for the north Portland school, between C and D streets. The Bank of British Columbia, erected the flatiron building on Front street. Brick stores were constructed by Dr. E. Poppleton and others on First street. The Unitarian church was erected at Seventh and Yamhill streets.
Exports of produce and merchandise reached the value of two million four hundred and sixty-two thousand seven hundred and ninety-three dollars. The great apparent increase over 1866 was due to a more perfect record kept, and actual improvement. The shipment of gold dust fell to four million and one thousand dollars. The river was much improved at Swan Island. The population of the city for this year was estimated at six thousand, seven hundred and seventeen.
COMMENCEMENT OF RAILROADS.
In 1868 the railroad company began work, the west side breaking ground April 15th, and the east side two days later. During this year also an independent commerce sprang up with New York, and the way was opened for direct export of grain to Europe. The iron works of the city began to command the trade in the supply of mining machinery for the Idaho and eastern Oregon companies. The saw-mill of Smith, Hayden & Co., on the corner of Front and Madison streets, was improved so as to cut twenty-four thousand feet of lumber per day, and that of Estes, Simpson & Co., on Front street v>'as enlarged to a capacity of twenty thousand feet. The handsomest building of this year was that of Ladd & Tilton, for their bank, at the corner of First and Stark streets, at the cost of seventy thousand dollars. This year over four hundred dwelling houses were erected. "And yet," said the Oregonian, "you will find that there are no desirable houses to rent. The great and increasing growth and improvement of our city is no chimera." Indeed during this year Portland; was -experiencing one of those waves of prosperity by which she has been advancing to her present eminence.
The exports of the year reached a value of two million, seven hundred and eighty thousand, four hundred and eight dollars, requiring the services of nine steamers and thirty sailing vessels. The assessed value of property was four million, six hundred thousand, seven hundred and sixty dollars. Real estate transactions reached a volume of one hundred and forty-three thousand, eight hundred and forty-six dollars. The price paid for the lot on the corner of First and Alder streets by the Odd Fellows (1868) was twenty-two thousand, five hundred dollars. The shipments of treasure and bullion were three million, six hundred and seventy-seven thousand, eight hundred and fifty dollars. The population was seven thousand, nine hundred and eighty.
The first attempt to systematically advertise the city and country and attract immigration and capital, dates back to the year 1869, when an organization was formed called the "Immigration Exchange." Some money was collected and some literature prepared, setting forth the resources, advantages and attractions of the country, and the printed matter sent to the eastern states in a hap-hazard sort of way. It did not accomplish much, but it was a beginning of that work which has made Thomas Richardson famous, and given Oregon and Portland thousands of people and millions of capital.
The first cargo of wheat exported direct from Portland to foreign countries was loaded and sent out in 1868. Joseph Watt, a farmer of Amity, Yamhill County, and the same man that brought the first flock of sheep two thousand miles across plains and mountains to Oregon, and also raised the money and started the first woolen factory in Oregon, has also the honor of shipping this first cargo of Oregon wheat from Portland, Oregon, to any foreign country, sending it to Liverpool. Ladd & Tilton advanced the money to Watt to purchase the wheat, which came from "Old Yamhill" as a matter of course, and was carried down on the little river boats from Dayton to Portland. And after Watt got his wheat aboard the ship, and insured, he took his bills of lading and insurance policies to Edwin Russell, manager of the bank of British Columbia
