Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/52

 4-4 PROVIDENCE establishment in the country, and probably in the world, engaged in the manufacture of "small wares," comprising boot, shoe, and corset lacings, lamp wicks, yarns, braids, &c. ; the buildings cover four acres. There are three large cloth-printing establishments, and several shops for the engraving of copper roll- ers for printing calicoes. Among other es- tablishments, the Rumford chemical works (in East Providence), the manufactory of Perry Davis'a "pain killer,'' the Corliss steam engine works, the stove works of Spicers and Peck- ham, and the Rhode Island locomotive works are noteworthy. There are also several bleach- ing and calendering establishments, and manu- factories of alarm tills, toilet and laundry soaps, ribbons, &c. Providence contains 23 national and 12 state banks, with an aggregate capital of $17,707,850 ; 10 savings banks, with deposits to the amount of $25,807,905 ; 1 trust company, capital $500,000 ; 1 sate deposit company, capital $50,000; and 20 insurance companies, with assets to the amount of $13,- 175,629. The city is divided into 10 wards, and is governed by a mayor, a board of alder- men of 10, and a common council of 40 mem- bers, elected annually. The mayor, aldermen, and common council in their joint capacity are styled the city council. At the close of 1874 the police force numbered 190 men. The number of arrests during that year was 8,440, of which 4,950 were for drunkenness. There is an effective paid fire department, consisting of 146 officers and men organized into five steam engine companies, six hose companies, and three hook and ladder companies. The city is supplied with water from the Pawtuxet river, 6 m. distant, by works recently con- structed at a cost of about $4,260,000. Since 1855 much attention has been given to vital statistics in Providence, and the returns of births, marriages, and deaths are probably more complete and perfect than those of any other city in America. During the same time special efforts have been made for the preven- tion of disease. In addition to this there are some peculiarities of natural location and in- ternal construction which make the city very healthy. During the year 1873, with a popula- tion of 80,592, there were 1,719 deaths, 1,150 marriages, and 2,128 births; or one birth in 87'83, one person married in 85*04, and one death in 46*88 of the population. The annual average for 19 years, 1855 to 1878 inclusive, was one birth in 34*19, one person married in 38*10, and one death in 50*65 of the popula- tion. The valuation of real estate in 1874 was $81,040,300 ; personal estate, $42,642,500 ; total, $123,682,800 ; rate of tax, $14 50 per $1,000 ; amount of tax, $1,798,400 60. The receipts into the city treasury during the year ending Sept. 30, 1874, including a balance on hand of $177,159 67, were $7,968,238 86, of which $1,520,716 68 was from taxation, $5,- 722,289 52 from loans, and $184,574 90 from water works. The expenditures were $7,506,- 590, of which $6,158,854 05 were classed as extraordinary and $1,847,235 95 as ordinary; balance in treasury Sept. 80, 1874, $462,643 86. The funded debt on Sept. 30, 1874, was $5,400,000; floating debt, $2,048,800; total, $7,443,800. Deducting $1,493,748 64 assets available for its reduction, the net debt was $5,950,051 36. Providence has many chari- table institutions and associations. The Butler hospital for the insane, founded in 1847, is on the W. bank of Seekonk river, surrounded by extensive grounds, 60 acres of which are under cultivation, with about the same extent of native woodland. The average number of pa- tients is about 130. The edifice was erected and the lands purchased by subscription, Cy- rus Butler contributing $40,000, and Nicholas Brown $30,000. Its annual not disbursements are about $55,000. The state of Rhode Island makes an annual appropriation of $2,000 to en- able the governor to aid poor insane persons there, and it also pays a portion of the ex- penses of all such poor insane as the town may choose to send. The Dexter asylum for the poor is situated on high land E. of the riv- er. It is a fine edifice of brick, 170 ft. long, including wings, and three stories high. The grounds, which comprise about 40 acres, are enclosed with a stone wall 8 ft. high. The land was devised by Ebenezer Knight Dexter in 1824, and the buildings erected by the city in 1828. The Rhode Island hospital, founded in 1863, has stately buildings surrounded by pleasant grounds, in the S. part of the city, fronting on the harbor. Other important in- stitutions are two homes for the aged, the nurse- ry, a Roman Catholic orphan asylum, and two dispensaries. The reform school, established in 1850, for juvenile offenders between the ages of 8 and 18, is in the S. W. part of the city. The number of inmates at its last annual re- port, 1874, was 220, of whom 179 were boys and 41 girls. Its expenses for the year were $40,753 ; earnings, $13,222. The state prison is on the N. side of the cove. At the close of the year 1874 it contained 67 convicts. The county jail is within the prison walls. The convicts are almost exclusively employed in cabinet work and shoemakiug. The following are the statistics of public schools for 1878-'4: SCHOOLS. No. of echooli. No. of room. Whole number of tetcben. No. of nude tMcben. No. of female teachen. No. of puplli. High school. 1 9 19 4 8 898 Gnun'ar sc'ls 7 00 68 7 01 2.667 Intennedia'e 20 00 55 U 2.128 Primary 89 04 86 86 8,969. Evening 7 18 87 8T DO 2,074 Vacation.... 6 6 17 17 1,200 Total 76 80S 829 48 277 12,489 There were also seven special teachers. The expenditure for school purposes in 1878 was $267,597 25, viz. : salaries, $146,656 13 ; house* and lota, $91,738 97; incidental expenses, $29,- 202 15. The schools are under the immediate