Salem in 1930

World Events

• A worldwide economic Depression begins which will last for ten years.
• Constantinople's name is changed to Istanbul in the new nation of Turkey.
• Mahatma Gandhi, practicing "civil disobedience", starts a 200-mile protest march to the sea with 78 followers to protest British control of salt. In Allahabad, a speech introduces the possibility of a new nation, Pakistan for Indian Muslims.
• The Smoot-Hawley Tariff raised taxes on 20,000 products imported into the U.S., cutting trade and deepening the Depression.
• The planet Pluto is discovered.
• 3M markets Scotch Tape, Birdseye begins sale of frozen foods and Hostess Twinkies are in the grocery store. Toll House cookie invented.
• Blondie and Dagwood is a popular comic  in the newspaper. Academy Award goes to "Cimarron". The Pulitzer Prize goes to Years of Grace by Margaret Ann Barnes.

Along our downtown Willamette River shoreline before the creation of Riverfront Park

In Salem
In 1930 the misery of Salem citizens continues to increase from cinders and soot produced in wood-burning boilers in these downtown factories along the Willamette River. The council had passed Salem’s first anti-smoke ordinance in 1923, but enforcement lagged – cinder, ash, and soot continued to fall. In 1929 the Council, acting on the advice of its Smoke Committee, hired an engineer to test to air. His tests showed "the soot-fall" over downtown Salem to average 1,400 tons per square mile annually, only Pittsburgh, PA, ranked worse. Spaulding Lumber Company and Oregon Pulp (seen in the 1950s photograph above) were found to be violating Salem’s 1923 smoke ordinance. A series of photograph taken from a Goodyear blimp in 1947 shows how the problem persisted.
Cinders and soot were not the Salem Council’s only problem as the depression began. The city council began developing a municipal water service to replace the Oregon-Washington Water Services Corp., which was delivering not only water but also "vegetable growth" to the citizens. The Council ordered livestock – especially goats and chickens – ousted from the City unless neighbors agreed to the farm animals’ presence. (This information from SalemHistory.)

When you visit

The National Clean Air Act of 1963 finally cleared the air in Salem. Downtown shoppers only had to worry about drops of rain, not ashes. The industrial area along the river was transformed in the late 1990s into our Riverfront Park. At the northern edge of the park, the recently renovated Union Street Railroad Bridge and Trestle leads pedestrians across the river to West Salem and Wallace Marine Park. South of the bridge on Water Street, there is now the Gilbert House Children's Museum. Continuing south, the park features a statue of former Governor McCall, as a fisherman, a Picnic Pavilion, play fountain for children, a Carousel, a shallow amphitheater for celebrations and community gatherings and spacious open lawns. The park ends at the Eco Ball where Pringle Creek entrance into the river. New development of the former Boise Cascade property here will daylight the creek and provide additional walking trails. A bridge from the park across to the Willamette Slough to Minto Brown Park is anticipated. A self-guided walking tour of Riverfront Park is on SHINE.

Other Events

• The census shows Salem's population is 26,266.
• P. M. Gregory was elected mayor, heading a Mountain Water Party that captures the majority of City Council seats. They promised to develop a water source on the North Santiam River. Salem's water has such a bad reputation that visiting legislators insisted on spring water at the State House. (A Capitol Journal news item of the year before confirms this: "Secretary of state Hoss, because of the complaints about Salem's obnoxious drinking water, arranged to bring Bull Run water to Salem for legislators at a cost of $2 a day for transportation. Salem's water was held objectionable because of its taste, color, and odor.") However, negotiations dragged on through the following municipal administrations and it would be 1937 before clean water from Stayton Island was delivered to Salem residents.

Methodist Parsonage in original 1841 location

• This year the Methodist Parsonage is photographed in its original location near the Kay Woolen Mill water tower. In 1958 it will be moved to Mission Mill Museum property. The Jason Lee House is still located at 960 Broadway. In 1965 it will also be moved to Mission Mill property, now Willamette Heritage Center.
• Busick's Market on North Commercial Street at Marion had these specials: 100 pound sack of table carrots, 53 cents; 100 pounds of sacked onions, 65 cents; 100 pounds of potatoes, $1.15 and three pounds of blended coffee, 69 cents.

• The Capitol Journal reported that Gov. Julius Meier had selected an apartment on the fifth floor of the Royal Court as his Salem residence during his term of governor. Meanwhile, the remodeling of his office in the statehouse would partition off a space six feet wide for a cloakroom and lavatory at a cost of $1,500. The Royal Court (built in 1927) was also the temporary home of Gov. Hatfield and was host to President Nixon when he visited Salem. The handsome apartment house, still well maintained, is seen at the intersection of Chemeketa and Capitol Streets.

• The Johnson House is built on Lincoln Street. Otto and Modjesta Johnson, original owners of this Colonial Revival house, were the owners Women's Furnishings and Goods. Owners of the house in 1949 were Robert and Hulda Elfstrom. Mr. Elfstrom was mayor of the city of Salem from 1947 to 1950; he served in the Oregon State House of Representatives during the 1950s; in 1963 he was elected to the Oregon State Senate where he served until 1971. This Local Landmark in the SCAN neighborhood is now the residence of the President of Willamette University.

Salem in 1909

World Events

• China gives Japan railway concessions in Manchuria. Ito Hirofumi, four times Prime Minister in Japan and Resident General of Korea, is assassinated in the Harbin Railway Station in Manchuria.
• Albert I succeeded his father, Leopold II, as ruler of Belgium. He would prove to be a far different ruler than his father: sincerely religious, brave in defending his people in the WW I German invasion, promoting universal suffrage and education.
• British explorer Ernest Shackleton with his Nimrod Expedition reaches near the South Pole, but must turn back due to dwindling supplies.
• Robert Peary, Matthew Henson and four Inuit guides come close to North Pole. Henson actually came closest and planted the flag.
• Republican William Henry Taft is elected 27th. President of the U.S. after serving as Governor of the Philippines, U.S. Attorney General and Secretary of War.
• General Motors is founded by William C. Durant in Detroit, selling various assembled automobiles under different brand names.
• The NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is founded.
• New American Books: Exultations, Ezra Pound. Girl of the Limberlost, Gene Stratton-Porter, and Three Lives, Gertrude Stein.

In Salem

 Garfield School, designed by Fred Legg, is constructed at 528 Cottage Street following the American Renaissance style typical of schools built at that time. By 1959 it was the oldest school building in the district: Superintendent Schmidt suggested it be closed because of fire dangers. However, parent protests against closing this neighborhood school kept it open until 1973.

When you Visit

At that time, a zone change by the Planning Commission allowed it to be renovated and used as an office building. It was listed on the National Register in 1981.The school has retained its original appearance, and thanks to its being designated on the National Register of Historic Places, it may be shared the demolition that has doomed other buildings of that time. Its interior has been completely renovated, abolishing the classrooms, and is used for offices.
During the summer, many Salem residents enjoy shopping at the Saturday Market, just to the east, and park in the lot that once served the school itself.

Other Events

1915 Salem Police Department

• In 1909, Salem's Police Department lost it only officer killed in the line of duty.  Thomas M. Eckhart was 45 years old and the father of 5 children when he arrested George Meyers who had stolen a horse. While being led away to jail, Mr. Meyers pulled out a gun and shot Officer Eckhart. The Meyers conviction for murder was overturned and there is no evidence of any further incarceration at the state penitentiary. Neither our Police Department nor his family has any photograph of Officer Eckhart, although possible the men in the photograph above probably served with him. Mr. Eckhart had previously served Chief of the Salem Fire Department, resigning in 1901. He is buried in Pioneer Cemetery beside his wife Rose. More information from that website is here. His name is inscribed at National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. Here is enlargement of his name.
• Recent additional information from Brian Goforth, Thomas Eckhart's great-grandson: "Following the second trial, Meyers was sentenced to the Oregon State Prison.  He was sentenced in 1911 (that's how long it took for the two trials to play out) and served about two years.  According to the newspaper articles, he apparently was a model prisoner and was given privileges such as work releases.  He was pardoned by the then-governor Oregon governor Oswald West in 1913.  The newspaper reported that Meyers went to Seattle and lived there for a time.  In 1915, again as reported in the newspaper, Meyers stopped in Salem to visit family and friends on his way to San Francisco.  He told people that he was going to San Francisco to get married.  According to the newspaper, when he arrived in San Francisco, he found that the woman he was to marry had married someone else.  He shot and killed her, then took his own life!  How's that for a twist of events?"

There have been no other "on duty" fatalities among our police for the 101 years since this event.
189 sworn police officers and 109 civilian employees currently staff our police department. It subscribes to the Community Oriented Policing model to bring police and citizens together to better fight crime. The Citizen Police Academy is a 13-week class, limited to 20 citizens, to inform and educate citizens in police practices.

• Due to the unhealthy drinking water, the City Council authorizes the purchase of the Salem Water Company. Citizens for a Mountain Water Company gain enough votes to secure a bond issue of $400,000.
• The Salem Fruit Union plant is operating on Trade Street (on the site of today's Pringle Park).
• US National Bank is constructed at Commercial and State Streets. (This is now Pioneer Trust.)
• Fred Legg designs a new Oregon School for the Deaf at its present location on Locust Street. The former school building on Turner Road becomes the Oregon Tuberculosis Hospital.
• Eaton Hall is built at Willamette University.
• The Korb family builds a home on 5th. Street in the present Grant neighborhood. The house is now rebuilt after a renovation project caused its collapse.
• Jefferson Pooler constructs three Court Street houses associated with the Spaulding and Griffith families. Charles K. Spaulding purchases these Craftsman house as wedding presents for his three adult children: Mrs. Roy (Beulah) Mills, Mrs. Lewis (Ila) Griffith and Walter, who married Nettie Miller. Dr. John Griffith, son of Lewis and Ila, still lives in his parents' former home. Another Pooler design is the Abrams House with Mill Creek directly at the back of the house: a bridge leads to the back lawn. The Pooler houses are all featured in the SHINE Court-Chemeketa Walking Tour.
• Daniel Fry, a Commercial Street druggist, purchases the house at 606 High Street, built in 1859 by Showalter Smith. This is now known as the Smith-Fry House. The Fry property included all of Rattlesnake Hill, which became known as Fry's Hill. Mr. Fry built houses around the base of the hill on High, Leslie and Church Streets as homes for his two adult children and as rentals for his employees. In later years (perhaps in the 1920s?), this neighborhood bordered by Church, Mission, Liberty and Pringle Creek gained a new name, Gaiety Hill. That designation is now given to this section of the Gaiety Hill/Bush's Pasture Park National Register Residential Historic District. These historic houses can be viewed on the SHINE Gaiety Hill/Bush's Pasture Park Walking Tour,
• The building that had previously been Alvin Waller's 1853 Methodist Church was photographed this year. By this time it had been moved to a Liberty Street location was serving as Olmstead's Steam Laundry.
• George Chamberlain resigns as governor when he elected this year as a United States senator.

From the Capitol Journal:

• Oregon's House of Representatives, meeting in Salem, voted to abolish the murderous hatpin of over 10 inches in length. Milliners protested, saying the law would affect the sale of Merry Widow hats and ruin some milliners.
• Ye Liberty Theater advertised: "Educational and comic pictures only ~ we guarantee nothing sensational will be shown."
• Meyer and Belle Land Company offered a fine, five room house with bath, electric lights, water and a 66 by 50 foot lot for $1,150; cash down, $650.
• The stern-wheeler Pomona arrived at Salem with 100 hop pickers and their enormous load of baggage. The steamer had difficulty getting over the Willamette River shoal and put her donkey engine to work hauling over shallows with the aid of stilts.

(See Ben Maxwell's Salem, Oregon, edited by Scott McArthur, 2006)