Portland, Oregon Answer

07/19/2020

A. Goldsmith was one of the first directors of the Library Association of Portland, founded in 1864. The association’s directors declared that “the library should forever be kept free of politics.”

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B. As mayor of Portland, one of Goldsmith’s focuses was on making the city a livable space. He brought about the purchase of 40 acres of land for a park, which later expanded to more than 400 acres, now known as Washington Park. He also pushed for an ordinance that required business owners to plant shade trees along the street in front of their shops.

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C. Goldsmith served as a cavalry officer in the Indian Wars in California and Oregon in 1855-1856. He prevented renewed fighting by personally intervening and bringing complaints from Indian leaders to the superintendent for Indian affairs in San Francisco.

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D. Goldsmith was the driving force behind the plan to build locks on the Willamette River, enabling boats to sail from the Pacific Ocean to Eugene, Oregon, which led to  greatly reduced cost for commercial shipping. When the project was hit by cost overruns, Goldsmith contributed $200,000 of his own funds to allow the project to be completed.

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