows meets annually at Portland in the Odd Fellows Temple, a handsome edifice on First Street. Ellison Encampment No. 1, Samaritan Lodge No. 2, Hassalo Lodge No. 15, Minerva Lodge No. 19, Orient Lodge No. 17, all have their home in Portland. The Improved Order of Red Men have three tribes, Multnomah No. 3, Oneonta No. 4, Willamette No. 6. The Great Council meets where it is appointed. The Good Templars have three lodges, Multnomah No. 12, Nonpareil No. 86, Portland Lodge No. 102, and a Grand Lodge of Deputies. \n