'Old Marion' Teachers Guide
Moments of 1900

The following articles are brief summaries about events and activities in Marion County during the year 1900.

Horse Cruelty
A Salem man was charged with cruelty to animals in November 1900 when he turned an old horse out in the streets to starve.

The incident reflects an age-old problem with what to do with transportation that has broken down and can no longer be used. Today, automobiles end up in junkyards where parts are recycled or melted down for scrap. Sometimes these old clunkers are abandoned on the side of a road or in a field.

In 1900, Salem found it was all too common for a person owning old and worn-out horses to turn them loose in the streets. These horses often ended up impounded, killed and buried, or otherwise disposed of at the expense of the city.

City police determined in 1900 to enforce state laws against cruelty to animals or failure to provide animals with proper food and shelter. Besides ending the cruel treatment, the officers also hoped to save taxpayers the estimated $6-$7 cost for feeding, advertising, hauling of, killing and burying of these discarded animals. (Source: Capital Journal, November 20, 1900)

Noisiest Hospital on Earth?
Salem's first hospital opened in January 1896 in a vacant building along 12th Street north of the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill. Salem's Daily Journal newspaper criticized the location. It said that "with three passenger trains and uncounted freights passing the door each way daily, besides the street cars, [and] wagons, ... it is safe to say the old wooden shell on 12th street was the noisiest hospital on the face of the earth."

The hospital moved to a new site in 1900 along Asylum Avenue - which is known today as Center Street - near the state hospital. The move pleased doctors, nurses and the Daily Journal editor. He wrote that "the new location of the Salem hospital is a great improvement over the old one, and doctors and nurses are highly pleased with the change. The air is much better at the new place, and in the matter of quiet, which is of so much importance in critical cases, there is no comparison to be made between the old and the new."

The editor concluded that "the effect of the change is especially noticed in the better rest enjoyed by the patients at night, and it will no doubt make the difference between life and death in some cases." (Source: Daily Journal, September 3, 1900)

Gold Found near Detroit
The discovery of gold near Detroit in eastern Marion County in 1900 touched off a minor gold rush.

W.J. Smith accidentally found a gold-bearing vein about one-and-a-half miles from Detroit. He had stopped briefly at a spot to take a compass bearing, but Smith's compass refused to work. In a hurry, he dashed off to do business elsewhere. When he eventually returned to the area to figure out why his compass had failed he found the gold-bearing ore. Mining engineers estimated the ore would bring Smith $5.50 per ton.

Smith kept his discovery secret for months. But eventually, word leaked out. By autumn, 20 mining claims had been filed on the vein, which was estimated to be six miles long, and three-quarters of a mile wide. On one day, 35 men prospected the vein with good success.

Smith's discovery gave the Oregon Statesman newspaper in Salem gold fever. It predicted that Smith's discovery might become as famous as the Klondike gold rush in Alaska, even if it probably was smaller in size.

Today, Smith's discovery has long been forgotten. But it's a great reminder that if we get lost today, we might still find gold. (Source: Oregon Statesman, November 7, 1900)

Governor Geer Marries
T.T. Geer, the first Oregon native to be elected the state's governor, married for the second time on this day in 1900. The wedding took place in Astoria and was attended by about 200 guests, including elected officials of both Oregon and Washington.

The bride, Isabelle Trullinger of Astoria, and the governor then embarked on a two-week-long honeymoon. The departed Astoria for Puget Sound on a special railroad car provided by the Astoria and Columbia Railway.

Geer's marriage took place in the middle of his only term as governor. His years as governor were a period of political and social change in Oregon. They included adoption of the first law limiting the employment of women in factories and laundries to 10 hours a day. In addition, Oregon began implementing its revolutionary initiative and referendum laws.

Unfortunately, Geer's wedded bliss ended before his arrival back home in Salem from the couple's honeymoon. While the couple traveled, a Salem laundry left the governor's washing on the back porch of his Court Street home. They returned home only to find Geer's laundry had been stolen. (Sources: The Daily Journal, June 15, June 22, 1900)

Census Workers Busy
U.S. Census supervisors worked diligently in 1900 knowing that Oregon might be able to get an additional representative to the U.S. Congress if enough people were counted.

Oregon's population had grown steadily since before statehood. In 1890, its population had reach 313,000 and it gained a second seat in Congress. Growth continued in the 1890s and some hoped that the increase might give the state a third representative in Congress and more political clout.

In mid-June, census takers encouraged Salem residents who had not been counted to leave their names at the census office. The Daily Journal newspaper also reminded residents of the importance of the census to Oregon's clout in Congress.

The census workers eventually counted 4,100 people living in Salem. That total excluded about 6,400 residents living in the North Salem, East Salem, South Salem, Yew Park and Englewood precincts that that not be annexed into the city.

Statewide, census counters found that Oregon's population had grown to more than 400,000. Unfortunately, the increase of 100,000 people since 1890 was not enough to bring the state another congressional representative. That wouldn't happen until after the 1910 census.

Today, Oregon has five representatives in the U.S. Congress. (Sources: 1937-39 Oregon Blue Book; Daily Journal, June 18, 1900; 1900 census results)

Women Lose Election Battle
Newspaper editors were among the strongest opponents of an effort to give Oregon women the right to vote.

Harvey Scott, the editor of The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, staunchly opposed woman's suffrage. His sister was Oregon's most famous suffragist, Abigail Scott Duniway.

In Salem, on the day before the 1900 election, The Daily Journal printed an article that criticized educated and professional women, some of whom were campaigning for the right to vote. The writer said the learning gained by women at college goes for nothing. By becoming educated, women lose some of their charm and become less attractive to men.

Suffragists countered by saying that giving women the right to vote would reduce the burden of taxation and bring thousands of new immigrants to the state, thus boosting the economy.

Their arguments nearly carried the day in Salem. While North Salem and Yew Park voters strongly favored women's voting rights, suffragists lost the city vote by 14 votes out of the 1,200 cast. Statewide, the equal suffrage amendment was defeated by 7,000 votes.

Not until 1912 were Oregon women given the right to vote. (Sources: Daily Journal, June 6, 1900; Weekly Journal, June 7, 1900; Oregon Historical Quarterly, Summer 1997)

Rainy Day in Gervais
Showers and drizzle dampened many Fourth of July celebrations in 1900.

The rain forced cancellation of a parade in Gervais. Other activities there were moved indoors, including a concert by the St. Paul Brass Band and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. A choir sang the Star Spangled Banner and other patriotic songs. Forty-five girls attired in white costumes and carrying flags represented each of the 45 states and the new U.S. possessions of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines.

The day's orator paid tribute to the country's founders. With the country's success in the Spanish-American War, the country was on the threshold of a new century and a new civilization had dawned. The speaker, Solis Cohen, said the country's success in the new century would depend on patriotism and earnest individual efforts.

The rain stopped in time for the Gervais baseball team to defeat Salem's team 17-8 and win a $20 prize. Horse races carried $200 in prize money.

The day's final event - a grand ball - was completed in time for Salem residents to catch the southbound express train for a ride home. (Source: Oregon Statesman, July 5, 1900)

Capital Football Team Beats Chemawa
The Capital Amateur Athletic Club from Salem defeated a speedy and aggressive Chemawa Indian School football team 20-0 in a hard-fought game in 1900.

Twenty-six-year-old dentist H.A. Olinger captained the Capital Club football team. Considered one of the best all-around athletes in the state, Olinger played end on both offense and defense. Also playing end for the Capital Club was Reuben Sanders, a former player at Chemawa. The Capital Club outweighed its opponents by an average of 10 pounds.

Although not an athlete of great distinction, Sheriff F. W. Durbin managed the Capital Club team. A Salem newspaper described Durbin as proud of his team, and as an aggressive and enthusiastic manager of it. His pride in the Capital Club soared when his team defeated the University of Oregon.

In fact, Durbin believed his "Salem giants" could "subdue any football organization in the Northwest."

The Game between the Capital Athletic Club and Chemawa School illustrates how the distinction between scholastic, amateur and semi-professional was less distinct in 1900, than now. Conferences, leagues and division were less formal, if they even existed. (Source: Oregon Statesman, November 11, 1900)

Halloween Pranks
Halloween as a night of tricks and treats was much the same in 1900 as it is today; response by the community, though, was somewhat different.

"Halloween hoodlums" in 1900 carried off the brass cannon from the state capitol grounds. The cannon was later found in front of the women's dormitory at Willamette University. A group of youngsters who had removed the cannon were later chased into the basement of another Willamette building by the capitol's night watchman. Authorities warned that "some sensational arrests will be made if the cannon is not returned within a reasonable length of time."

On Salem's Front Street, a crowd of boys set out to throw a family's woodpile into the ditch. A newspaper reported "they had scarce commenced their operation, when a shot was fired nearby, and the boys, frightened half out of their wits, scattered in every direction."

In anticipation of pranks, the Salem police chief had appointed 10 special policemen to arrest those who destroyed property. The special police arrested two small boys aged about 12 and "locked them in the city jail."

In North Salem, Sheriff Durbin had also appointed two special deputies. "Their work was not easy," a newspaper reported, "as the hoodlum element seemed to do more damage in that part of town than anywhere else." (Sources: Oregon Statesman, November 2, 1900; Daily Journal, Nov. 1, 1900.)

Election Day Happenings
On Election Day in November 1900, voters in Salem and Marion County followed election results closely. Results from around the country arrived by telegraph.

The Oregon Statesman newspaper took advantage of the latest technology in 1900 to make results available "instantly." It hung a large curtain across the street from the newspaper's building. This curtain served as a screen for a vitascope. A vitascope is a combination of magic lantern, overhead projector, and early film projector. Using this system, the Statesman flashed election news for people congregated in the street.

The vitascope displayed local, state and national tallies. In the intervals between election results, "moving pictures were introduced, interspersed with political cartoons and illustrated advertisements."

Even the six prisoners in the Marion County jail on Election Day 1900 showed interest in the presidential election. By unanimous vote, they favored Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. They announced that "should the people of the country refuse their verdict, they, of course, would wash their hands of the matter as they were unable under the circumstances, to enforce their verdict."

The Statesman claimed that the prisoners' choice of Bryan was "primarily for the purpose of gaining favor with their ... landlord, Sheriff F.W. Durbin." Durbin's and Bryan's status as Democrats apparently was well know to the prisoners. (Source: Oregon Statesman newspaper, November 8, 1900)

Highwayman in Salem
Crime in Marion County in 1900 was small in scale compared with today. Newspapers then reported few instances of assaults or of homes being broken into. The smaller number of crimes was due to the area's smaller population and to the slower means of travel that made it more difficult for criminals to make fast getaways.

While crimes were less numerous in 1900, they were usually reported in greater detail than today's newspapers. For example, the Oregon Statesman newspaper devoted several inches of its front page to the theft of $8.75 from a West Salem resident, crossing the steel bridge spanning the Willamette River.

The newspaper reported that the victim was forced to "shell out his hard earned coins at the command to 'stand and deliver'. He then was ordered be the "festive highwayman" to make himself scarce "when the footpads disappeared."

The victim reported the robbery at once, but was unable to provide a good description because a heavy fog overhung the river at the time of the crime. Police believed the thieves to be "local lights, and several parties are under suspicion." According to the paper, arrest were likely at any moment. (Source: Oregon Statesman, December 11, 1900)

Santa Claus is Hot in 1900
Marion County residents in 1900 celebrated Christmas with customary pageants and gift giving. While businesses merchandised their goods less forcefully than they did a century later, Santa Claus still found plenty of work in 1900.

In fact, things got a little hot for Santa. While distributing gifts at United Evangelical Church on Cottage Street, fire from a lamp caught one of his sleeves on fire. The fire quickly flashed out in quite a blaze. In his amazement, Santa began to run and for a moment pandemonium reigned in the church. Calmer minds soon extinguished the fire, although it severely damaged Santa's clothing, hair and whiskers.

Boys at the Oregon Reform School in 1900 had a fine Christmas dinner served to them. After enjoying innocent amusement and recreation, their day ended with entertainment for the school's officers, teachers and visitors, including Governor and Mrs. Geer.

Public officers and banks also closed on Christmas Day, although more stores, barbershops and saloons were open until noon. The last chance to buy a late gift might have been from jewelry stores, which stayed open as long a business compelled them to. (Source: Daily Journal, December 24, 1900)

Top of Page