The population of Oregon was burgeoning at the turn of the 20th century – nearly doubling every 20 years. The need and desire for transportation other than horse-drawn wagons in the mud, particularly in urban areas, spurred several groups of enterprising businessmen into action. The resulting interurban electric transit system drew worldwide acclaim; a 1913 story in The Times of London reported that ”Portland would soon have the third most extensive electric railway system in…
