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"Turns out, he claims, “they used to print The Oregonian down here, way back.” The pressmen, one imagines, worked day and night down here, working the lumberin
by larrys 14y ago
"Turns out, he claims, “they used to print The Oregonian down here, way back.”
The pressmen, one imagines, worked day and night down here, working the lumbering machines, spitting out another edition of the day’s business."
I used to be in that industry. I don't think they printed this paper in the basement (at least not a newspaper). I've had experience getting even small printing machinery into a basement (that was not even as sub grade as this one). It's a big task. You have to either cut a whole in the floor or take it down a bilco type basement door. Generally it would be on reinforced first floors or possibly even above that on reinforced floors (where it could easily be craned into windows if necessary). Then you have the issue with paper down and up most importantly.
It's hard to say exactly based on the info provided in the article. If this was done by web it most certainly wouldn't be in a basement as you would need ceiling height in addition to size and weight of the equipment. And it wouldn't make any sense. Also, you have issues with humidity in basements that have an impact on printing inks and paper. And you would also have the rolls of paper most likely (or sheets once again hard to say w/o more details) to get in and out of the basement? What would be the reason that you would want to do all that extra work?
- jpxxx 14y agoYou're correct, this was The Oregonian's editing office and the erstwhile home of the owner but not a press. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittock_Block https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittock_Block
- larrys 14y agoRight and further: "The paper's offices and presses were originally housed in a two-story building at the intersection of First Street (now First Avenue) and Morrison Street, but in 1892 the paper moved into a new nine-story building at 6th and Alder streets" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oregonian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oregonian
- mikey_p 14y agoThis is most likely correct although that building does have an exceptionally large basement and sub-basement. It originally housed an entire electrical substation and steam generating plant that supplied steam to many nearby buildings. I suspect this space (which could now be used by generators) and the tunnels and conduits previously used for steam (which could now be used for fibre and other connectivity) are what made the Pittock an ideal location for a carrier hotel. Relevant: http://vintageportland.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/pittock-block-excavation-1913/ http://vintageportland.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/pittock-bloc...