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Chapter V: Part 5

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Number electoral votes, 3; number voters, 93,608; native white, 65,215; foreign white, 26,873; colored, 1,520. Persons in prison excluded from voting.

Not a mile of railroad in use in 1870; mileage, January 1, 1886, 2,857. Number colleges, 3; school population, 40,208; school age, 6-21.

Legal Interest rate, 10; by contract, any rate. {153}

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{154}

NEW MEXICO.

Named in honor of one of the gods of the Aztecs, the ancient inhabitants of Mexico.

Colonized by Spaniards, 1582; Santa Fe being oldest town in United States, next to St. Augustine; organized 1850.

Area, 122,580 square miles; length eastern boundary, 345 miles; western, 390 miles; average breadth north of 32deg, 335 miles; altitude, 3,000 to 4,000 feet. Number counties, 13.

Temperature at Santa Fe, winter, 27deg to 37deg; summer, 66deg to 70deg. Rainfall, Fort Marcy, 17 inches.

Santa Fe is capital and principal city; pop., 6,635. Las Vegas, Silver City and Albuquerque are growing in importance.

But 8 miles railroad in operation in 1878, having increased to 1,140, January 1, 1884.

Crops abundant wherever water can be obtained, and corn will ripen almost anywhere; 6,060 square miles irrigable land; number farms, 5,053; corn crop, 1884, 950,000 bu.; wheat, 930,000 bu.; oats, 252,000 bu. Total acreage of the Territory, 78,451,200; in farms, 631,131; in forests, 219,224; unoccupied, 77,820,069; proportion woodland area in the farm lands, 35 per cent. Average value corn, 1884, 68 cents; wheat, 90 cents; oats, 40 cents.

Salaries Territor'l Officers.

Governor $2,600
Secretary 1,800
Treasurer 1,000
Auditor 1,000
Com'r Immig'n 900
Librarian 600
Chief Justice 3,000
2 Asso. Justices 3,000
Senators, } $4 a day
Representatives } & 20c. mileage.
Col. Int. Rev. 2,500
2 Dep Colls. Int. Rev. 1,200 to 1,700
Surveyor Gen. 2,500
Translator and Chief Clerk 2,000
2 Spec'l Draftsmen 1,500
Clerk 1,500
Messenger 500

Indian Agents

Jicarilla $1,200
Mescalero 1,500
Navajo 1,500
Pueblo 2,000

Presidential P. O.

Albuquerque $2,300
Deming 1,500
Las Vegas 2,100
Raton 1,200
Santa Fe 2,000
Silver City 1,800
Socorro 1,600

Grazing interest extensive and valuable. Recent reports give mules, 10,183; sheep, 4,435,200, valued at $7,539,840; hogs, 23,353, valued at $187,758.

Mineral wealth is rapidly developing. Gold is found in Grant, Lincoln, Colfax and Bernalillo counties; rich copper mines on the San Pedro Grant, in Bernalillo county, and in the Pinos Altos region. Zinc, quicksilver, lead, manganese, and large deposits of coal have been found. Gold production, 1882, was $150,000; silver, $1,800,000.

Population, 119,565: male, 64,496; female, 55,069; native, 111,514; foreign, 8,051; white, 108,721; colored, 1,015; Chinese, 57; Indians, 9772

Territorial and congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature biennial, in even-numbered years, meeting first Monday in January; limit of session, 60 days; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each. Voting population, 34,076; native white, 26,423; foreign white, 4,558; colored, 3,095.

School population, 20,255; school age, 7-18.

Legal interest rate, 6; by contract, 12. {155}

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{156}

ARIZONA. Ar-[)i]-z[=o]'na.

First visited by Spanish explorers as early as 1526; set off from New Mexico and became a Territory, 1863.

Area, 113,020 square miles; greatest length, 375 miles; greatest breadth, 340 miles. Country drained by Colorado and Gila, with their tributaries; number counties, 11.

Temperature at Prescott: winter, 34deg to 42deg; summer, 71deg to 73deg. Rainfall at Fort Defiance, 14 inches.

Tucson, the largest town: population, 7,007. Prescott, the capital. Railroad mileage, 865; Southern Pacific crosses from east to west near southern boundary, and Atlantic & Pacific north of the central portion, making ready communication with East and West.

Crop reports, 1883: wheat, 222,200 bu.; barley, 330,775 bu.; potatoes, 52,936 bu.: hay, 10,710 tons; corn acreage, 1884, 2,850, producing 60,300 bu. Soil fertile in river bottoms and among valleys of Middle and Eastern Arizona, corn planting following wheat or barley harvest, giving two crops yearly; oranges and other fruits and potatoes produce well wherever there is water; principal portion of irrigable land lies in valley of Gila and its northern branches; rich and abundant grasses, together with mild climate, make much of the Territory well adapted to stock raising; valuable timber on the mountains and along the streams.

Salaries Territorial Officers.

Governor $2,600
Secretary 1,800
Treasurer 1,000
Auditor 1,000
Supt. Pub. Inst. 2,000
Librarian 600
Chief Justice 3,000
2 Asso. Justices 3,000
Senators, } $4 a day
Representatives } and 20c. mileage.
3 Dist. Judges. 3,000
Col. Int. Rev. 2,250
2 Deputy Collectors 1,600 to 1,700
Clerk 1,100
Surveyor Gen. 2,500
Chief Clerk 2,400
Land Clerk 1,600
Land Copyist 1,200
Spanish Trans'r 2,500

Indian Agents.

Colorado River $1,500
Pima & Maricopa 1,800
San Carlos 2,000

Presidential P. O.

Clifton $1,000
Globe 1,100
Phoenix 1,500
Prescott 1,800
Tombstone 1,900
Tucson 2,300

Abundant mineral wealth, which can now be developed with profit, owing to completion of railways; nearly all mountain ranges contain gold, silver, copper and lead; gold production, 1882, $1,065,000; silver, $7,500,000.

Ranks second in silver, and ninth in gold.

Superior quality of lime found near Prescott and Tucson; beds of gypsum in San Pedro valley; remarkable deposits of pure, transparent salt near Callville.

Population, 40,440: male, 28,202; female, 12,238; native, 24,391; foreign, 16,049; white, 35,160; colored, 155; Chinese, 1,630; Indians, 3493

Territorial and congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature biennial, in even-numbered years, meeting first Monday in January; limit of session, 60 days; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each. Voting population, 20,398; native white, 9,790; foreign white, 8,256; colored, 2,352.

School population, 10,283; school age, 6-21.

Legal interest rate, 10; by contract, any rate; no penalty for usury. {157}

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{158}

UTAH. Yoo'tah.

Settled by Mormons under the leadership of Brigham Young, Salt Lake, 1847. Territorial government formed 1850.

Area, 84,900 square miles, very nearly same as Idaho; average length, 350 miles; breadth, 260 miles. Largest rivers, Grand and Green, together with the Colorado, which they unite to form. Number counties, 24.

Temperature at Salt Lake City: winter, 29deg to 40deg; summer, 69deg to 77deg: rainfall, 24 inches.

Salt Lake City, capital and metropolis; pop., 20,768. Ogden, at junction of Union and Central Pacific, pop., 6,069. Railroad mileage, 1,134; Union and Central Pacific through the north.

Number farms, 9,452; land under cultivation, over 400,000 acres; value farm products, $10,000,000. Valleys of the Cache, Salt Lake, Jordan, Sevier and Rio Virgin, are irrigable, and produce fine crops of cereals and vegetables. Wheat crop of 1884, 1,675,000 bushels.

Annual income from stock raising, about $2,000,000, though grazing interest perhaps not so important as in neighboring States and Territories.

Salaries of Territorial Officers.

Governor $2,600
Secretary 1,800
Treasurer 600
Auditor 1,500
Supt. Pub. Ins. 1,500
Librarian 250
Chief Justice 3,000
2 Asso. Justices 3,000
Senators, } $4 a day,
Representatives } mileage 20 cents.
Dist. Attorney 250 & fees.
11. U.S. Commissioners Fees.
Col. Int. Rev. 2,500
2 Dep'y Collectors 1,600 to 1,800
Surveyor Gen. 2,500
Chief Clerk 1,800
Chief Draftsman 1,500

Indian Agents

Ouray $1,500
Clerk 1,000
Uintah Valley 1,500
Clerk 1,000

Presidential P. O.

Logan $1,200
Ogden City 2,400
Park City 1,500
Provo City 1,100
Salt Lake City 2,900

Gold, copper and silver found in Wahsatch Mountains, the metal found being mostly silver. Gold production, 1882, $190,000; silver, $6,800,000.

Production coal, 1882, 250,000 tons; principal source of supply in valley of Weber river.

Ranks third in silver, and seventh in salt, an inexhaustible supply of the latter being furnished by the lake.

Population, 143,963: male, 74,509; female, 69,454; native, 99,969; foreign, 43,994; white, 142,423; colored, 232; Chinese, 501; Indians, 807

Territorial elections annual, first Monday in August; congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature, biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting second Monday in January; limit of session, 60 days; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each.

Voting population, 32,773: native white, 13,795; foreign white, 18,283; colored, 695.

School population, 43,303; school age, 6-18; number colleges, 1.

Legal Interest rate, 10; by contract, any rate. {159}

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{160}

WYOMING. W[=i]-[=o]'ming.

First settlements, trading posts of Forts Laramie and Bridger; organized 1869.

Area, 97,890 square miles; very nearly a rectangle, and about the same area as Oregon; length, 350 miles; breadth, 275 miles. Largest rivers, Green, Snake, Big Horn, Powder, Big Cheyenne and North Platte. Number counties, 9. Temperature at Cheyenne: winter, 23deg to 33deg; summer, 63deg to 69deg. Rainfall at Fort Laramie, 15 inches.

Cheyenne is the capital and principal distributing point. Railroad mileage, 625; Union Pacific runs through extreme south from east to west, and connects Cheyenne with Denver.

Wheat, rye, oats and barley flourish, but frosts too frequent for corn. Big Horn country, in northwest, has area 15,000 square miles; fine agricultural country; water plentiful; game and fur-bearing animals numerous, rendering it one of most desirable hunting grounds of America. Grazing interest important, and increasing rapidly, more than half the area being rich grazing land. Mountains covered with forests of coniferae, which will prove very useful for lumber.

Salaries of Territorial Officers.

Governor $2,600
Secretary 1,800
Treas., $800 and com.
Auditor 1,000
Supt. Pub. Inst. 400
Librarian 400
Chief Justice 3,000
2 Asso. Justices 3,000
Senators, } $4 a day
Representatives } and 20c. mileage.
Col. Int. Rev. 2,000
2 Dept. Colls. Inter. Rev. 1,400 to 1,500
Surveyor Gen. 2,500
Chief Clerk 2,000
Chief Draftsman 1,800
8 Asst. Draftsmen 1,400
6 Asst. Draftsmen 1,200
2 Transcribing Clerks 1,400
6 Transcribing Clerks 1,200
Messenger 600
Supt. Yellowstone Nat. Pk. 2,000
10 Assistants 900

Presidential P. O.

Cheyenne City $2,400
Evanston 1,500
Laramie City 1,800
Rawlins 1,400

Mineral resources extensive; iron ore abundant; copper, lead, plumbago and petroleum found; gold, in the Sweetwater country and near Laramie City; valuable deposits of soda in valley of the Sweetwater. Coal abundant and of good quality at Evanston, Carbon, Rock Springs and other points; these deposits extensively worked, and furnish nearly all the coal used by the railroads and by settlements hundreds of miles east and west.

But little attention has as yet been given to mechanical and manufacturing industries. Capital, as last reported, $364,673, of which $212,603 is invested in manufacture of iron and steel. Value of products of the latter is $491,345; total value of products, $898,494. Number hands employed, 391.

Population, 20,789: male, 14,152; female, 6,637; native, 14,939; foreign, 5,850; white, 19,437; colored, 298; Chinese, 914; Indians, 140.

Territorial and congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature biennial, in even-numbered years, meeting second Tuesday in January; limit of session, 60 days; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each. Voting population, 10,180; native white, 6,042; foreign white, 3,199; colored, 939.

Good school system started; school pop., 4,112; school age, 7-21.

Legal interest rate, 12; by contract, any rate. {161}

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{162}

MONTANA. M[)o]n-ta'nah.

Formerly a part of Idaho; became a Territory, 1864; received about 2,000 square miles from Dakota, 1873.

Area, 146,080 square miles; length, east and west, 460 to 540 miles; average breadth, 275 miles. Drained by the Missouri and its tributaries and the tributaries of the Colorado. Number of counties, 14

Temperature at Virginia City, winter, 17deg to 30deg; summer, 55deg to 65deg: rainfall seldom exceeds 12 inches per annum.

Three U.S. districts; court held twice a year at Helena, twice at Virginia City, and three times at Deer Lodge. Helena, the capital and most important town. Railroad mileage, 1,032; Northern Pacific extends through the Territory from east to west.

Immense areas cultivable land; cereal productions, 1882, were 1,857,540 bu., of which 1,100,000 were oats; potatoes yielded 300,000 bu., and hay 93,000 tons. Wheat crop in 1884, 1,372,000 bu.; oats, 1,740,000 bu. Some varieties of corn grown in portions of Territory, but generally too cold.

Grazing interest of value; estimated area valuable grazing land, 100,000 square miles; great extent of plains and mountain valleys yet untouched by herdsmen. Latest returns give 686,839 cattle, 465,750 sheep, and 17,544 swine.

Salaries Territorial Officers.

Governor $2,600
Secretary 1,800
Treasurer 1,500
Auditor 1,500
Supt. Public Instruction 1,200
Chief Justice 3,000
2 Asso. Justices 3,000
Senators, } $4 pr. day
Repres'ntatives } and 20 c. mileage.
Surveyor Gen. 2,500
Chief Clerk 1,800
Chf. Draftsman 1,600
Col. Int. Rev 2,500
5 Deputy Colls. Internal Rev. 1,600
Assayer 2,500
Melter 2,250

Indian Agents.

Blackfeet $1,800
Crow 2,000
Flathead 1,500

Presidential P. O.

Billings $1,500
Bozeman 1,800
Butte City 2,500
Deer Lodge City 1,500
Dillon 1,400
Fort Benton 1,600
Glendive 1,100
Helena 2,500
Livingston 1,600
Miles City 1,600
Missoula 1,700
Virginia City 1,000

One of richest mining countries in the world; mineral wealth almost inexhaustible. Product for 1879 was $3,629,000, of which 2/3 was gold and 1/3 silver; product, 1880, was $3,822,379, of which 2/3 was silver and 1/3 gold; production, 1882, $6,920,000, of which 2/3 was silver and 1/3 gold.

Manufacturing interests mainly smelting works, and flour and lumber mills. Ranks fifth in silver and in gold.

Population, 39,139; male, 28,177; female, 10,982; native, 27,638; foreign, 11,521; white, 35,385; colored, 346; Chinese, 1,765; Indians, 1663

Territorial and congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature, biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting second Monday in January; limit of session, 60 days; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each. Voting population, 21,544; native white, 12,162; foreign white, 7,474; colored, 1,908.

School population, 10,482; school age, 4-21; graded schools in Deer Lodge City, Virginia City and Helena.

Legal interest rate, 10; by contract, any rate. {163}

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{164}

IDAHO. [=I]'dah-ho

White population previous to 1850, mainly trappers, prospectors and missionaries; permanent settlement began with discovery of gold, 1860; organized as Territory, 1863.

Area, 84,800 square miles; length in west, 485 miles, and on Wyoming boundary, 140 miles; width, 45 miles in north, and nearly 300 miles in south. Drainage mainly by Salmon and Snake rivers and their tributaries. Number counties, 15.

Temperature at Boise City: winter, 30deg to 40deg; summer, 68deg to 75deg.

Boise City, the capital, and contains national bank and penitentiary. Florence and Silver City are flourishing mining towns. Railroad mileage, 777; Northern Pacific crosses northern part.

Extreme north well timbered and much fertile land; extreme southeast populated almost entirely by Mormons, chiefly farmers; 4,480,000 acres suitable for agriculture, and 5,000,000 for grazing, most of the ranges being as yet unoccupied. Latest reports give, cattle, 220,612; sheep, 187,500; swine, 24,780.

Cash value per acre of corn in 1883, $18; wheat, $13.77; rye, $11.79; oats, $21.31; barley, $21.30; potatoes, $73.44; hay, $10.40.

Salaries Territorial Officers.

Governor $2,600
Secretary 1,800
Treasurer 1,000
Auditor 1,800
Librarian 250
Chief Justice 3,000
2 Asso. Justices 3,000
Senators, } $4 a day
Representatives } and 20c. mileage.
2 Dist. Attorneys 250 & fees
Col. Int. Rev. 2,250
3 Dep. Collectors 1,400 to 1,600
Assayer 2,000
Asst. Assayer 1,440
Clerk 1,000
Asst. Melter 1,200
Surveyor Gen'l 2,500
Chief Clerk 1,800
Draftsman 1,500
Messenger 600

Indian Agents.

Fort Hall $1,500
Lemhi 1,100
Nez Perces 1,600

Presidential P. O.

Bellevue $1,200
Boise City 1,800
Hailey 1,200
Ketchum 1,000
Lewiston 1,200

Most of the gold is found in Idaho, Boise and Alturas counties; silver, in Owyhee county; some of the mines being very rich. Gold production, 1883, $1,500,000; silver, $2,000,000. Wood River District on southern slope of Salmon River Mountains, at headwaters of Wood or Malade river, gives promise of valuable mining operations. Coal in vicinity of Boise City. Ranks sixth in gold and silver.

Manufactures, chiefly production of flour and lumber, and smelting of ores.

Population, 32,610: males, 21,818; female, 10,792; native, 22,636; foreign, 9,974; white, 29,013; colored, 53; Chinese, 3,379; Indians, 165

Territorial and congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature biennial, in even-numbered years, meeting second Monday in December; limit of session, 60 days; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each.

Voting population, 14,795; native white, 7,331; foreign white, 4,385; colored, 3,126.

School population, 9,650; school age, 521.

Legal interest rate, 10; by contract, 18; usury forfeits three times excess of interest. {165}

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{166}

NEVADA. Ne-vah'dah. "SAGE HEN STATE."

Name of Spanish derivation, signifying "Snow-covered."

First white settlements in Washoe and Carson valleys, 1848; organized as a Territory from Utah, 1861; admitted, 1864.

Area, 110,700 square miles; extreme length, 485 miles; length western boundary, 210 miles; extreme breadth, 310 miles. Humboldt the longest river; its valley, extending east and west, determined course of Central Pacific. Number counties, 15.

Temperature at Winnemucca: winter, 30deg to 38deg; summer, 66deg to 73deg.

Virginia City, metropolis and chief commercial centre; population, 10,917. Carson City, capital, and contains a branch mint; population, 4,229. Railroad mileage, 948; Central Pacific extends through the State, east and west. Waters of rivers usually fresh, and abound in fish.

Number farms, 1,404; many valleys easily cultivated, and crop yield good. Corn, 1884, 830 acres; wheat, 5,515 acres; oats, 7,858 acres. Area grazing land, 7,508,060 acres. Reported January 1, 1884, 40,732 horses and mules; 385,350 sheep, valued at $793,821; 13,200 hogs, valued at $110,880.

Salaries of State Officers.

Governor $5,000
Lieut. Gov. 3,000
Sec'y of State 3,000
Treasurer 3,000
Comptroller 3,000
Attorney Gen. 3,000
Supt. Pub. Inst. 2,400
Chief Justice 6,000
2 Asso. Justices 6,000
Senators, } $8 a day
Representatives } and 40c. a mile
District Judge 3,500
Surveyor Gen. 3,000
Chief Clerk 2,000
Draftsman 1,500
Col. Int. Rev. 2,375
4 Deputy Collectors 1,850 to 1,950
Supt. of Mint 3,000
Melt. & Refiner 2,500
Coiner 2,500
Assayer 2,500
Cashier 2,000
Weigh. Clerk 2,000
Reg. Deposits 1,800
2 Indian Agts. 1,800

Presidential P. O.

Austin $1,400
Carson City 1,800
Elko 1,200
Eureka 1,700
Gold Hill 1,000
Reno 1,800
Tuscarora 1,200
Virginia City 2,000
Winnemucca 1,200

Mineral resources of enormous value; Comstock lode supposed to be richest silver mine in the world; Eureka one of the most productive. Amount of gold produced, 1882, $2,000,000; silver, $6,750,000. Rich lead and copper ores; also zinc, platinum, tin and nickel have been found. Extensive deposits of borax in Churchill and Esmeralda counties.

Ranks second in gold, and fourth in silver.

Population, 62,266; male, 42,019; female, 20,247; native, 36,613; foreign, 25,653; white, 53,556; colored, 488; Chinese, 5,416; Indians, 2803

Governor and State officers elected quadrennially, and legislature every 2 years; State, presidential and congressional elections Tuesday after first Monday in November; number Senators, 20; Representatives, 40; sessions of legislature biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting first Monday in January; limit of session, 60 days; term of Senators, 4 years; of Representatives, 2 years. Voting population, 31,255; native white, 11,442; foreign white, 14,191; colored, 5,622. Idiots, insane and convicts excluded from voting.

Number colleges, 1; school population, 10,483; school age, 6-18.

Legal Interest rate, 10; by contract, any rate. {167}

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{168}

CALIFORNIA. Kal-e-for'ne-ah. "THE GOLDEN STATE."

Name of Spanish origin, signifying "Hot Furnace."

First settlement by Spaniards at San Diego, 1768; admitted 1850.

Area, 158,360 square miles, the second largest State; extreme length, 770 miles; extreme breadth, 330 miles; least breadth, 150 miles; coastline, over 700 miles; San Francisco Bay, best harbor on western coast. Number counties, 52.

Temperature at San Francisco: winter, 50deg to 55deg; summer, 58deg to 69deg. Rainfall, Sacramento, 20 inches.

San Francisco, metropolis and only port of entry. Regular line of steamers to Australia, Panama, Mexico, China and Japan; pop., 233,959. Sacramento, capital; pop., 21,420. Population Oakland, 34,555; San Jose, 12,567; Stockton, 10,282; Los Angeles, 11,183; U.S. navy yard at San Pablo Bay.

Number farms, 35,934. Average value per acre, cleared land, $27.16; woodland, $8.55.

One of the richest agricultural tracts in the Union; rich soil and favorable climate, often insuring two crops per year on same field; wheat the most valuable crop; crop of 1884, 44,320,000 bu.; corn, 8,800,000 bu.; oats, 2,149,000 bu.

Salaries of State Officers.

Governor $6,000
Sec'y of State 3,000
Treasurer 3,000
Comptroller 3,000
Supt. Pub. Inst. 3,000
Attorney Gen. 3,000
Surveyor Gen. 3,000
State Librarian 3,000
District Judge 5,000
Senators, } $8 a day,
Representatives } mileage 10c. & $25
2 Colls. Int. Revenue 3,125 to 4,500
Col. Customs San Fransisco 7,000
Pension Agent 4,000
Supt. Mint 4,500
Assayer 3,000
M'lt'r & Refinr. 3,000

Presidential P. O.

Chico $1,800
Fresno City 1,900
Los Angeles 3,000
Marysville 1,900
Napa City 2,000
Oakland 3,100
Petaluma 1,900
Red Bluff 1,800
Sacramento 3,000
San Bernardino 1,800
San Diego 1,800
San Francisco 5,000
San Jose 2,700
Santa Barbara 1,900
Santa Cruz 1,900
Santa Rosa 1,900
Stockton 2,500
40 P. O. 1,700 to 1000

Ranks very high as a fruit-growing state; fruits of temperate climates, about 4,000,000 trees; sub-tropical fruits and nuts, 250,000 trees; grape region north to 41deg, with an average breadth of 100 miles, and contains over 21,000,000 vines.

Fine sheep-raising country. Cashmere goats have been introduced and are doing well.

Ranks first in barley, grape culture, sheep, gold and quicksilver; third in hops; fifth in wheat and salt; seventh in silk goods; eighth in soap and silver.

Population, 864,694: male, 518,176; female, 346,518; native, 571,820; foreign, 292,874; white, 767,181; colored, 6,018; Chinese, 75,132; Japanese, 86; Indians, 16,277.

Governor and State officers elected quadrennially, and legislature every two years; number Senators, 40; Representatives, 80; sessions of legislature biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting first Monday after January 1st; limit of session, 60 days; term of Senators, 4 years; of Representatives, 2 years.

Number electoral votes, 8; number white voters, 262,583. Idiots, Indians, convicts and Chinese excluded from voting.

School population, 216,330; school age, 5-17.

Legal interest rate, 7; by contract, any rate. {169}

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{170}

OREGON. Or'e-gon.

Name derived from Spanish word signifying "Wild Thyme," so called on account of the abundance of the herb found by early explorers. Credit of discovery generally given to Captain Gray, of Boston, 1792; Fur Company's trading post at Astoria, 1811; organized as a Territory, 1848; admitted 1859.

Area, 96,030 square miles; average length, 360 miles; breadth, 260 miles; coast line, 300 miles; Columbia river frontage, 300 miles. Number counties, 27. Temperature at Portland: winter, 38deg to 46deg summer, 62deg to 68deg: rainfall at Dalles, 22 inches, and at Fort Hoskins, 67 inches.

Portland, Astoria and Coos Bay are ports of entry; Oregon City, Roseburgh and La Grande are land offices. Portland, the metropolis; population, 33,400. Salem is capital.

Number farms, 16,217; about 25,000,000 acres arable land, and same of grazing land; forest, 10,000,000 acres. Average value per acre, cleared land, $21.71; woodland, $4.50.

Wheat the staple; noted for superiority of its flour and for weight, often reaching 65 pounds per bu. Wheat crop, 1884, 15,462,000 bu.; oats, 5,470,000 bu.

Salaries of State Officers.

Governor $1,500
Sec. of State, } 1,500
Aud. & Comp. }
Treasurer 800
Supt. of Pub. In. 1,500
State Librarian 500
Chief Justice 2,000
2 Asso. Justices 2,000
Senators, } $3 a day
Representatives } and 15c. per mile.
District Judge 3,500
District Attorney 200 & fees.
Col. Int. Rev. 2,500
Col. Customs, Astoria 3,000
Appraiser 3,000
Surveyor Gen. 2,500
Chief Clerk 1,800
Draftsman 1,500
5 Indian Agents 1,000 to 1,800

Presidential P. O.

Albany $1,500
Ashland 1,000
Astoria 1,900
Baker City 1,400
Corvallis 1,300
East Portland 1,500
Eugene City 1,400
Jacksonville 1,200
Oregon City 1,200
Pendleton 1,600
Portland 3,200
Roseburgh 1,100
Salem 2,100
The Dalles 1,700

Cattle raising ranks 2d only to agriculture; wool is of fine quality.

Extremely rich in minerals; gold found in Jackson, Josephine, Baker and Grant counties; copper, in Josephine, Douglas and Jackson counties; iron ore, throughout the State; coal, along Coast Range.

Principal exports are wheat, flour, lumber and canned salmon. Over 10,000,000 feet lumber out annually, and over 600,000 cases salmon packed.

Population, 174,768: male, 103,381; female, 71,387; native, 144,265; foreign, 30,503; white, 163,075; colored, 487; Chinese, 9,510; Indians, 1694

Governor and State officers elected quadrennially, and legislature every two years; number of Senators, 30; Representatives, 60; sessions of legislature biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting first Monday in January; limit of session, 40 days; term of Senators, 4 years; of Representatives, 2 years.

Number of electoral votes, 3; voting population, 59,629. U.S. army, idiots, insane, convicts, and Chinese excluded from voting.

Number of colleges, 7; school population, 65,216; school age, 4-20.

Legal interest rate, 8; by contract, 10; usury forfeits principal and interest. {171}

* * * * *

{172}

WASHINGTON. W[)o]sh-ing-ton.

First settlement of white Americans at Tumwater, 1845, though trading posts had before been established by fur traders; organized 1853

Area, 69,180 square miles, nearly same as Missouri; greatest length, 340 miles; greatest breadth, 240 miles; Pacific coast line, about 180 miles. Number counties, 33.

Temperature at Olympia: winter, 37deg to 44deg; summer, 59deg to 62deg. Rainfall, Ft. Colville, 10 inches; at Ft. Vancouver, 39 inches, and at Neah Bay, 123 inches.

Olympia is the capital, and Walla Walla and Seattle the largest towns. Harbors of Puget Sound numerous and excellent. Railroad mileage, 716; Northern Pacific from Wallula Junction to Idaho line, and from Kalama to New Tacoma, which is connected by railway with Seattle.

About 25 per cent. of area well fitted for agriculture; cereals all thrive, but generally too cold for corn; wheat crop, 1884, 4,118,000 bushels; oats, 2,623,000. Fruits of temperate zone, excepting peaches, attain perfection. Considerable attention paid to hop culture, latest reports giving 703,277 pounds; also 1,003,530 bushels potatoes.

Salaries Territorial Officers.

Governor $2,600
Secretary 1,800
Treasurer 1,200
Auditor 1,200
Supt. Pub. Ins'n. 1,000
Librarian 400
Chief Justice 3,000
3 Assoc. Justices 3,000
Senators, } $4 a day
Representatives, } and 20c mileage
Surveyor Gen. 2,500
Chief Clerk 1,800
Chief Drftsm'n 1,700
Col. of Customs $1,000 & fees
Col. Int. Rev. 2,250
3 Dep. Colls. Int. Rev. 1,200 to 1,600

Indian Agents.

Colville $1,500
Neah Bay 1,000
Nisqually 1,200
Quiniaielt 1,000
Skokomish 1,200
Tulalip 1,000
Yakama 2,000

Presidential P. O.

Cheney $1,100
Colfax 1,500
Dayton 1,500
Olympia 1,600
Port Townsend 1,200
Seattle 2,500
Spokane Falls 1,700
Sprague 1,200
Tacoma 1,600
Vancouver 1,200
Walla Walla 2,300

Grazing interest valuable and rapidly increasing; grazing region east of Cascade Range, the bunch grass furnishing an inexhaustible food supply.

Coal mined at Bellingham Bay and Seattle; area coal-bearing strata, 20,000 square miles. Gold-bearing quartz and silver lodes exist in Cascade and Coast ranges; copper, cinnabar, lead and other minerals are found.

Lumber resources almost inexhaustible; amount lumber cut annually, 250,000,000 to 300,000,000 feet, 150,000,000 being exported.

Population, 75,116: male, 45,973; female, 29,143; native, 59,313; foreign, 15,803; white, 67,199; colored, 325; Chinese, 3,186; Indians, 4,405.

Territorial and congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday day in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting first Monday in October; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each; limit of session, 60 days. Voting population, 27,670; native white, 15,858; foreign white, 8,393; colored, 3,419.

Number colleges, 2; school population, 23,890; school age, 4-21.

Legal interest rate, 10; by contract, any rate. {173}

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{174}

CENTRAL AMERICA AND WEST INDIES.

Central America is an irregular mass of land in southern part of North America, and lies about midway between the two great continental masses of the New World. It includes the republics of Guatemala, Honduras, San Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, together with British Honduras.

The West Indies, an extensive system of islands lying southeast of North America, contain the large islands of Cuba, Hayti, Jamaica and Porto Rico, and are arranged mostly in three groups; viz., Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles and the Bahamas.

--------------------+-----------+-----------+---------------+----------
| Area, | Pop. | Capital. | Pop.
|Sq. Miles | | |
--------------------+-----------+-----------+---------------+----------
British Honduras | 7,562 | 27,452 | Belize | 5,767
Costa Rica | 26,040 | 190,000 | San Jose | 20,000
Guatemala | 41,830 | 1,278,311 | New Guatemala | 55,728
Honduras | 39,600 | 458,000 | Tegucigalpa | 12,000
Nicaragua | 49,500 | 400,000 | Managua | 12,000
San Salvador | 7,225 | 554,785 | San Salvador | 18,500
Cuba | 43,220 | 1,521,684 | Havana | 25,000
Hayti { Hayti | 10,204 | 572,000 | Port-au-Prince| 35,000
{ San Domingo | 18,045 | 400,000 | San Domingo | 10,000
Jamaica | 4,362 | 585,536 | Kingston | 38,566
Porto Rico | 3,550 | 754,313 | San Juan | 27,000
--------------------+-----------+-----------+---------------+----------

Statement of Exports and Imports at Belize for the year ending Dec. 31,
1882.

EXPORTS. IMPORTS.
Bananas $10,980 | Boots and Shoes $13,918
Cocoanuts 25,132 | Butter 14,783
Sarsaparilla 14,278 | Cotton Goods 190,436
Logwood 306,072 | Beef and Pork 59,405
Mahogany 215,807 | Hardware and Cutlery 38,234
Rubber 18,064 | Flour 71,200
Raw Sugar 218,913 | Fancy Goods 24,844

Exports of Cuba, 1882-83.
BARACOA--1883.

Cocoanuts, hundreds 9,083,305
Bananas, bunches, hundred 628,916
Value $671,925
Cocoanut Oil 98,930

SANTA CRUZ--1882. SAGUA AND CARDENAS--1882.

Mah'any and cedar logs $166,577 | Sugar $17,484,884
Palm Leaf 8,453 | Molasses 3,941,522
Mahogany Crutches 1,490 | Melada 262,233

Exports of Porto Rico, 1882-83
MAYAGUEZ--1883. AQUADILLA AND ARECIBO--1882.

Sugar $1,141,784 | Sugar $1,409,972
Coffee 1,566,327 | Coffee 567,073
Molasses 326,690 | Tobacco 104,173

Exports of Hayti, 1883.

Coffee $57,341,162 | Orange Peels $459,917
Logwood 264,135,490 | Crude Sugar 561,479
Cocoa 2,735,555 | Mahogany 245,999
Cotton 1,619,891 | Lignum-vitae 1,062,000

Exports of Jamaica, 1881-82.

Sugar 38,392 hhds. | Oranges $163,928
Rum 22,742 puncheons | Coffee 649,848
Bananas $481,838 | Dye-woods 501,415

{175}

* * * * *

{176}

COSTA RICA. Kos'ta Ree'ka.

The most southern republic of Central America. Area, 26,040 square miles. Population, 190,000. There are many volcanic peaks: Turrialba, 12,500 feet high; Chiriqui, 11,265 feet high; Los Votos, 9,840 feet high.

The chief executive, the President, elected for a term of 4 years, is assisted by 5 ministers. Legislative power is vested in a Congress of Deputies, chosen for 4 years. Capital, San Jose; pop., 20,000.

The principal products of the soil are coffee, sugar, maize, cocoa, sarsaparilla and fruits. The principal export is coffee. Value of exports, 1883, $2,431,625; of which coffee amounted to $2,000,590. Imports chiefly manufactures from England, $2,081,805. Revenue for fiscal year of 1885, $2,867,170, mainly derived from customs duties and the monopoly on spirits; expenditure, $2,961,110. In 1884, $841,440 were expended for public works. There are about 104 miles of railway: telegraph, 451 miles.

The state religion is the Roman Catholic; constitution guarantees religious liberty. There are 341 national schools and 584 private schools; total number of pupils, 13,924.

NICARAGUA. Nik-ar-a'gwa.

Largest of the Central American states. Area, 49,500 square miles. Population, 400,000. Fifty-five per cent, of inhabitants are Indians. Climate is healthy; mean annual temperature about 80deg; rainfall about 100 inches. Constitution adopted 1858. Presidential term, 4 years. Legislative power rests with a Senate and a House of Representatives. Capital, Managua; population, 12,000.

Through want of peace and industry the great natural resources are undeveloped. Lead, iron, zinc, antimony, tin, quicksilver and gold are found. The vegetable products are cotton, coffee, indigo, rice, tobacco and corn. There are about 400,000 cattle in the country. Leading exports in 1882: coffee, $659,550; India rubber, $638,010; gold, $150,000. Imports for the same year, $1,477,340; exports, $1,895,760.

Army, 703 regulars and 9,600 militiamen. Number of schools, 178; pupils, 8,330. Vessels entered, 1882, 213; tonnage, 256,000. Telegraph, 1882, 800 miles; railway, 83 miles.

SAN SALVADOR. S[)a]l-v[)a]-d[=o]r'.

In area the smallest, in population the second, of the Central American republics. It extends along the Pacific coast 170 miles. Average breadth, 43 miles; area, 7,225 square miles. Population, 554785

Constitution adopted 1864; amended 1883. Government administered by a President, elected for 4 years, and a ministry of 4 members. The legislative power is vested in a Senate and House of Representatives. Capital, San Salvador; population, 18,500.

The temperature varies greatly; but the climate is generally considered healthful. This is the most advanced and best cultivated of the republics. Principal agricultural products, indigo, coffee, sugar and balsam. Minerals are not abundant, though there are some rich veins of silver. Value of silver ores, 1882, $700,000.

Latest reports give value of imports as $2,327,765; exports, $5,638,080. Value of coffee exported, $3,416,100; indigo, $1,812,590; sugar, $93,230. In the same year 265 vessels entered the ports.

The army consists of 1,200 men and 2,500 militia. {177}

GUATEMALA. Gaw-te-mah'la.

The most populous of the five Central American republics. Area, 41,830 square miles. Population, 1884, 1,278,311. Climate healthful; snow never falls; frequent violent earthquakes occur. Watered by numerous rivers.

Constitution adopted 1859; amended 1879. President is chief executive; legislative power in the hands of National Assembly; President and members of Assembly elected for 6 years; suffrage universal. Capital, New Guatemala; pop., 55,728.

The soil is fertile; cotton, sugar cane, coffee and tobacco are grown. Roads are poor. Coffee crop, 1884, over 42,000,000 lbs. Sugar, wool and fruit trade recently developed. In 1882, number of land-owners 5,334.

Imports, 1884, valued at $2,630,100; exports, $3,716,340. Miles of railway, 105. Miles of telegraph, 2,880; 1,100 miles controlled by the state.

Army consists of 2,180 men, rank and file; 33,000 militiamen. There is no navy.

In 1882, sum spent on education, $434,753; state contributed $323,860; in 1883 there were 844 primary government schools; number night schools, 48; pupils attending all schools, 42,021.

HONDURAS. Hon-doo'ras.

Republic established November 5, 1838. Area, 39,600 square miles. Population, 458,000. Capital, Tegucigalpa; pop., 12,000. Numerous mountains; between them fertile valleys. Coast line on the Pacific, 40 miles: Atlantic, 400 miles. Many excellent harbors; many rivers, some of them navigable.

Government consists of President, 6 ministers, and an Assembly of 37 Representatives. Finances badly disordered; foreign debt, $26,125,106; interest unpaid, $24,308,846. Standing army, 830 men; militia, 31,500. Navy, 2 steam corvettes, with 8 guns.

The products are mahogany, fruit, cotton, cattle, coffee, tobacco, indigo, India rubber and rosewood. Exports from Truxillo, 1883, $804,550; 26,000 head of cattle; mahogany valued at $88,000; hides and deer skins, $40,000. Total exports, 1883, $2,193,149; imports, $1,749,146.

Railway, 29 miles. Telegraph, 1,800 miles; offices, 23; messages, 107,730. Universities, 2; several colleges; 573 schools, with attendance of 20,518.

BRITISH HONDURAS. Hon-doo'ras.

A British Colony in Central America. Area, 7,562 square miles. Population, 27,452. Coast low and swampy; land gradually rises; on the inland boundary are hills of from 800 to 1,000 feet high; mountains 4,000 feet high. Sixteen rivers descend from elevated lands. Climate hot and damp; temperature, 1878-79, 75deg; rainfall 105.49 inches, unusually heavy.

Government in the hands of Lieutenant Governor, an executive and a Legislative Council. Capital, Belize; pop., 5,767. Soil fertile. Sugar cane is grown; fruits flourish; the staple products, however, are the natural woods of the colony. Annual export of mahogany, 3,000,000 feet; logwood, 15,000 tons; estimated value of fruit exports, $100,000. Total imports, 1883, $1,344,865; exports, $1,514,345. Large trade with neighboring republics. {178}

JAMAICA. Ja-m[=a]'ka.

An island of the West Indies; formally ceded to Great Britain, in 1670, by the treaty of Madrid; most valuable possession of the British Crown in the West Indies. Area, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, annexed in 1873, 4,362 square miles. Population, 585,536. Surface mountainous. There is a great variety of climate. Temperature in lowlands, 95deg at night, 85deg in the day; in highlands, 40deg to 50deg. Produces most of the tropical staples; the rosewood, mahogany and ebony of the island are well known.

Latest reports give 121,457 acres under crops; 120,264 in guinea grass, and 318,549 in pasture. Principal exports: coffee, 9,572,714 lbs.; ginger, 908,603 lbs.; pimento, 6,195,109 lbs.; 29,000 hhds. of sugar; 18,115 puncheons of rum, and 35,157 tons of logwood. Value of fruit exported in same year, $197,255. Total value of imports, 1889, $6,609,810; exports, $7,745,290.

Governor is assisted by a Privy Council and Legislative Council. Kingston, the chief city and port, is the capital; pop., 38,566.

Miles of railway, 25; 60 miles in process of construction. Telegraph stations and post offices in every town and village.

SAN DOMINGO. San Do-meeng'go.

A republic occupying the eastern and larger portion of the island of Hayti. Area, 18,045 square miles. Country first settled by Spaniards under Columbus in 1492. Republic founded 1844. President elected for a term of 4 years; legislative power in the hands of a National Congress. Capital, San Domingo, founded 1494; population, 10000

The country is very fertile. Principal products, sugar, molasses, tobacco, cotton, coffee, cacao, fruits, mahogany and live stock. The production of sugar and molasses is largely on the increase. Latest reports give $5,000,000 capital invested in sugar factories; amount of product, 10,000 tons.

Value of imports, 1883, $3,142,100; exports, $2,129,265. At the two most important ports, San Domingo and Puerto Plata, there entered, in 1883, 297 vessels, of 192,042 tons.

HAYTI. H[=a]'tee.

A republic, occupying the west part of the Island of Hayti. Area, 10,204 square miles. Population, 572,000. Capital, Port au Prince; pop., 35,000. Nine-tenths of total population are negroes. Essentially mountainous. In plains, temperature rises to 96deg and 100deg; on high lands, ranges between 60deg and 76deg. Constitution was adopted 1867. President is elected for 4 years; National Assembly consists of Senate and House of Commons. Mountains cultivable almost to their summits; covered with valuable timber. Agriculture is backward, though the soil is probably the most fertile in the West Indies. Business of the country transacted by foreigners.

Finances badly deranged; foreign debt, $6,409,970; no interest paid on debt for years. Revenue, $4,500,000; expenditures, $7,000,000. Three-fourths of revenue derived from duties on imports and exports. Imports, 1881, $7,283,620; exports, $6,240,460. In same year, 792 vessels entered, and 768 vessels cleared, the ports of Hayti.

By a law of 1878, army consists of 6,828 men; the Guard of the Government, 650 men.

Language of the country, French; religion, Roman Catholic. {179}

CUBA. K[=u]'ba.

A Spanish colony in the West Indies. Area, 43,220 square miles. Population, 1,521,684; 50 per cent. of the inhabitants are blacks and enfranchised slaves. The greatest length of the island is 760 miles; width varies from 20 to 135 miles; coast line about 2,000 miles. Surface is broken by a mountain chain running through its centre from east to west; average altitude of summit is between 5,000 and 6,000 feet. Pico de Turquino, 7,670 feet, is the highest peak. There are over 260 rivers, all valueless for navigation purposes, except the Canto. Mineral springs abound.

But little attention has been paid to the development of the mineral wealth. Gold was obtained by the early colonists, but for two centuries comparatively none has been found. There are extensive copper mines, and coal is abundant. Copperas and alum have also been obtained.

Rainfall at Havana: in the wet season, 27.8 inches; dry season, 12.7 inches. Average temperature: at Havana, 77deg; at Santiago de Cuba, 80deg. Yellow fever and earthquakes are frequent.

Thirteen million acres of Cuban territory are uncleared forests; 7,000,000 wild and uncultivated. Principal woods grown and exported are mahogany, rosewood, Cuban ebony, and cedar.

Tobacco and sugar raising principal occupation of the people. Many sugar plantations comprise 10,000 acres each.

Two crops of Indian corn grown per year; rice, cotton, cacao and indigo also produced; most tropical fruits are abundant. Sugar product averages 520,000 tons per year; molasses, 79,365 hogsheads. Total value of agricultural products over $90,000,000. United States receives 80 per cent. of Cuban sugar. No manufactures deserving mention.

Latest reports give exports of cigars 225,000,000 per annum; leaf tobacco, 13,500,000 pounds. There are about 900 miles of railway. Marine cable connects Cuba with Florida.

Roman Catholicism is the only religion tolerated. Education compulsory; school attendance, 34,813.

Havana is the capital; Pop., 25,000. Government administered by a Captain General, appointed by the Spanish Crown. The island is now represented in the Spanish Cortes, Madrid.

PORTO RICO. P[=o]r'to Ree'ko.

The smallest of the Greater Antilles. Area, including dependencies, 3,550 square miles. Population, 754,313. Rectangular in shape; length, 100 miles; breadth, 40 miles. A range of mountains extends across the island from east to west; highest peak, 3,678 feet.

The island is very fertile; its principal products are sugar cane, coffee, tobacco, cotton, rice and Indian corn. In proportion to its area, it produces more sugar than any other West India island.

Government is administered under a constitution granted by the Spanish Cortes, 1869. Slavery was abolished in 1873. Capital, San Juan; pop. about 27,000. Climate warm; more healthful than that of the other Antilles. Destructive hurricanes are frequent. The natural productions are very numerous; medicinal plants and many valuable woods, as mahogany, ebony, logwood, and cedar, abound in the forests. Business in the hands of foreigners. Imports, 1871, $17,500,000; exports $15,500,000. Export of sugar, 111,084 tons; molasses, 7,590,915 gallons.

Telegraphic cable connects Porto Rico with other West Indies; telegraph lines connect the principal towns; there are no railroads. {180}

* * * * *

{181}

SOUTH AMERICA.

A vast, compact, triangular peninsula, forming southern portion of Western Continent. Area, 6,827,230 square miles; extreme length, 4,550 miles; extreme breadth, about 3,300 miles. Number political divisions, 11.

-------------------+-----------+-----------+---------------+-----------
Divisions. | Area, |Population.| Capitals. | Pop.
| Sq. Miles.| | |
-------------------+-----------+-----------+---------------+-----------
Argentine Republic | 1,125,086 | 3,026,000 | Buenos Ayres | 295,000
Bolivia | 842,729 | 2,300,000 | La Paz | 76,372
Brazil | 3,288,963 | 9,883,622 | Rio de Janeiro| 274,972
Chili | 256,399 | 2,271,949 | Santiago | 200,000
Colombia | 504,773 | 4,000,000 | Bogota | 100,000
Ecuador | 248,370 | 946,033 | Quito | 80,000
Guiana, British | 76,000 | 248,110 | Georgetown | 36,562
Guiana, French | 48,000 | 36,760 | Cayenne | 10,000
Guiana, Dutch | 46,060 | 68,255 | Paramaribo | 27,416
Paraguay | 91,970 | 346,048 | Asuncion | 16,000
Peru | 503,718 | 2,699,945 | Lima | 101,488
Uruguay | 73,538 | 438,245 | Montevideo | 115,500
Venezuela | 632,695 | 2,121,988 | Caracas | 55,638
-------------------+-----------+-----------+---------------+-----------

PRINCIPAL LAKES.

Maracaybo, area 4,900 sq. miles. | Titicaca, area 4,000 sq. miles.

LENGTHS OF RIVERS.

Miles. | Miles.
Amazon 3,750 | Parana 2,000
Caroni 400 | Pilcomayo 1,000
Canca 600 | Purus 2,000
Guaviare 450 | San Francisco 1,550
Madeira 2,000 | Tocantins 1,000
Magdalena 900 | Uruguay 800
Meta 500 | Xingu 1,300

LATEST REPORTED VALUE EXPORTS.

Cotton: | Diamonds:
Brazil $4,063,650 | Brazil $ 370,316
Colombia 32,560 |
Venezuela 36,449 | Tobacco:
| Brazil 5,344,500
| Paraguay 658,650
Sugar: | Venezuela 58,778
Brazil 16,250,000 |
Peru 2,354,095 | Rubber:
| Brazil 5,965,000
| Ecuador 428,800
Coffee: |
Brazil 52,720,000 | Hides:
Columbia 2,396,337 | Brazil 4,040,750
Venezuela 9,930,430 | Colombia 1,000,608
British Guiana 3,019 | Venezuela 395,915
| British Guiana 11,703
|
Cocoa: | Indigo:
Colombia 15,575 | Columbia 8,360
Venezuela 1,602,443 | Venezuela 23,290
Ecuador 2,768,670 |

{182}

* * * * *

{183}

UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA.

A federal republic in the northwestern part of South America, composed of 9 States. Area, 504,773 square miles. The country is traversed by three ranges of the Andes Mountains. There are numerous large, navigable rivers, tributaries of the Orinoco and Amazon.

The constitution was adopted in 1863. Government in the hands of a President, elected for 2 years, a ministry of 7 members, and a Congress composed of a Senate and House of Representatives. Capital, Bogota; population, 100,000. Strength of the Federal Army determined by Congress. Peace footing for 1882-83, 4,000 men.

The climate varies according to the elevation: the coast lands are usually hot and sickly: but the high table lands, as a rule, possess a genial climate; that of Bogota is unusually fine.

The mineral wealth of Colombia is very great; one-sixth of the exports consist of precious metals. Agriculture and stock raising are the leading pursuits. Value of imports, 1883, $11,504,028; exports, $14,857,170. Two-thirds of the exports consist of cinchona and coffee. The transit trade through the ports of Panama and Aspinwall is of far greater importance than the direct commerce; its value is estimated as not less than $85,000,000 per annum.

There are many native products, among which are fine woods, cacao, India rubber, ipecac, calisaya bark, cochineal, sarsaparilla and logwood. These, and tobacco, cinchona, coffee, sugar, indigo, rice, cotton, hides, ores and Panama hats, form the chief exports.

In 1883, 1,513 vessels, of 709,175 tons, entered the ports of Colombia. Number of miles of railway in the republic, 140. It is expected that the ship canal across the Isthmus of Panama will be opened in 1888. The company have a subscribed capital of $125,000,000.

VENEZUELA. V[)e]n'ez-wee'la.

A republic of South America, formed in 1830. The republic was, in 1881, subdivided into 8 States, 1 Federal District, 8 Territories and 2 national settlements. Area, according to an official statement of 1884, 632,695 square miles; population, 2,121,988. The Andes Mountains cross the northern part from west to east; the Orinoco and other important rivers pass through the southern part.

Executive power is in the hands of a President, who exercises his authority through a ministry of 6 and a Federal Council of 16 members; legislative, in a Congress of two Houses, the Senate and House of Representatives. Vice-President chosen by the Council. Capital, Caracas; population, 55,638. Chief towns, Valencia (population, 36,145) and Barquisimeto (population, 28,918). Army: peace footing, 2,545 officers and men; war footing, 350,000.

Mineral resources very great. Venezuela gold fields among the richest in the world; iron and copper abundant. Value of mineral products, 1884, s.4,452,050; gold, $3,243,380. Latest reports give value of imports as $17,253,130; exports, $19,720,225.

Agriculture the most important industry. Number engaged in it, 1884, 375,820; number of acres cultivated, 852,500. Coffee the most important product; total value of product, 1884, $11,255,000; value, of sugar product, $7,686,000; corn, $6,000,000; cocoa, $2,998,000. Latest reports give number of cattle as 2,926,733; goats and sheep, 3,490,563; horses, 291,603; mules, 906,467; swine, 976,600.

State religion, Roman Catholic; all others tolerated. In 1883 the government spent $500,000 in public instruction. Number universities, 2; colleges, 33; normal schools, 5; other schools, 1,794. Number of miles of railway, 1884, 102; telegraphs, 1,145 miles. {184}

* * * * *

{185}

BRITISH GUIANA. Ghe-a'na.

A territory in northeast part of South America. First settled by the Dutch, 1580. Acquired by the British in 1803; formally ceded in 1814. Estimated area, 76,000 square miles. Population, 248,110. Crossed by two great mountain systems. Contains many rivers; largest, Essequibo, 600 miles long, noted for magnificent cataracts. Thermometer rises to 90deg in warm weather; falls to 75deg in winter season; mean annual average at Georgetown, 81deg. Rainfall per year, about 72 inches.

Vegetation is luxuriant. Large sections are covered with valuable forests, which furnish exhaustless supplies of timber, largely used for shipbuilding. Number sugar plantations, 120; coffee estates, 12. Sugar forms 92 per cent. of exports; latest reports give 111,156 hhds. Rum exported, 32,531 puncheons; rum issued for home consumption, 330,392 gals. Export of molasses, 17,084 casks; timber export, 464,436 cubic feet. Total imports, 1882, $10,498,160; exports, $16,043,155.

Government administered by a Governor appointed by British Crown, and a Court of Policy.

Georgetown the capital; pop., 36,562. Number of schools sanctioned by Board of Education, 177; Church of England, 81.

DUTCH GUIANA. Ghe-a'na.

Lies east of British Guiana, often called Surinam from the river of that name. Coast line, 220 miles. Dutch first visited the country about 1580; but the first settlement in Surinam was made by an Englishman, in 1630. Area, 46,060 square miles. Population, 68,255; 54,602 negroes.

Local government consists of a Governor and Colonial Assembly. Capital, Paramaribo; population, 27,416.

Mean annual temperature, 80.4deg; coldest month mercury falls to 78deg; warmest, mercury rises to 99deg. Rainfall, 99 inches; at Paramaribo the average of eight years was 101 inches.

Large tracts of territory covered with primeval forests. Great staple of Guiana is sugar; average yearly export, about 10,645 tons. First cocoa sent to Amsterdam, 1733; the average yearly production is now more than 13,000 tons. Cotton and coffee rank next. Gold-mining is a growing industry. Latest reported value of exports, $1,151,070; imports, $1,316,355.

FRENCH GUIANA. Ghe-a'na.

East of Dutch Guiana. Area, 48,000 square miles. Population, 36,760. Coast line low and swampy. Large portion of the territory is covered with dense forests. Rainy season from November to June. Rainfall at Cayenne, 10 feet per year; heavier in the interior. Temperature: in summer, 86deg; winter, mean, 79deg, and seldom sinks so low as 70deg. In this century there have been three earthquakes.

Administration in the hands of Governor and Military Commandant.

Capital, Cayenne; pop., 10,000.

Coffee, introduced in 1716, is extensively grown. Guiana cocoa, bread-fruit, arrow-root, bananas, yams, oil, and date palm are among the products; but the principal source of food is manioc. Contains valuable gold deposits. French criminal penitentiaries located in this country. {186}

BRAZIL. Bra-zil'.

This is the largest of the South American countries, and the only empire in the New World. Contains many rivers. Amazon, the longest, drains 800,000 square miles of Brazilian territory. Temperature in the valley of the Amazon ranges from 68deg to 85deg, while at Rio Janeiro the average is 75deg. Area, 3,288,963. Population, 9,883,622. Capital, Rio de Janeiro; pop., 274,972.

Executive power is vested in the Emperor, ministers and Secretaries of State; legislative authority rests with the Senate and and Chamber of Deputies. The empire is divided into 20 Provinces.

Country rich in minerals and precious stones. Total value of diamond washings for the first 100 years was about $20,000,000. Diamond mines are now owned by private individuals. Manufactures in late years improved by the introduction of American machinery.

During the last 16 years the increase in exports has been 20 per cent.; in imports, 22 per cent. The value of coffee exported in 1882-83 was $52,720,000; sugar, $16,250,000; raw cotton, $4,063,650; tobacco, $5,344,500; India rubber, $5,965,000. Total imports, 1882-83, $111,434,300; exports, $134,945,100. In 1883, 2,989 vessels, of 2,367,296 tons, entered, and 2,522, of 2,095,237 tons, cleared, Brazilian ports.

Number miles railway, January, 1884, 3,500; 1,500 in process of construction. Telegraph system under the control of the government; miles of wire in 1883, 4,900. Army, on peace footing, 13,500 strong; in time of war, 32,000. Naval force consists of 35 steam vessels, with 123 guns and 5,704 seamen.

Established religion, Roman Catholic. Clergy are supported by the state. Compulsory education exists in several Provinces; 84 per cent. of population is illiterate. Total number of schools, 5,685.

BOLIVIA. Bo-liv'e-a.

A republic of South America, named in honor of Simon Bolivar; formed, in 1825, from provinces of Upper Peru; ceded all coast territory to Chili in 1880. Area, 842,729 square miles. Population, 2,300,000. Surface broken by two mountain ranges. Highest peak, Sahama, 22,350 feet; many volcanoes. Lake Titicaca is the largest inland body of water in South America; area, 4,000 square miles; Madeira river, with tributaries, navigable for 3,000 miles in Bolivia; La Paz chief city; pop., 76,372. Capital, Sucre or Chuquisaca.

President elected for 4 years. Legislative power rests with a Congress of 2 chambers,--Senate and House of Representatives. Universal suffrage prevails; Vice-President is appointed by President.

The climate embraces all degrees of heat and cold. The products of two zones are found in Bolivia. Ebony, rosewood, mahogany, cinchona, and other valuable trees abound. Manufactures limited to coarse cotton cloth, hats, cordage, leather and alpaca. Tin, copper, gold, and vast quantities of India rubber of the finest quality abound. Silver mines almost inexhaustible; annual yield of the Cerro de Potosi mines, $2,250,000. Two-thirds of exports are silver. Imports average $6,150,000; exports, $9,000,000.

Standing army, 2,421 men; generals and other officers, 1,021; two-thirds of revenue goes to support the army.

Roman Catholic the prevailing religion; other creeds tolerated; 4 universities. In 1884 but 12,000 pupils and students at schools and colleges. Three railroads open for traffic. {187}

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ECUADOR. Ek-wa-d[=o]r'.

A republic of South America, constituted 1830; situated on the equator, from which it takes its name. Extremely mountainous; traversed from north to south by three ranges of the Andes. Most lofty peaks: Cotopaxi, 18,880 feet; Chimborazo, 21,424; Cayambe, 19,831. Climate, on the coast, hot; on the high table lands, cold and bleak; valleys are free from extremes of temperature. Area, 248,370 square miles. Population, 946,033. Quito, the capital, has 80,000 inhabitants; Guayaquil, the principal seaport, 26,000. Quito is the highest inhabited city, being 9,500 feet above sea-level.

Ecuador was formed from the American Free State, founded by Simon Bolivar. Executive power rests with a President, elected for 4 years; legislative, with a Congress of two houses. President and Vice-President are nominated by 900 chosen electors. Vice-president is President of the Council of State. Hereditary rights or privileges prohibited by law. Belief in the Roman Catholic church, qualification for suffrage.

The soil of Ecuador will grow the products of every zone. There is a copious growth of the cinchona tree, sarsaparilla, vanilla, copaiba, balsam of Tolu, etc. Many fibrous plants, suitable for the manufacture of paper and cordage, are found in profusion. The immense mineral wealth is untouched; agriculture is neglected; manufactures are insignificant. The roads afford no facilities for commerce, being mostly mule tracks. Miles of railway number but 75.

Export of cocoa, 1883 valued at $3,372,200; India rubber, $428,800. Total value of exports, $4,923,300; imports, about $6,000,000. In 1883, 151 vessels, of 155,283 tons, entered, and 160 vessels, of 158,970 tons, cleared the port of Guayaquil.

Only 7.5 per cent. of population can read or write. In 1884, standing army fixed at 1,600 men.

PERU. Pe-roo'.

A republic of South America. Area, previous to the war with Chili, 503,718 square miles. Population, 2,699,945. Since the war about 70,000 square miles of Peruvian territory are occupied by Chili. Traversed by two systems of the Andes Mountains; highest point is the volcano of Misti, 20,300 feet above sea-level. Temperature at Callao about 60deg; Lima about 70deg.

Independence declared in 1821. The government is administered by the President, Senate and House of Representatives. The Peruvian constitution is planned after that of the United States. Lima, the capital, has a population of about 100,000.

The chief occupations are sheep raising, agriculture and mining; manufactures unimportant. Mountain valleys are very fertile; mountains are rich in minerals. Between 1853 and 1872, 8,000,000 tons of guano were taken from the Chincha Islands. Latest reliable reports give: imports, $24,000,000; exports (exclusive of guano and nitre), $31,000,000. Principal exports are guano, nitrate of soda, wool, sugar, silver and cinchona.

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Alden's Handy Atlas of the WorldChapter V: Part 5

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