Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/800

MAINE. {|align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" rules="cols" style="font-size: smaller"
 * colspan="3"|
 * align="center"|1900
 * align="center"|1890
 * Dairy cows
 * align="right"|173,592
 * align="right"|157,278
 * Other cattle
 * align="right"|165,255
 * align="right"|141,832
 * Horses
 * align="right"|106,299
 * align="right"|109,156
 * Mules and asses
 * align="right"|401
 * align="right"|278
 * Sheep
 * 252,213
 * 370,484
 * Swine
 * align="right"|79,018
 * align="right"|91,297
 * colspan="3"|
 * }
 * align="right"|401
 * align="right"|278
 * Sheep
 * 252,213
 * 370,484
 * Swine
 * align="right"|79,018
 * align="right"|91,297
 * colspan="3"|
 * }
 * colspan="3"|
 * }
 * }

Manufacturing is of much importance, 74,800 wage-earners, or 10.8 per cent. of the population, being engaged in this line in 1900. The percentage of the population thus occupied has increased continuously in the last half century. It was only 4.8 in 1850. The total value of the product in 1900 was $127,361,000. The development of the manufacturing industry is due to the extensive water power afforded by the numerous rivers of the State and also to the excellent commercial advantages offered by the harbors, and, in later years, by the railways. The factories are located, almost without exception, along the rivers or on the coast, and most of them are run by water power. The manufacture of textiles—cotton and woolen goods—leads in importance. Both cotton and woolen mills were in operation during the early years of the nineteenth century. The cotton mills of to-day are all west of the Kennebec River. Lewiston is the chief centre. The woolen mills are more widely distributed, but also derive their power from the streams. The manufactures of cotton show a slight decrease in value during the decade 1890-1900. This is probably due in part to the increasing competition of the Southern States.

Shipbuilding formerly depended upon the forests for its supplies, but with the increased use of steel in vessel construction, the shipbuilding industry of Maine has declined. The industry is one of the oldest in the State, a vessel having been built as early as 1608. For a long time Maine held first rank in the industry, and indeed constructed more than half of all the sea-going

vessels of the nation. At Bath, the principal shipbuilding centre, the construction of steel vessels has attained considerable importance. The leather industry also dates from an early period. It was one of the State's leading industries between the years 1861 and 1870. The bark of the hemlock was used in tanning, and the industry is declining as the supply of this bark becomes scarcer. Other noteworthy industries are represented by the foundries and machine shops and printing and publishing houses. The following table gives a comparison of the chief industries for the years indicated:

Maine is the only one of tlie New England States in which there was a large railroad construction in the last decade of the nineteenth century. This mileage increased from 1377 miles in 1800 to 1928 in 1900. Prior to this decade railway construction had been confined mainly to the central and southwestern parts of the State. During that decade the Bangor and Aroostook line was built into the northeast counties, and its influenoe was largely responsilile for the rapid development of the forest and farming industries which has taken place in that section. The Canadian Pacific crosses the State from east to west. The construction of electric railways, including interurban lines, is increasing rapidly. The electric railway mileage in 1901 aggregated 280 miles. Among the many fine harbors, that of Portland (Casco Bay), especially, is easy of access, deep, large, and well protected, and is often unobstructed by ice when harbors farther west and south are frozen over. Lines of steamers ply regularly between the largest cities of the State and Boston; also between Portland and New York, Saint John, N. B., and Halifax.

For the year ending June 30, 1901, the exports from the Portland and Falmouth customs district amounted to $12,403,958 and the imports to $633,114. The chief imports are coal, fish, sugar, iron, molasses, and wool; the chief exports are