business grew up to help him out. Like Henry Failing, C. H. Lewis never
pressed a customer, and his word was as good as government bonds throughout
the whole northwest. Aside from his business, nearly all the educational and
charitable institutions — especially the Good Samaritan hospital — and the Protest-
ant Episcopal church owe much to his wise guidance and financial support, or
that of his family.
Henry Failing came to Portland in 1851. in a subordinate position with his father, Josiah Failing, of blessed memory, and became a partner in the firm of J. Failing & Co. The business prospered, and in 1864, Failing, Sr., retired, leaving the hardware business to his sons, Henry, Edward and James. This business was carried on with success and profit until it was consolidated with that of Mr. Corbett, in 1871. In 1869 Mr. Corbett and Henry Failing purchased a controlling interest in the First National Bank, which had been organized by the Starr Brothers; it being the first national bank on the Pacific coast. Mr. Failing became president of the bank and from that day on it has been the great bank success of the Pacific coast. As mayor of the city, as president of the board of commissioners that constructed the water works to bring water from Mt. Hood, and in every trust reposed in him, Henry Failing, is the man against whom there never was a doubt but that the public and every private citi- zen no matter how poor or humble, would get absolute and unqualified justice in the discharge of every duty. The great bank is a monument to his business sagacity and fidelity to the interests of its patrons ; and not a single dollar ever passed into its treasury that was made by the foreclosure of any mortgage or the pressure of any debtor. With a brusque exterior, Henry Failing possessed one of the kindest and most .sympathetic hearts in existence. And with gen- erosity to all he was the absolute standard of honesty, justice and fair dealing in all his ways. With justifiable pride, his children have placed over his mortal remains the epitaph: ... -•.,r
"he was a just man, and loved mercy."
With long personal acquaintance, the author of this history can testify that no man ever deserved the above tribute more than Henry Failing.
Captains Couch and Flanders have been already referred to, but not as they deserve to be. Captain John H. Couch most assuredly drove down the first stake to fasten the city at this point when he tied up his ship at the foot of Washington street, before there was a house here, and said, "to this point I can bring any ship that can get into the mouth of the great Columbia river." Like most men developed on the high seas, when he knew anything, he was sure and confident of his knowledge. When others were trembling and tem- porizing for fear Portland would fail like the dozen other places. Captain Couch lost no sleep over their fears. He knew just as well that the city had to be built here as the experienced locomotive engineer can tell how many loaded cars his engine can pull from Portland to Dalles City. That confidence was worth millions to Portland, because it converted all other sea captains to the idea that Portland was the seaport of the Columbia river. In this view Captain George H. Flanders fully concurred. These two men practically made the Pacific ocean contribute to the success and prosperity of the city. This was their great con- tribution to the building of Portland, although their help in other ways would fill a book. When railroad development was proposed, these two men — John H. Couch and George H. Flanders — placed their names at the top of the roll of Portland men who aided in starting railroad construction by donating ten city blocks in the north end of the city for depot and terminal grounds. The Union depot stands on land which they gave to the old Oregon Central Railroad Company when the author of this book was its president and manager forty- two years ago. But in every other way, and especially to the religious and charitable institutions of the city, they and their families have taken a leading
