The men in this image are doing preliminary work on Johnson Creek, near SE Tacoma St. On the left side of the image you can see the sign for Puncer Bros. Tannery.
Preliminary work on Johnson Creek near SE Tacoma St., Jan. 25, 1934 : A2000-025.763
Johnson Creek, 1934
Vintage Portland 
I once knew a lady who lived in a house along Johnson Creek that was subject to flooding. She told me that she didn’t mind, because she looked forward to having her kitchen remodeled every few years.
Stream restoration work then meant shovels, sand bags and hip waders….
Ahh.
The Sewer of SE Portland..
Looks like clearing saplings & brush from the streambed to let the waterflow more unimpeded.
Happily now days its much better than its been during the past 125 years.
They reported salmon sighted as far in as Gresham !
I’ll bet the tannery dumped all their effluent into the creek.
Just hunch. I “ll bet these fellows are WPA and the “preliminary” work has something to do with the impending construction of the “Super Highway” project that we know today as McLaughlin Blvd. This would involve among over things channeling Johnson Creek to make way which seems to be what is going on here despite high water. This work will do nothing to improve stream flow and to the contrary by restricting the channel it will in fact exacerbate the up stream problems. From the lack of machinery present and the abundance of man power this would seem to be a WPA make work project.
And happily yes a lot of the mistakes and insults inflicted on this waterway are finally being addressed.
Hmm the evil one seems to have cast a over in place of other into my rant. * among other things was what I meant to say. Sorry
That man in the foreground doesn’t look very happy. I don’t blame him.
This work was to straighten, deepen, and widen the channel. Upwards of 300 to 600 men were employed paid for by SERA and CWA. Total spent was 345,647 dollars. IN November of that year It was pronounced a success as apparently there was no new flooding.
January 25th? Yeah, really COLD water..
I wonder if Tannery building is now the catering business listed google maps.