Historical Linnton

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History of Linnton, by Rob Lee

Linnton_banner-2I’d like to give brief overview of Linnton’s history, and follow that with a series of headlines and summaries from the Oregonian between 1908 and 1921. I’m hoping these will give some sense of the times, and how attitudes about a place can be shaped, fairly or not.

1843 – Linnton was the landing site of the first Canestoga wagons to raft the Columbia, the spot selected by Morton McCarver and Peter Burnett. They named the place for a senator from Missouri, Lewis Linn, who authored land grant legislation to “keep Oregon out of the hands of the English.” They built a log road over the hill (now Springville Road), for the wagons to proceed on, and when their speculation in Linnton didn’t immediately produce the port city they were hoping for, hit the road themselves, Burnett to become the first governor of California, McCarver to found Sacramento and Tacoma.

1844 – James John built a warehouse in Linnton. In 1846 he moved across the river. A visiting Navy lieutenant, Neil Howison, called Linnton “very poor, and persecuted by mosquitoes day and night,” with a future that was ”doubtful.”

1849 – The tent town, and its blacksmith shop, was substantially thinned when gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

1850 – Solomon Richards, given a 640 acre land claim in Linnton, sold lumber, cleared 50 acres for a dairy farm, and sold pieces of his land for the next 30 years, including the railroad right of way before moving to Portland in 1883. A rail line went through Linnton shortly thereafter.

In 1889 a smelter was proposed for Linnton, an excursion for investors to the site treated to a “great orchard of cherries” and a “huge patch of strawberries.” The smelter was built, but quickly went out of business. Linnton’s Post Office opened in 1989, sharing a building with Alcorn’s grocery. By the mid-1890’s Linnton had a small school, a boarding house and a little Methodist Church.

Just before the turn of the century a horse meat pickling and canning plant opened, using Indian ponies from Eastern Oregon described as “useless little brutes, consuming feed that ought to go to range cattle.” The meat was sold in England and to the English army in South Africa. There were lots of horses but profit was hard to come by and there were problems with rounding up ponies belonging to someone not an Indian. When a shipment of pickled horse bound for France arrived spoiled, the company went under.

In 1904 Linnton’s first lumber mill was finished, built by the biggest lumber baron in the state, Robert Suitor, who sold it to Clark & Wilson and the little town was ready for lift off. Oil companies first showed interest in Linnton in 1902, several lumber mills were built, a ship building company shouldered up between mills and the town’s population went from about 400 to 2000 in 1914. A listing of larger companies with facilities in Linnton in 1913 includes:

  • Portland Gas & Coke
  • Standard Oil
  • Union Oil
  • Monarch Oil
  • S.C. Rasmussin & Sons
  • Associated Oil
  • Columbia Electrical (ship building)
  • Clark-Wilson Lumber
  • Willamette Box
  • Columbia Creosoting
  • West Oregon Lumber
  • Consumers Lumber & Supply
  • S. Ban Shingle Company

The vast majority of employment was in the mills and most workers lived in company housing along the railroad tracks and were immigrants; Japanese, Filipino, Italians, East Indians, and Czechoslovakian, with different groups living in different parts of town. Linnton asked to be annexed into Portland in July of 1910 but was rejected. Three months later Linnton was incorporated as a city. Beginning in 1908 a trolley line was built from Portland to Linnton, as well as a stone breaking county jail at the Rock Pile, in the quarry. In 1911 City Hall was built with a fire station on the first floor. There was a bank, two schools, several churches and two newspapers in town. With the free ferry between, Linnton had close ties to St. John’s. The streets were being paved and by 1913 water from Bull Run had been piped in, and a sewage system installed. That next year there was electricity, sidewalks, telephones and there would soon be gas.

By 1911 the Linnton Road was very popular; 50 cars were counted in one day. It was dirt and gravel and very windy. There were a lot of accidents, mostly cars rolling down embankments, many people hurt, with a steady drumbeat of deaths. By 1922 615 cars were counted in one day headed to Astoria, the traffic good for Linnton businesses.

In the first decade of the new century, with alarming regularity, there were intense warehouse fires and explosions at oil companies on the east side of Portland. The large oil tanks next to the warehouses were spared through luck and the “almost superhuman efforts to the fire department,” although many buildings and businesses were lost. The Madison Street bridge was burned in one of several Standard Oil fires, along with a schooner being built next to the bridge. Warehouse owners and residents adjacent to the oil companies were up in arms, suits filed.

In June of 1911 the Union Oil facility at E. Water & Salmon Streets caught fire, including two large underground tanks. In the ensuing conflagration many small tanks exploded, one of which collapsed a wall onto the longtime fire chief, David Campbell, burning him to death. The next day Mayor Simon said, “I deem the maintenance to these tanks a serious menace to life and property. There is also great danger that the burning petroleum may flow into the Willamette River and destroy not only the bridges belonging to the city but the shipping in the harbor.” Two months later an ordinance, drawn up in secret by the insurance industry, was passed without dissent, and under suspension of the rules, making tanks acceptable in 5 districts of the city: Standard and Union Oil would have to move. There was a public outcry, the controversy lasting several months. In January of 1912 the city council passed an ordinance banning tanks of over 5000 gallons from the city. Two weeks later the new mayor, Rushlight, vetoed it. Two weeks after that the city council overturned the veto by a vote of 10 to 3.

In 1913 and 14 Linnton, a “suburb,” became a very popular place to locate large tanks, over $2 million (a lot of money then) spent on them in 1913 alone. In 1915 Linnton again voted to be annexed into Portland, and this time Portland approved. In 1917 most of the ordinance banning tanks was quietly eviscerated by the city, and in 1941 repealed entirely.

In 1933 Joseph Lemma set up a wine business in downtown Linnton, bottling from a tank car and selling in Portland. Unfortunately this was a singular bright spot in that decade. The prosperity Linnton enjoyed ended with the Depression, which hit hard. In conversations with Dick DiVincenzo and Walter Cole — that is, Darcelle — who were both children growing up in Linnton in the ‘30’s, it was a pleasant, spirited and cohesive place to live, though poor. The community center was the town’s focal point for them. Mill workers chose to work three day weeks rather than have anyone laid off. Still, the Linnton of the teens and twenties didn’t return. The two largest mills burned down between 1945 and 1950, not to be rebuilt. Most of downtown was torn down for the St. Helens Road widening in the early ‘60’s. And here we are.

Two short pieces to place us in time:

April 13, 1908 – “Horse Faints and So Does Woman”

Walter Rosenfeld, the well-know cigar merchant, has a horse that faints. Mr. Rosenfeld is not sure that his fancy roadster Coolie fainted, but Milton Kahn is certain of the fact and swears that if the horse had not fainted they would have both been killed last Friday night.

It seems that Mr. Rosenfeld and Mr. Kahn were enjoying a drive on the Linnton Road. It was quite dark and just as they were rounding one of the turns in the road, without lights, a big automobile with a pair of spooning lovers in the front seat came tearing straight at the buggy. Mr. Rosenfeld tried to swing his horse out of the way, when suddenly the horse collapsed. The driver of the automobile came to his senses quickly and stopped the car just a few feet away from the prostrate animal.

Just to add to the excitement, the lady in the machine fainted also, and Mr. Kahn was in a quandary for a minute whether to apply restoratives to the woman or to Mr. Rosenfeld’s horse. Both men were sure their hair turned gray with fright.

October 3, 1909 – “Woman Banished From the City”

Banished from Portland for one year was the fate meted out to Mrs. Nellie Young, a statuesque beauty who has seen better days. She was arraigned before Judge Bennett on complaint of Patrolman Montgomery, charged with having fallen to the bottom of the social scale. According to Mrs. Young’s story, but a few months ago she was a contented wife of a prosperous business man of Kansas City, Mo. but by her own tearful admission, she had followed “the primrose path” and awakened to find herself an outcast.

With the unmistakable marks of refinement born of a good home life, she appeared penitent before the judge’s bench and in her plea for another chance to regain her self-respect and her social position explained how an occasional surreptitious “joy ride” or an afternoon luncheon at a downtown grill taken without her husband’s knowledge, grew to subsequent more reckless gayeties which led to final discovery and the loss of her home.

 

8/18/08 – belligerent South American Indian runs amok at Claremont Tavern – he was held in an ice chest till the cops arrived and was in a state of collapse from the cold but started fighting again when he revived

1/3/09 – “abuses” at Linnton rock pile – inmate “died of natural causes” says doctor, of a man who died after being starved for two days, then severely beaten

3/3 – Linnton “toughs” throw rocks at “gentleman” showing two ladies his new car

5/6 – Linnton complains trolley doesn’t stop in town (it stops 800 feet outside town)

5/22 – Linnton was consulted trolley owner says, we’ll stop where we want to

6/6 – Linnton wants trolley to be forced to stop in Linnton

6/20 – Linnton filing suit against trolley owners – .10 fare should be .05

6/22 – “Auto Explodes; Jump Saves Trio, Men Barely Escape Cremation on Linnton Road”
6/26 – cowboys have gunfight with rustlers on Linnton Road

6/29 – trolley must charge .05 as contract stated

7/13 – second coming soon evangelist says, siting crime increase

12/19 – court decides in Linnton favor on the .05 fare

1/10/10 – trolley fighting .05 fare – may bypass Linnton

2/6 – Linnton prison called ideal by Grand Jury although phone line should be added

2/20 – 8000 pounds of dynamite threw down enough rock to keep prisoners busy for a year

7/28 – belligerent laborer in Linnton uses ax-handle on trolley windows over .05 fare

10/13 – rock pile too crowded with 120 prisoners – chain gang to be formed for road work

1/29/11 – charges of brutality against superintendent & guard at rock pile by anarchist who was arrested for vagrancy, struck cop, then beaten into submission, refused to work at rock pile, worked after two days bread and water and became model prisoner

3/5 – Linnton saloon keepers arrested – sherif says he didn’t like going over the heads of local authorities but conditions in Linnton had become intolerable and municipal authorities were unable to cope (the problem? drinking on Sundays)

5/20 – Linnton Boss Accused — Super of Rock Pile Interests Grand Jury” – a prisoner, Joe Clark, alias Kellog, complained about being thrown in dungeon for refusing to work and was hosed with water – officials said “he very much needed” a bath

5/27 – “Man Not Mistreated” “Morphine Addict Feigns Insanity to Obtain Drug” Joe Clark again

6/2 – Grand Jury complains of foul language used with prisoners — Joe Clark, alias Bingo, very bruised but abuse couldn’t be verified

8/10 – escapes from rock pile investigated

8/22 – rock pile prisoner kills self

8/29 – “Folk Songs Cheer Jail” “Prisoners Filled with Harmony and Lager, Give Concert”

9/2 – fence cut, rock pile prisoner escapes amid shots

11/20 – 25 prisoners write mayor to praise new superintendent Vaugh

12/18 – saloons raided – for violating Sunday law

1/31/12 – superintendent Vaugh to be fired by mayor – “lax conditions” – prisoners allowed to go duck hunting

6/21 – boy buys 17 kisses $2 each from various women at the Cliff bar – gets arrested with 2 waiters for serving him – having a high time; here from a Seattle military school

7/5 – Youth Drinks; Shoots Boy, Saloon men and Bartender Arrested

7/8 – Hut Faces New Charges (nickname for Claremont ?) girls claim to have been supplied with drinks at roadhouse

8/10 – Roadhouses Must Close at 10 O’clock – Sheriff opens war on Resorts as Result of Riot at the Hut

8/12 – Portland was having a problem with prostitution – police chief Slover: “I would prefer to have 6 1st class women than 23 men for certain work. This thing of sending out men to catch disorderly women and handle similar kind of work does not get results, but it does end in many a good man falling from grace.”

1/21/13 – Linnton roadhouses are closed down by Sheriff

1/24 – Swaggart Shows Fight. Proprietor of “Hut” Starts Suit Against Sheriff

1/25 – Suit Thrown Out

6/17 – Swaggart starts Linnton Bowling Club – Sheriff tried to close it as nuisance as it doesn’t have a local license, which Swaggart says he doesn’t need it

6/18 – Bowling Club cleared to do business

1/8/14 – Bowling Club & Cliff Inn raided – everyone arrested

1/10 – Sheriff Gets Order from Judge . Release the Linnton Bowling Club

1/10 – restaurant “rusher” serves 15 days on rock pile and throws wood through police station window to go back to rock pile to be fed

1/11 – War is Opened on Roadside ‘Clubs.’ Sheriff promises Campaign & Warns Patrons of Social Standing

1/14 – “Hut” Raided – everyone arrested

1/15 – Governor to Help Sheriff in Fight. Attorney General Ordered to Begin Action to Annul Linnton Charter

1/18 – Bowling Club raided

8/22 – fare raised to .10

9/6 – Linnton sues state commission to stop rate hike

10/7 – Linnton runs two buses with .05 fare to compete with trolley

9/15/15 – Drunken Austrians Battle Policemen. One is Shot in Riot in Linnton

10/1 – Knife Wielded in Fray. Badly Cut About Face in Fight Near Linnton

11/4 – Linnton Remains Wet – saloon licenses extended till prohibition January 1

11/29 – numerous petty robberies blamed on loss of rock pile – “Given back the rock pile of Linnton, we could clean up the city in a few days,” police chief says.

12/7 – Claremont Tavern not guilty of violating prohibition – the chef was making wine

12/30/16 – rock piles made ready when IWW agitators coming to town – 52 charged with vagrancy picketing restaurant

2/17/17 – strike in Linnton broken by scabs

6/6 – 2 Linnton men caught with 6 quarts of whiskey from ship

7/14 – rock pile prepared for Wobblies again

9/24 – taverns raided

11/2 – Claremont tavern raided again – 11 arrested

11/8 – Auto Accident Unusual Driver Thrown in Air and Lands in Seat After Car Turns Turtle

3/18 – private jitneys protested – bus service being looked at

6/2/18 -city looking at streetcar service to Linnton

11/23/19 – Clairmont Tavern – 2 swells (banker & commissioner) murdered by 3 highwaymen in robbery

1/23/20 – 324 gallons of whiskey destroyed in Linnton

The two main things I learned in studying Linnton’s history are, 1.) it was a mill town and went the way of most of the mill towns in the Northwest and for the same reason; the trees were cut down, and 2.) even as the people in Linnton now differ markedly from the people who lived here a hundred years ago there is an interesting and valuable commonality that connects us.