Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/358

CONNECTICUT. of establishments, the number of wage-earners, and the gross value of the products for 1890 and 1900:

The railroad system of Connecticut reached an early development, and has been but little extended in recent years. In 1900 the total mileage was 1025, the greater part of which was owned or leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Company. There were 53,352,000 passengers carried during the year; the freight carried amounted to 17,393,000 tons. While railroad-building has remained for some time almost stationary, street railways, on the other hand, especially cross-country lines, show a noteworthy growth. These had in 1900 reached a total length of 500 miles, having authorized capital stock amounting to $21,467,000. Transportation within the State is also much helped by the improvement of country roads, in which enterprise the State aids the communities.

The ports of entry are Hartford, Fairfield, New Haven, Stonington, and New London. There is a brisk coastwise trade, particularly with the

port of New York, most of the foreign trade of the State passing through that city. Although there are no exports to foreign countries direct from Connecticut, there were foreign imports in 1900 amounting to about $1,800,000, two-thirds of which entered by the port of Hartford.

The present Constitution was approved by the people of the State in 1818. Twenty-nine amendments have since been adopted. An amendment originates in the House of Representatives, is approved by a two-thirds vote of each House at the following session, and in turn by a majority vote of the electors present at the town meetings held for its consideration. Applicants for franchise must be twenty-one years of age, must be able to read, and must have lived one year in the State and six months in the town.

Legislature.—General elections for State officers and the General Assembly are biennial, in even years, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The General Assembly consists of 24 Senators, elected from districts of contiguous territory, no town being divided or part