Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/589

 MAIME

542

MAm

iff a general elex'utiou which extends from the north- east boundan' at Ma/s Hill to the sourcesi of the Magal- loway River in the ^lest, and constitutes a divide between the streams flowing south, and those flowing north or east. There are seveml mountain peaks, the principal being Mount Katahdin (5:iS5 feet), near the geographical centre of the state. Sad. The soil of Maine is for the most part hard, drj*, and rockv, but along the river vallej's, and in low lands originally covered by water, there is considerable fertile land, while in the northern portion of t lie state, in the valleys of the St. John and its trib- utarv, the Aroostook, the soil is equal in fertility to anv in the world.

IxorsTRiEs. — ^The following compilation will con- vev a fair idea of the leading industries as they stood in*1905.

No. of Establish-

Value of pro-

n.»:«.i ducts ^including Capital custom work

ments

and repairing)

Boots and shoes

50

$4,450,939

$12;35i;>93

Canning and presen'-

inc &»h

141

2.144.690

5.055.091

Flour and grist -mill

products

161

1.422.671

3,932,SS2

Foundo' and machine

1

shop products

99

5.191.274

4.767.025

Leather, tanneii. cur^

ried and finishc^l

27

1.464.735

2.500.146

Lumber and timber

products

752

15.0Vi.n95

17.937.6S3

Lumber, planing mill

■

products, indudins aash. doors and

blinds

84

2,003.304

2.223,956

Marble and stone

!

work

42

2.S07J215

2,3S2.1S0

Paper and wood-pulp Pnntins and publish-

37

41.273.915

22.951.124

ShipDuilding.wooden.

206

2,107.149,

3.372;i;n

1

including boat-

1

building

138

1.221.691

3.038.016

Cotton goods

15

21.642.675

15.405.S23

WooUen gocxis

66

14.990.211

13.969.600

Worsted goods

6

. 2.562.193 .$11S.456.057

3,609.990

1S24

$113,497,140

SBxty-eigfat other in-:

.

dustries ,

1321 3145

25.149.693

30.623.051

Total '


 * $143.605.750

$144,120,191

Besides the al>ove specifietl inilustries, large amounts are derived from otners of which no accurate report can be readily obtained!. A brge sum is derived each year from the tislieries. ap:irt from what results from the canning indust rv. The man\if act ure of lime in t he vicinity of Rocklant^ is carrieil on on a ver>- large scale. The granite quarries at Vinalhaven Weld a large re- turn. A \"er>' considerable amount is obtaine^i t hrough the mining industries, the niimerous mineral springs. located chiefly in Androscoggin County, and numerous lesser industries of which no report b made to the labour commissioner. A verj- conser\-ative estimate places these at six millions or more.

Agriculture. — Finally, and most important by far as the source from which the livelihooil of the vast major- ity of the population is drawn, come the agricultural products. The County of Aroostook was reported a rew years sinee as ranking second in the Union in the value of its agricultural products, and there has been a great increase in the quantity and ^-alue of its prod- ucts since then. The potato crop of that eoimtv in 19as brought nearly $15,000,000. Taking then'tte state as a whole, and reckoning potatoes, hay^ OKti^ wheat, buckwheat, bariev, lye, oom for ennni poaes, apples (of which there were ^owm VmQ narrols m 1907), \-e9ptables nnd dnuqr ] — "■" last a >-enr large and important itani)*n jrure the agricultunk pWMlu Bl % ^^^'^

which are akin to them, at more than $50»0U0,OOO in an average year. In brief, Maine produces through its varied industries some S275 to $300 annually for each inhabitant.

Flora and Fauna. — ^The forests of Maine cover the greater part of the state, and the \^lue of its standing woods is immense. Spruce is first in quantity, as it is also in greatest demand. Aft«r spruce comes hem- lock; next, white birch used in the manufacture of spools; poplar for pulpwood; cedar for shinglcss, and bu'ch for the manufacture of furniture. The pine is also found, but no longer in large quantities. In addi- tion to these are found the maple, ajsh, beech, and other varieties. Owing to the large extent of forest, game is so plentiful that Elaine is called the " hunter's paradise ". During the open or hunting season, which m general covers the penod from 1 October to 1 De- cember, the woods are filled with hunters from all parts of the Union. The hunter from abroad is in pursuit of the moose, caribou, or deer, but the local nunter adds to these the fox, beaver, marten, sable, mink, and wild cat. Along the coast especially, and to some extent in the lake regions, wild fowl abound. The various lakes, ponds, and streams abound with landlocked salmon, trout, and togue, for which the close time extends from 1 October until the ice has left the pond, lake, or river. Many other varieties of fish are also found, making Maine as attractive to the angler as to the hunter.

Climate. — ^The climate of Maine, as its Jatitude indicates, is cold during a considerable portion of the yea r. I n t he ext reme nort h t he ground is covered wit h snow from the middle of November to the first of April (and even later) in the average year. But the climate is most healthful at all seasons. Tens of thousands of people from all parts of the count r>' have their summer nomes in Maine, or at least spend several months of each >*ear in the state. Not at the famous summer re- sorts of Old Orchard and Bar Harbor only is the sum- mer x-isitor found, but ever^-where along the coast, in the interior of the state in the vicinity of some of its many lakes, and even at the northernmost extremity of the state in the St. John \*alley. The mar\'ellousiy beautiful scenery, which every successix-e season at- tracts people in increasing numbers to Maine, enjo\'s so wide a renown that anything more than a passing reference to it is unnecessary here.

PoprL-VTioN. — ^The population of the territory of Maine according to the census of 1790 was 96,540: it was 151,719 in ISOO: 22S,705 in ISIO; 29S.269 in 1820, when it became a state ^15 Mareh^; .'J99.455 in 1S30: 501. 79A in 1S40: 5S3.aU in 1S50; 62S.279 in 1S60; 6*26,015 in 1S70; 64S.9:^ in 1S80: 661.086 in 1890; 694,4S0 in 19lX\ The Catholic population is 123,517. It will be obser\ed that, while the growth of popula- tion has not been rapid, it has been steady and regular, one decade only from 1S60 to 1S70 showing a sli^t decrease. Tliis is acci^unted for by t he fact that Mame fumishevl 70,107 soldiers to the Federal army in the Civil War, of whom 9S9S died during the waV. It is safe to preiiict tiiat the census now being taken (1910) will add fully ten per cent to the figures of the last census, making the population about 765.000.

CONSTITITIOX AND tio VERS MEN T. ItS OOnStituUon

was moiielled after that of the Federal go\'eninient. The legislative power is veste^i in a senate composed of thirty-one members and a house of representatives of one liundred and fifty-one members, both senators and fe pre s c ntatives being chosen for a period of two jrears. Tbe election is heU on the second Mondax of Septem- ber in the cvai yniBy and the official tenn begins on thidaj beion the fin* Wcdaeiday of Janoaiy f oUow-
 * ~ "^ ^ * ^ ~ MB eriewlvc p a—d li sub"

,biii»ahonkibe

SSSAi

^: