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MOLALLA PIONEER
Vol. 101, No. 11 MOLALLA, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013 $1 on the stand
Current news— 3, 5, 7
What’s Up — 4
Public Safety — 12
Centennial Opinion— 6
Replica of first issue — 8 & 9
Centennial Community — 13
Centennial Business — 15
Centennial Sports — 17
Centennial Buckeroo —18 INSIDE
THE FIRST 100 YEARS EARS
This is a special commemorative issue celebrating the Molalla Pioneer’s
100th anniversary as your community newspaper.
Editor and owner G. J. Taylor published the first issue on March 7, 1913.
In the Centennial sections of this edition, the stories are reproduced as they
were originally published to reflect the viewpoints of the era.
In coming issues this year, we will continue to present segments of the history of
this area as told by the editors and reporters of the Molalla Pioneer.
SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE 100 - YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Photo courtesy of Molalla Area Historical Society
Gordon J. Taylor published the first issue of the MOLALLA PIONEER on March 7, 1913, about six months before Molalla became an incorpo-
rated city. The newspaper enterprise prospered during Molalla’s frenetic growth those early years, and in the summer of 1915, Taylor moved
his offices from an old store building on Main Street to this larger corner building, above, on the south corner of East Main Street and
Engle Avenue. This photo was taken on January 20, 1916, following the worst snow and wind storm this area had seen in many years.
Photo courtesy of Molalla Area Historical Society
Sept. 19, 1913 -- Thousands of people came from miles around to celebrate the the arrival of the first trains in town, on the Portland, Eugene, and
Eastern Railway, which was completed just in time for the event. The huge event was marked by speeches, a parade, marching bands and picnics.
May 8, 1913
P. E. & E.
Making Rapid
Progress
The present weather
adds greatly to the work
of the P. E. & E. graders
as the water in the
swales is receding fast.
And in a few more days
the men will be able to
work on the worst of the
right of way.
The track gang have
the permanent track
down to within a quarter
of a mile of the Molalla
river. Material for the
Molalla bridge will be
brought forward as soon
as the track is completed
to the river. The steel
will then be laid to
Liberal and Molalla as
fast as conditions will
permit.
A Talk About
Ourselves
May 15, 1913
We don’t have much
time to talk about our-
selves. Sometimes it is
necessary to do this. This
is one of the times. We
are optimistic. Our enter-
prise has prospered much
more than we thought
possible. But prosperity
brings its problems. Our
work has prevented us
getting out and making a
personal canvas for sub-
scriptions and business.
These have both come to
us well, to date.
We find it necessary to
expand. It costs lots of
money and hard work to
make a newspaper. We
have reached our limit
without a power press.
This press, installed,
will cost us a thousand
dollars. The reason we
are telling you these
things is to take you into
our confidence, that you
may understand why we
need lots of business. We
feel that we have put out
a paper so far that people
have been proud of. We
expect to continue to do
this. We will not drag
behind in the procession.
You may help by send-
ing in your subscription
if you have not done so
already; by sending the
paper to someone who is
interested in this country,
or whom you wish to
interest; by phoneing in
the news; by bringing in
your job work and adver-
tising and by calling on
us and giving us the glad
hand of encouragement.
We want the whole
Molalla valley to get the
very best paper service
possible from us. We are
here, all the people have
to do is come in and help
themselves.
-- G.J. Taylor
Editor’s Note:
With this special
issue, we have tried
to create a collec-
tion of stories and
photos from the
Pioneer’s first pages
that reflect how
busy those first
years were in
Molalla. Pages one
and two are devoted
to news from the
first few months of
1913. Inside, the
Op-Ed page contains
stories and editorials
from the past.
Replicas of the
first Pioneer front
and back page can
be read on page 7-
8 and 9-10 of this
issue. Current news
can be found inside.
Molalla is located in the
famous Molalla Valley,
Clackamas county, Oregon, thirty
miles south of Portland. For over
fifty years, it has been the trading
center for a large area of the rich-
est farm land in Oregon. During
that time, it has been without
transportation. This great handi-
cap will be removed with the
advent of the Portland, Eugene
and Eastern Railway with will be
in operation during August. This
is to be an electric line and prom-
ises ideal service.
Also, the Clackamas Southern
Railroad is in course of construc-
tion and will reach Molalla in the
near future. Two through roads to
Portland assure an excellent serv-
ice.
The town at present has a popu-
lation of about two hundred and
fifty, but, without a doubt in six
months will double its present
size.
We have a good grammar and
high school, one Methodist
church; one Christian church; a
newspaper; a State bank; two
large general stores; new large
Hardware and Implement house;
two Drug stores; two Blacksmith
shops, Pain House, Furniture
store, Barber shop and billiard
hall; Meat Market; Harness shop,
Restaurant, Millinery shop; Livery
stable; Jeweler, a hotel and a
creamery that gathers cream by
auto from the surrounding country
There is room for many more
businesses as well as professional
men, as a big part of the trade
which has hitherto gone to other
points will come to Molalla as
soon as the railway is in opera-
tion.
There are now within a few
miles of Molalla, six saw mills in
operation giving employment to a
good number of men.
The citizens of Molalla expect
to put in a sewerage system, water
works, and an electric Light Plant
during this summer and fall.
They extend you a hearty invi-
tation to visit Molalla and any
information which you may desire
will be cheerfully sent you if you
make your wants known to the
secretary of the Molalla
Commercial Club.
The famous Molalla valley is
one of the few places left in
Oregon where land can still be
obtained at reasonable prices.
COMMERCIAL CLUB
STARTS CAMPAIGN
Gets Folder For Distribution
June 12, 1913
Photo courtesy of Molalla Area Historical Society
In 1913, the Busy Corner Drug Store served the first soft ice cream in the area. The Fair Store,
center, was a variety store, and the Fermann Company sold groceries, dry goods and more. The
stores were on the west side of Molalla Avenue, north of Main Street (From “Molalla” by Judith
Chapman and Lois E. Ray). See a replica of the Pioneer’s first front and back pages on page 8 and
9 of this issue, with a Ferman advertisement prominently displayed right up front.
April 10, 1913
DEPOT LOCATED
Mr. Lull, assistant engineer to R. T.
Guppy of the P. E. & E. was in town
over Tuesday night confering with Mr.
J. H. Abbott regarding the location of
the depot for that road. It will be located
between Third and Fourth streets. These
streets will line with those of the
Gregory addition. It will be up to the
town to connect them with Molalla
Avenue.
May 29, 1913
Ball game a Punk Affair
The ball game Sunday was a punk
affair. The Portland Maccabees played
the Molalla Grays. They put up such a
poor fight that the game had very little
interest for the spectators. The score
stood fourteen to one in favor of the
home club. We would like to see a
team play which would make our boys
try themseves a little. Too many easy
games will have a tendency to make
them careless.
Photo courtesy of Molalla Area Historical Society
The Molalla State Bank, above, at the corner of Main Street and Molalla Avenue, was completed just in time
for the huge celebration heralding the arrival of the first trains on the new Portland, Eugene and Easter
Railway on Sept. 19, 1913. Nina Duntan, center, was misstress of ceremonies. The auto from Silverton, above,
was one of hundreds that motored to Molalla that day. The old 1874 store building, far left in background,
housed the MOLALLA PIONEER newspaper and print shop, established that same year.