The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Kings

KINGS, a S. E. county of New York, forming the W. extremity of Long Island; area, 72 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 419,921. It lies between the East river and New York harbor and the Atlantic ocean, embracing several small islands adjacent to the coast. A range of drift hills, from 50 to 300 ft. above tide water, crosses it from S. W. to N. E. The soil is a light sandy loam, capable of varied cultivation. The South Side railroad of Long Island, the Brooklyn, Bath, and Coney Island railroad, and the Brooklyn Central branch of the Long Island railroad pass through it. The chief productions in 1870 were 44,600 bushels of Indian corn, 547,375 of potatoes, and 2,057 tons of hay. There were on farms 1,241 horses, 16 mules and asses, 1,148 milch cows, 67 other cattle, and 750 swine. There are numerous manufacturing establishments, chiefly in Brooklyn, the county seat. In 1873 a proposition for the incorporation of the county towns with the city of Brooklyn was submitted to a popular vote, which resulted adversely.