 Much of the land east of the river was marshy and crossed by creeks and sloughs, so it was less desirable than Portland river front property on the west side of the Willamette River.Development was difficult and expensive since many streets had to be built on trestles.A few years after Stephens acquired his land, Gideon Tibbetts filed a Donation Land Claim for south of what is now Division Street in southeast Portland.