Oregon Improvement Company

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Mining and transportation company of Washington state, 1888-1896.

Henry Villard founded the Oregon Improvement Company in 1880 as a central component in his attempt to dominate the economy of the Pacific Northwest by linking rail, river, and ocean transport. The OIC owned coal mines in western Washington, four small railroads, and a steamship company. They suffered financial problems from the start, and competition for the San Francisco coal market was stiff. They tried to overcome their liabilities by keeping strict control over labor, using lockouts, wage cuts, and armed guards in attempt to lower costs and suppress union activity. Villard was succeeded by Elijah Smith in 1884, and the company had some success until 1888, which saw worsening labor strife and a series of mine fires. In 1890 the OIC went into receivership and reorganized. The new management offered its workers a contract that would have reduced wages, forbid strikes, and set tough production quotas. It was rejected. The OIC then brought in black workers to reduce labor costs. The issue became race instead of working conditions, and worker resistance fragmented, but the company still struggled. The OIC went into receivership again in 1896, and the Pacific Coast Company purchased and absorbed it.

From the description of Oregon Improvement Company records, 1880-1896. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 40470699

Business to own and operate coal mines, railroads, and steamship company in Washington and California.

Financier Henry Villard launched the Oregon Improvement Company in 1880 as a central component in his attempt to dominate the economic development of the Pacific Northwest. Villard wanted to link rail, river and ocean transport, and he was interested in developing coal both as fuel and as payload. The company had financial problems from the beginning. Elijah Smith replaced Villard in 1884, and was himself replaced by William Starbuck in 1891. The Pacific Coast Company purchased and absorbed OIC in 1896.

From the guide to the Oregon Improvement Company records, 1880-1935, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Hittell, John S. (John Shertzer), 1825-1901. Oregon Economic Miscellany, 1860-1881. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Oregon Improvement Company. Oregon Improvement Company records [manuscript], 1880-1896. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Union Wharf Company. Corporate records, 1892-1910, 1932. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Oregon Improvement Company. [Pamphlets. Financial history.]. Yale University Library
referencedIn Villard, Henry, 1835-1900. Henry Villard business papers, 1862-1900 (inclusive). Harvard Business School, Knowledge and Library Services/Baker Library
creatorOf Oregon Improvement Company records, 1880-1935 University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
referencedIn Henry Villard business papers, 1862-1928 (inclusive), 1870-1900 (bulk) Baker Library, Harvard Business School
creatorOf Oregon Improvement Company. Oregon Improvement Company records, 1880-1896. University of Washington. Libraries
creatorOf Pacific Coast Company. Pacific Coast Company records, 1883-1927. University of Washington. Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company corporateBody
associatedWith Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation corporateBody
associatedWith City Bank Farmers Trust Company (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Colorado Manufacturing Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad corporateBody
associatedWith Columbia Railway and Navigation. corporateBody
associatedWith Dolph, Bellinger, Mallory & Simon corporateBody
associatedWith Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Higginson, James person
associatedWith Holmes, Artemas H. person
associatedWith Johnson & Higgins corporateBody
associatedWith McKay, Nathaniel person
associatedWith Mitchell, John H. (John Hipple), 1835-1905 person
associatedWith Mohr, Paul person
associatedWith Muir, John, 1847-1935 person
associatedWith Northern Pacific Railroad Company corporateBody
associatedWith Northern Transcontinental Survey corporateBody
associatedWith Olympia and Chehalis Valley Railroad. corporateBody
associatedWith Oregon Steamship Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Oregon Steamship Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Pacific Coast Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Pacific Coast Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Pacific Coast Steamship Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Port Townsend Southern Railroad. corporateBody
associatedWith Puget Sound Shore Railroad Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Reed, Simon G. person
associatedWith Seattle and Northern Railway Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Seattle and Walla Walla Railroad. corporateBody
associatedWith Seattle Coal and Transportation Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Seattle & Walla Walla Railroad corporateBody
associatedWith Simon, Joseph, 1851-1935 person
associatedWith Smith Brothers and Watson. corporateBody
associatedWith Smith, Elijah, 1840- person
associatedWith Starbuck, William person
associatedWith Thurston County Railroad Construction Co. corporateBody
associatedWith Union Lumber Association, San Francisco. corporateBody
associatedWith Union Lumber Association (San Francisco, Calif.). corporateBody
associatedWith Union Pacific Railway Company corporateBody
associatedWith Union Wharf Company corporateBody
associatedWith Union Wharf Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Villard, Henry, 1835-1900. person
associatedWith Willamette Steam Mill and Manufacturing Company (Portland, Or.) corporateBody
associatedWith Willamette Steam Mill and Manufacturing Company, Portland, Ore. corporateBody
associatedWith Wilson, Nathaniel person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Washington (State)
Pacific States
Subject
Coal mines and mining
Coal mines and mining
Coal trade
Industrial relations
Mines and mineral resources
Oregon
Railroad
Railroads
Ships and shipping
Transportation
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1883

Active 1927

Information

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SNAC ID: 28176442