Update on the Portland Waterworks

I'll continue with the trip from Premione to Portland, but wanted to interrupt the thread briefly to update/correct my previous post on the Portland Waterworks on the 17th of March. Brian, the Wonder-Archivist at the Portland City Archives, sent me the following note:

Hi Dina,

I was looking at the image on the blog page you sent me of Joseph and his family. You have it labeled as being in front of a reservoir. It is not one of the reservoirs, but appears to be at the headworks where water first enters the pipelines to get to Portland. The railing and the background appear to be more consistent with the headworks, which are up in the Bull Run Reserve. Back then it would have been a nice day trip for a family outing. It's not so easy to do so these days.

Thanks Brian!

Italians & The Portland Water Works

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This photo was one of the many wonderful one shared with me by the Baldrica family. It shows Joseph Marco Parisi standing in front of one of the Portland reservoirs with some of his family in 1925. From left to right: Pietro Parisi (Uncle Pete), Henry (Hank), Joe Baldrica (Mary's husband), Mary Parisi Baldrica (Joseph's daughter), Marina (his wife) and Joseph Parisi. Notice how jaunty Mary looks in her jodphurs and boots (quite daring and modern in 1925).

The reservoirs and the Portland Water Works were a huge part of the Parisi family history, and Joseph Marco, along with countless other Italians, were a huge part of the early Water Works history. I wanted to explore some of that history in this blog entry.

Portland began construction of 24 miles of pipeline from Bull Run to the city in 1893. This was a HUGE public work project, made larger because the Water Committee also began constructing reservoirs at Mt. Tabor and City (Washington) Park, as well as expanding the water distribution system in the city. Keep in mind that the brush clearing, ditch digging, road building and everything else was done largely by hand. The modern machinery we are used to seeing on our public works projects had not yet been invented. The City of Portland needed labor, and they needed it quick.

At the same time, many events were occurring in Italy that caused the people there to think about looking elsewhere for a better place to live. I'll discuss these in a future blog soon when the topic will be immigration of the Parisi family. By the time these Italians arrived in America, the vast tracts of usable land had been or were being homesteaded. Even though they were farmers in the old country, most Italians did not move to the small farming communities because discrimination was high and they didn't want to be isolated or ignored. The Italians mostly moved into cities and became urbanized, providing the labor for jobs that no one else wanted. Because there were so many of them, discrimination against them was rampant and the wages poor.

I believe Constante Albertini was one of the first from Premione to immigrate to Portland, and secured employment with the Water Works. He probably wrote home about the opportunities he found and encouraged others to follow him. Joseph Marco was one that took him up on the offer, coming to Portland around 1890. According to Anthony Parisi, Joseph Marco's son, the Albertini's were relatives, although he wasn't sure how. My current research does not extend back far enough to show the link (but I'm working on it!). As shown in the previous blog entry, both Constante and Joseph would eventually become foremen leading the Italian crews on Water works projects.

Portland Water Dept. Payroll - Jan. 1903

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Page of Payroll Records for the City of Portland, and close ups:

1) Top: Lines showing all information and signature for C. Albertini and Joe Parisi

2) Middle: Close up showing signatures of C. Albertini and Joe Parisi

3) Bottom: Entire page

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This is one of the great finds we had at the Portland Archives. A big thank you to Brian Johnson, Assistant Archivist, who proved to be a big help (and a great guy too!). I had never seen my Great-Grandfather's signature before -- it always is surreal experience to find something like that.

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I will not be transcribing the whole page, but just the two lines pertaining to C. Albertini and Joe Parisi. In my next blog, I'll talk about the Parisi's, Albertini's, and the Water Works. And, yes, there's a family reason while C. (Constante) Albertini is included.

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My best transcription:

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Name: C. Albertini

Occupation: Foreman, West Portland

Time: 1 month

Rate: $80/month plus car fare

Amount Due: $81.55

Warrant No. 14

Signature Line

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Name: Joe Parisi

Occupation: Sub-Foreman, West Portland

Time: 27 days

Rate: $2.50/day plus car fare

Amount Due: $67.50

Warrant No. 15

Signature line

At this time, Joe was supporting his wife (who was pregnant) and 5 children in a home he had purchased, so he probably also had a mortgage. On $2.50/day. Wow.

Death Certificate for Joseph Marco Parisi

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Joseph Marco's death was the final and saddest part of his involvement with the Portland Water Works. I'll transcribe his death certificate above first, then discuss how it relates to the Water Works.
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Oregon State Board of Health
Division of Vital Statistics
STANDARD CERTIFICATE OF DEATH
State of Oregon
State File No. #107
Local Registrar's No. #110
Other Misc. Numbers at top of certificate [purpose not stated]:
99-16200-C [handwritten in top left corner]
183 [handwritten under local registrar's no.]
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Left Hand Column:
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1. Place of Death:
(a) County: Multnomah
(b) City: Portland
(c) Name of hospital or institution: Foot of Caruthers St
[mix of type and handwriting; Wilamette River is typed above]
(d) Length of stay: In hospital or institution [left blank]
In this community: 54 yrs.
In state: 54 yrs.
3. (a) Full Name: JOSEPH PARISI
[originally typed Jopseh Parisi, but then the first name was lined through
and written Joseph above]
(b) if veteran, name war: None
(c) Social Security No.: None
4. Sex: Male
5. Color: White
6. (a) Single, widowed, married or divorced: Married
(b) name of husband or wife: Marnian Parisi
(c) age of husband or wife if alive: 78
7. Birth date of deceased: April 25, 1854
8. Age: 86 years, 8 mos, 6 days
9. Birthplace: Austria
10. Usual occupation: Foreman, Water Works
11. Industry or business: City of Portland
12. Father's Name: Peter Parisi
13. Father's Birthplace: Austria
14. Mother's Maiden Name: Olive ?
15. Mother's Birthplace: Austria
16. (a) Informant's own signature: G. J. Parisi [son of Joseph Parisi]
(b) Address: 2435 S.W. 5th Ave.
17. (a) Burial, cremation or removal: Burial
(b) Date: Jan. 11, 1941
(c) Place: Mt. Calvary Cemetery
18. (a) Signature of Funeral Director: Hennessey, Goetsch & McGee
(b) Address: 210 N.W. 17th Ave
19. (a) Date form received by registrar: Stamped Jan. 9 1941
(b) Registrar's signature: Adolph Weinzirl, M.D. [Stamped]
Handwritten underneath: AFF for Correction given name 1-6-49
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Right Hand Column:
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2. Usual Residence of Deceased:
(a) State: Oregon
(b) County: Multnomah
(c) City: Portland
(d) Street No: 2435 S.W. 5th Ave.
(e) how long in USA? 55 yrs
[the number 102 is handwritten under this line with no explanation]
MEDICAL CERTIFICATION:
[the word "Found" is typed right next to this heading]
20. Date of Death:
Month: January day: 8 year: 1941 hour: ? minute: [blank]
21. I hereby certify that I attended the deceased from [blank],
to EXAM and that death occurred on the date.
Immediate cause of death: Strangulation due to drowning
[the number 183 is written and cirlced here with no explanation]
Due to: (fell into Willamette River)
Other Conditions: [blank]
Major findings of operations: [blank]
of autopsy: No
22. If death is due to external causes, fill in the following:
(a) Accident, suicide or homicide: Accident
(b) Date of occurence: About 12-31-40
(c) Where did injury occur: Portland, Oregon
(d) Did injury occur in or about home, on farm, in industrial place, in public place?
Willamette River at foot Carruthers St.
While at work? [blank]
(e) means of injury: Drown
23. Signature: F. Floyd South, MD Coroner [stamped]
Signed G.W. Snook, Deputy
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According to family lore, a water main broke on Christmas and Joseph went to investigate and help. He slipped, fell into the Wilamette River and was lost until New Year's Day. While the dates of the story do not exactly line up with death certificate, this must have been a devastating event. My heart goes out to the family and I can feel their loss, even 60 years later, everytime I see this certificate.

I am working on finding the article about this event, Joseph's obituary, and any Water Committee notes regarding the event.

Other small notes about this death certificate:
1) The name of Joseph's wife (Marina) is misspelled
2) The signer, G.J. Parisi is Joseph's son, George.