Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/61

CALIFORNIA. of entry, secures raw sugar from Hawaii for refining. The total value of the amount refined in 1900 was estimated at $15,900,000. Hides were formerly exported, but are now manufactured into leather within the State, and this industry has grown until the local supply of hides no longer equals the demand. The manufacturing interests originally developed in response to the demands of local mining concerns are now beginning to enter other markets. Ship-building is also developing. The United States battleship Oregon was constructed by a California establishment. Over two-fifths of the total product of manufactures was accredited to San Francisco; but the city had no gain during the decade. Los Angeles was the only large city that enjoyed any considerable increase, the product of that city more than doubling in value. This was partially due to the recent discovery of petroleum there, and the use of it as fuel. The foregoing table is a summary for the fourteen most important manufacturing industries in the State.

. California, like the other Pacific Coast States, has a remarkable wealth of forest resources; but remoteness from the market and the difficulties of transportation have delayed their exploitation. From the above table it will be seen, however, that lumbering is enjoying a steady growth. The industry centres in the Humboldt Bay region, on the Pacific Coast, but also extends along the western slope of the Sierras as far south as Fresno County. From the immense redwoods of the Pacific Slope, large quantities of lumber and shingles are manufactured, while the equally large firs are used for the building of houses and ships. Among other valuable varieties are the cedar, adaptable for finishing work and furniture; the chestnut oak, used for tanning; and the yellow pine, valuable for lumber and for the production of resin and turpentine. The deciduous trees are not great in variety, nor of much industrial value.

. The long coast line has few excellent harbors, and the inland navigation is not extensive, being confined principally to the Sacramento River, which is navigable for small vessels as far as Red Bluff, and the Colorado, which is navigable through its entire course along the borders of the State.

Railway facilities are well developed, particularly in the great central valley. Only in the northeastern portion of the State is commercial progress seriously retarded by a lack of transportation accommodations. Two important transcontinental lines—the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fé Pacific—enter the State from the south, while a third transcontinental line—the Central Pacific—enters it a little north of the centre, San Francisco being the terminal point of all. On the Central Pacific are 33 miles of wooden galleries, known as ‘snow-sheds,’ and costing from $40,000 to $1,100,000 per mile, according to the amount of masonry needed. The San Francisco and Northern Pacific makes connection with the railway systems to the north. In 1860 the State had 23 miles of railroad, which had increased in 1880 to 2195 miles, in 1890 to 4349 miles, and in 1900 to 5750 miles. There are 0.27 mile of line per 100 square miles of land territory, and 38.72 miles per 10,000 inhabitants.

Commerce centres mainly at San Francisco, over two-thirds of all the merchandise imported to the Pacific Coast entering, and considerably over half the exports leaving, by that port. The great lumber trade of the Pacific Coast finds its chief market in that city. The other customs districts are Wilmington, San Diego, and Humboldt. There are lines of steamers to Alaska, British Columbia, Oregon, etc., and to New York, Great Britain, Hawaii, China, Japan, Australia, and South America. Its position on the Pacific Ocean gives the State an advantage in the trade with Oriental countries, which is becoming of increasing value, and contains possibilities whose full import can hardly be appreciated at present. The construction of the Isthmian canal will also be greatly to the advantage of the State, especially in its trade with European countries. The cargoes to Europe consist mainly of wheat, canned fish and fruits, honey, borax, and ores; to Asia and the islands of the Pacific, of large quantities of butter and cheese, canned and cured meat and fish; to Mexico and China, of quicksilver. Shipments across the continent include fruits (fresh, canned, and dried), cattle products, and honey. In 1900 the value of imports of merchandise to the California ports aggregated $49,000,000, and the imports of gold and silver $13,000,000, while the exports of merchandise and bullion were $41,000,000 and $9,500,000 respectively.

. In 1900 there were 39 national banks in operation, with capital aggregating $11,000,000, deposits $13,000,000, and reserve fund $4,132,000. There were 178 State banks, with $26,980,000 capital stock, $85,880,000 deposits, and $20,580,000 surplus. The private banks numbered 19, having $890,000 capital and $1,629,000 deposits. There were also 53 savings banks, with $7,650,000 capital stock, $158,000,000 deposits, and $6,900,000 surplus. The average deposit in savings banks was $730, or over 30 per cent. more than in any other State.

. The present Constitution was ratified by popular vote and became operative in 1879. A proposed amendment must have a two-thirds vote of each House, and be approved by a vote of the State electors. A proposition to revise the Constitution must likewise receive a two-thirds vote of the Legislature and the approval of the people, and the text drawn up in the resulting Constitutional Convention must also be submitted to the people for their approval.

Males who have lived one year in the State, ninety days in the county, and thirty days in the voting precinct, and have not been convicted of infamous crimes, embezzlement, or misappropriation of public money, and can read the Constitution or write their own names have the right of suffrage; but Chinese are excluded.

Legislature.—Senators (40) hold office for four years, Assemblymen (80) for two years. The Legislature meets in biennial sessions, on the first Monday of January of even years, and the pay of the members ($8 per day and 10 cents mileage) is limited to sixty days. The Governor may convene extra sessions, but the power to legislate at these is restricted to the specified subject. The House impeaches, while the Senate acts as a court of impeachment.

Executive.—The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer,