Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/153

MARYLAND.

. Manufacturing is of much importance, and has played an important part from the first settlement of the State. In 1850 6.2 per cent. of the population were engaged as wage-earners in that industry. In 1900 the per cent. of the population thus engaged was 9.1, a little less than the figure for 1890, though the actual number employed in the former year (108,300) was greater. The value of products increased during that decade 41.3 per cent., reaching $242,752,000 in 1900. The urban manufactures of the State are confined mainly to the city of Baltimore, the prominence of the manufacturing industry in the State being due largely to the commercial advantages of that city. The largest and most important group of manufactures draws extensively from the agricultural products of the State. The canning and preserving of fruits and vegetables, though of recent development, has become the most important in the State; the increase during the decade 1890-1900 was 66.7 per cent. California alone exceeds Maryland in this industry. The tobacco manufactures are also increasing, the growth, however, being confined to the manufacture of chewing and smoking tobaccos and snuff. The canning of oysters gives employment to many hands. The other industries belonging to this group import their raw materials largely from outside States. Of these the slaughtering and meat-packing industry made the largest gains during the last census decade. The flour and grist milling industry and the manufacture of textiles are long established industries. Baltimore is the largest producer of cotton duck in the United States.

Another group of industries is of note—iron manufactures. The iron ore was at first secured from the State mines, but when the Lake Superior region was developed the grade of ore was so much higher than the Maryland product that it rendered the latter unprofitable and greatly reduced the extent of the dependent industries. More recently ore has been imported from Cuba, and the industry has revived. Fuel is secured from the mines of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. During the decade 1890-1900 the value of the iron and steel product increased 204.6 per cent. There are now extensive shipments of steel rails to foreign markets. The revival of the industry is reflected in foundry and machine shop industries, whose products increased 113 per cent. during the same period. The same is true of shipbuilding. During the colonial period and the first half of the nineteenth century this industry was very prominent. The ‘Baltimore clippers’ were world famous and were instrumental in greatly extending the State's commerce. When iron and steel were substituted for wood in shipbuilding, the industry declined. Since the recent revival vessels have been constructed for the United States Navy. A less important group of manufactures derives its raw materials from the forest resources of the State and adjoining regions. Almost all the merchantable timber

has been cut away in the region east of the Blue Ridge, and the pine and much of the hard wood have been cut from the western part of the State. The entire wooded area is estimated at 44 per cent. of the land area.

The most significant gain during the decade 1890-1900 was in the production of paper and wood pulp. A large increase was also made in the value of the lumber and timber products, planing mill products, and furniture. The extensive cultivation of fruits and vegetables has made a demand for fertilizers and the manufacture of this product is one of the principal industries. The following table on following page on following page covers the fourteen leading industries for the years 1890 and 1900.  . Maryland is well supplied with transportation facilities, both natural and artificial. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the first lines operated in the United States. Other important lines are the Northern Central, the Queen Anne's, the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic, the Western Maryland, the Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Annapolis and Baltimore Short Line, the Annapolis, Washington and Baltimore, and the West Virginia Central, The total mileage in operation in 1900 was 1339 miles. The Delaware and Chesapeake Canal connects the head of Chesapeake Bay with the Delaware River. Chesapeake Bay gives excellent facilities for water transportation, and the Potomac River is navigable to Washington. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, once a great highway of commerce, still carries some coal. Baltimore is the chief commercial centre.

. The first bank in the State was the Bank of Maryland, chartered in 1790. In the early thirties there were half a dozen banks in Baltimore which suffered with all the other banks of the country from the money panic of 1837. Six or seven banks failed, among them the Bank of Maryland, seriously affecting the commercial interests of the State. In 1850 there were 27 banks, with a capital of $9,310,407. In 1902 there were 82 national banks, with capital of $16,835,000; surplus of $8,524,000; cash, $6,160,000; loans, $63,801,000; and deposits of $53,641,000. There were also 31 State banks with capital of $1,739,185, surplus $577,000, cash on hand $465,897. loans $6,279,112, and deposits $8,378,861; and 21 savings banks, with 186,293 depositors and deposits to the amount of $64,367,767. There are also a number of trust and deposit companies.

. The State of Maryland led in the movement for internal improvements beginning in the early twenties, and the first public debt of the State was created in order to acquire 5000 shares of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. In 1836 an issue of bonds to the amount of $8,000,000 was authorized to be invested in various improvements, mainly canals and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; and by 1839 the public debt amounted to more than $16,000,000. A financial collapse resulted when in 1840 the State stopped payments of interest. Very heavy taxes were imposed in 1841, which it was almost impossible to collect; and a repudiation of the State debts was threatened. Finally in 1844 the arrears of interest were funded, and on January 1, 1848, payment of interest on the State debt was 