In order to legally open its doors in 1905, the O.W.P. needed to obtain a license from the city. As The Oaks was Portland's first amusement park, there was not yet a standard licensing fee for its type of operation. According to an existing ordinance governing dancehalls, however, the license fee for The Oaks Dance Pavilion alone was to be $900.00 a quarter.

The O.W.P. claimed that it could not pay such a fee. It went to the city council with their own proposal. The railway officials requested to pay a blanket licensing fee of $300 that would cover all amusement features except liquor.

Before the councilmen had a chance to accept or decline this request, the railway company opened the park and the dancehall without a license. Oaks management tried to convince the city council of the park’s respectability by treating council members to an evening at the park. Six councilmen accepted this invitation. Newspapers reported their jolly time taking in the rides, drinking at the Tavern, and scoping-out the crowded dance pavilion. Article

Mayor Lane had been invited, but he chose not to attend. He strongly objected to what he viewed as an act of bribery on the part of the railway company to win the favor of the council. Related Documents

The day following the park visit, the city council drafted and passed an ordinance granting the blanket licensing fee. Mayor Lane promptly used his power of veto to protest the ordinance. In the end, however, the railway company got what it wanted. The council simply drafted and passed a new ordinance that granted a blanket license to all amusement parks in the city, even though at the time it only applied to The Oaks. Related Document

Back to "Culture Clash"

Forward to "Timeline"

Forward to to next "Culture Clash" topic