I look at this photo and try to imagine the *sound* of street construction back then. No diesel excavators idling all day, no “beep-beep-beep” of trucks backing up…just the scritch-scritch of hand held shovels moving dirt and gravel, and sledgehammers on chisels as they break concrete. with the occasional shout of information from one worker to another.
Also, look at that stack of beautiful, clear grain old growth timber. Would be highly prized today, but back then was just shoring material.
I lived for 30 years 6 blocks from where this picture was taken. I wonder if this was connecting the houses to the the sewer rather than repair. Notice there are a series of holes, not a dug trench. The neighborhood was built during two eras. The first round after the Lewis & Clark expo and WW1. The second round of building was early 1920’s to 1929 with a few being built right before WW2. The block I lived on had houses of all three eras. The thing is my neighbor 2 houses away from me in the early 1990’s was having sewer line problems or so he thought. By the time it was all done his problem was his cesspool filled up, yes his house still on a cesspool, not the sewer. It had never been connected to the sewer as the house predated the sewer installation. When the first round of houses were built in 1906-15 there were no sewers, it was only in the 1920’s that sewers were installed. As noted in previous posts everything was dug by hand and took way longer than today.
The taller house on the left I believe is located at 2461 NE 60th (NE 60th & Brazee) and was built 1912. Most of the google streetview images of these homes are obscured by the leaves on the trees but there is an April 2009 image that looks to match the house in today’s photo.
Regarding sewer connections to these homes historic plumbing permits show this block was connected to the sewer in the early 1920’s, and the house at 2461 NE 60th went from a cesspool to a sewer connection in July 1922.
Love your comment Mike.
Teddy Roosevelt pitching in.
The young lad with knickers has parked his bicycle and is casually observing the work. The ladies on the sidewalk chatting in the cool morning air. Flat style wood gutters on the three story home.
Is that a horseless carriage there on the left?
Dennis is absolutely correct on the location. NE 60th Ave & Brazee St. I grew up on the other side of the block. The Shaws lived on the SE corner in this picture.
Vintage Portland 
Wilfred Brimley there on the right
Good one Mike
I look at this photo and try to imagine the *sound* of street construction back then. No diesel excavators idling all day, no “beep-beep-beep” of trucks backing up…just the scritch-scritch of hand held shovels moving dirt and gravel, and sledgehammers on chisels as they break concrete. with the occasional shout of information from one worker to another.
Also, look at that stack of beautiful, clear grain old growth timber. Would be highly prized today, but back then was just shoring material.
I lived for 30 years 6 blocks from where this picture was taken. I wonder if this was connecting the houses to the the sewer rather than repair. Notice there are a series of holes, not a dug trench. The neighborhood was built during two eras. The first round after the Lewis & Clark expo and WW1. The second round of building was early 1920’s to 1929 with a few being built right before WW2. The block I lived on had houses of all three eras. The thing is my neighbor 2 houses away from me in the early 1990’s was having sewer line problems or so he thought. By the time it was all done his problem was his cesspool filled up, yes his house still on a cesspool, not the sewer. It had never been connected to the sewer as the house predated the sewer installation. When the first round of houses were built in 1906-15 there were no sewers, it was only in the 1920’s that sewers were installed. As noted in previous posts everything was dug by hand and took way longer than today.
The taller house on the left I believe is located at 2461 NE 60th (NE 60th & Brazee) and was built 1912. Most of the google streetview images of these homes are obscured by the leaves on the trees but there is an April 2009 image that looks to match the house in today’s photo.
Regarding sewer connections to these homes historic plumbing permits show this block was connected to the sewer in the early 1920’s, and the house at 2461 NE 60th went from a cesspool to a sewer connection in July 1922.
Love your comment Mike.
Teddy Roosevelt pitching in.
The young lad with knickers has parked his bicycle and is casually observing the work. The ladies on the sidewalk chatting in the cool morning air. Flat style wood gutters on the three story home.
Is that a horseless carriage there on the left?
Dennis is absolutely correct on the location. NE 60th Ave & Brazee St. I grew up on the other side of the block. The Shaws lived on the SE corner in this picture.