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With the recent additions, the stop total is currently 43 ranks, 37 stops. The organ was 31 ranks, 32 stops, on three manuals. (The 2nd Open Diapason was added by Schoenstein, 1906.)

Originally installed in Holy Cross Roman Catholic church in San Francisco, this organ was built by the Los Angeles Art Organ Company (formerly the Murray Harris Organ Company) in 1904. The company had undergone phenominal growth in previous years, including building a large factory and greatly expanding their work force. As is often the case, that growth was accompanied by deep financial problems. The stockholders decided that Murray Harris was a liability because of his devotion to quality at the expense of cash flow, fired him, and reorganized the company under a new name.

(Later that same year, the company built the gigantic organ for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, designed by George Ashdown Audsley. This high-profile, high-risk contract added greatly to the company's money problems. The organ subsequently became the nucleus of the Grand Court Organ at Wanamaker's Department Store in Philadelphia.)

The organ withstood two earthquakes, including San Francisco, 1906!

The Holy Cross organ sustained heavy damage in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The L.A. Art Organ Co. supplied new Great and Choir chests, which were installed by the Schoenstein Company of San Francisco. They also added a second Open Diapason stop, and completely rebuilt both sides of the large case. The facade pipes were also repainted at some time, but it's not clear exactly when this occurred.

Holy Cross Church again was heavily damaged during the "World Series" earthquake of 1989. This time, the congregation was not able to raise the funds to bring the building up to modern building codes. Although the building wasn't demolished, the church closed and the building was sold to a developer.

Tim Tikker of San Francisco describes this organ as an "old friend."

In 1995 Richard Bond Organ Builders, of Portland, Oregon, removed the organ, restored it and installed it in the newly-remodelled St. Mary's Cathedral (also known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception) in Portland. At the cathedral's request, several stops were added (as noted in the stoplist), patterned after stops in the Murray Harris organ at Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles.

The new ranks are patterned after originals at Church of the Open Door, L.A. Also added was a 32' Resultant. The Swell uses a Fleming chest. Great and Choir are a more typical stop channel design, although perhaps also designed by Fleming.

Present Stoplist: 43 ranks, 37 stops. Three manuals & pedal, 61/30 compass, EP action (Fleming chests), mechanical combinations via foot-levers, mechanical swell mechanisms.

  GREAT (II)
     16' Double Open Diapason (part facade)
      8' Open Diapason (part facade)
      8' Open Diapason (added 1906 by Schoenstein) 
      8' Doppelflute
      8' Viola di Gamba
      8' Viol d'amour
      4' Octave
    2 2/3' Octave Quinte
      2' Super Octave
         Mixture IV (new; with Tierce)
      8' Trumpet

  SWELL (enclosed, III)
     16' Bourdon
      8' Violin Diapason
      8' Stopped Diapason 
      8' Viol d'orchestre
      8' Vox celeste (c0)
      8' Aeoline
      4' Fugara
      4' Harmonic Flute
      2' Flautino
         Cornet IV  (new; with Tierce)
      8' Oboe
      8' Vox humana
         Tremolo (affects whole organ)

  CHOIR (I, enclosed)
      8' Geigenprincipal
      8' Melodia
      8' Dulciana
      4' Flute d'amour
      4' Violina
      2' Harmonic Piccolo
      8' Clarinet

  PEDAL
     32' Resultant (new)
     16' Open Diapason
     16' Bourdon
     16' Lieblichgedeckt (Swell)
      8' Flute Stopped
      8' Violoncello
     16' Trombone (new)