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OHIO E. half of Ohio is underlaid with coal measures, showing seven distinct veins of superior coal, for gas making, or iron smelting. These coal measures have a practical working thickness of over 50 feet.

Mineralogy.—The mineralogical resources of Ohio are very extensive. The State ranks ninth in the United States in the production of petroleum, and clay products; fourth in coal and natural gas; and fourth in salt. Iron is found in several counties, and is adapted to fine class castings. Carbonate of lime, hydraulic cement, and quicklime are extensively manufactured. The sandstone near Cleveland is used extensively for building purposes in the N. States and Canada. Ohio is one of the most important of the mineral producing States. Its two leading products are coal and clay products. There were produced in 1919 47,919,202 short tons of coal. The petroleum produced in the same year amounted to 7,825,226 barrels, valued at $10,061,493. The natural gas production was valued at $17,391,060. The value of the products of the quarries, chiefly sandstone and limestone, was $5,816,923. The Portland cement produced was 1,983,217 barrels, valued at $1,940,824. The value of the clay products was $36,839,621.

Manufactures.—There were in 1914 15,658 manufacturing establishments, employing 510,435 wage earners. The capital invested was $1,677,552,000, and the amount paid in wages was $318,924,000. The value of the materials used was $1,020,782,000 and the value of the finished product was $1,782,808,000.

Soil and Agriculture.—The soil is divided into three grades, limestone soils, clay of the uplands, and swamp lands in the N. W. The former two are well adapted to agriculture, all the fruits, cereals, and vegetables of the temperate zone thriving well. The following figures give the acreage, production and value of the principal crops, in 1919: corn, 3,700,000 acres, production, 162,800,000 bushels, value $196,988,000; oats, 1,548,000 acres, production 51,858,000 bushels, value $37,338,000; wheat, 2,860,000 acres, production 54,440,000 bushels, value $115,413,000; hay, 2,879,000 acres, production 3,973,000 tons, value $86,611,000; tobacco, 90,000 acres, production 77,400,000 pounds, value $26,000,084; potatoes, 150,000 acres, production 9,300,000 bushels, value $17,856,000.

Banking.—On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 372 National banks in operation, having $65,033,000 in capital, $45,049,000 in outstanding circulation, and $156,342,000 in United States bonds.

There were also 609 State banks, with $58,417,000 capital and $39,138,000 surplus; 169 private banks, with $2,657,000 capital, and $990,000 surplus. The exchanges at the United States clearing houses at Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus for the year ending Sept. 30, 1919, aggregated $8,780,512,000.

Education.—School attendance is compulsory for children from 6 to 15 years. There were in 1919 about 11,000 public elementary schools, with about 30,000 teachers and about 870,000 enrolled pupils. There were over 1,000 public high schools, with nearly 130,000 pupils, and 6,500 teachers. There were 5 State normal schools, with about 1,200 students. The total expenditure for education exceeds $55,000,000 annually. Among the colleges are the University of Cincinnati, at Cincinnati; Western Reserve University, at Cleveland; Ohio State University, at Columbus; Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware; Oberlin College, at Oberlin; St. Xavier College, at Cincinnati, Oxford and Western Colleges, at Oxford, and the Lake Erie College and Seminary at Painesville.

Churches.—The strongest denominations in the State are the Roman Catholic; Methodist Episcopal; Presbyterian; Regular Baptist, North; Disciples of Christ; United Brethren; Lutheran, Independent Synods; Reformed; Congregational; German Evangelical Synod; and Christian.

Railways.—The total mileage in 1919 was 9,316. There were in addition over 4,300 miles of electric railway track.

Finances.—The receipts for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1918, were $25,411,743. The disbursements were $33,199,499. The cash on hand at the beginning of the year amounted to $7,787,756. There was a balance on July 1, 1919, of $7,375,351. The public debt amounted to $1,665, being a canal loan not bearing interest.

State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of two years. Legislative sessions are held biennially and limited in length to 60 days each. The Legislature has 37 members in the Senate, and 125 members in the House. There are 22 Representatives in Congress. The State government in 1921 was Republican.

History.—The site of the present State of Ohio was first explored by La Salle in 1680. About 1750 the English laid claim to the region, and their effort to make good their claim brought on the French and Indian War. In 1763, the whole region was ceded by France to England, and after the Revolutionary War it