Map of Nevada
Name of Spanish origin, signifying "Hot Furnace."
First settlement by Spaniards at San Diego, 1768; admitted 1850.
Area, 158,360 square miles, the second largest State; extreme length, 770 miles; extreme breadth, 330 miles; least breadth, 150 miles; coastline, over 700 miles; San Francisco Bay, best harbor on western coast. Number counties, 52.
Temperature at San Francisco: winter, 50° to 55°; summer, 58° to 69°. Rainfall, Sacramento, 20 inches.
San Francisco, metropolis and only port of entry. Regular line of steamers to Australia, Panama, Mexico, China and Japan; pop., 233,959. Sacramento, capital; pop., 21,420. Population Oakland, 34,555; San José, 12,567; Stockton, 10,282; Los Angeles, 11,183; U.S. navy yard at San Pablo Bay.
Number farms, 35,934. Average value per acre, cleared land, $27.16; woodland, $8.55.
One of the richest agricultural tracts in the Union; rich soil and favorable climate, often insuring two crops per year on same field; wheat the most valuable crop; crop of 1884, 44,320,000 bu.; corn, 8,800,000 bu.; oats, 2,149,000 bu.
Chart of Gold and Silver deposited at Mints and Assay Offices 1793-1883 by State - headed by California
Ranks very high as a fruit-growing state; fruits of temperate climates, about 4,000,000 trees; sub-tropical fruits and nuts, 250,000 trees; grape region north to 41°, with an average breadth of 100 miles, and contains over 21,000,000 vines.
Fine sheep-raising country. Cashmere goats have been introduced and are doing well.
Ranks first in barley, grape culture, sheep, gold and quicksilver; third in hops; fifth in wheat and salt; seventh in silk goods; eighth in soap and silver.
Population, 864,694: male, 518,176; female, 346,518; native, 571,820; foreign, 292,874; white, 767,181; colored, 6,018; Chinese, 75,132; Japanese, 86; Indians, 16,277.
Governor and State officers elected quadrennially, and legislature every two years; number Senators, 40; Representatives, 80; sessions of legislature biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting first Monday after January 1st; limit of session, 60 days; term of Senators, 4 years; of Representatives, 2 years.
Number electoral votes, 8; number white voters, 262,583. Idiots, Indians, convicts and Chinese excluded from voting.
School population, 216,330; school age, 5-17.
Legal interest rate, 7; by contract, any rate.
Map of California
OREGON.Or´e-gon.
Name derived from Spanish word signifying "Wild Thyme," so called on account of the abundance of the herb found by early explorers. Credit of discovery generally given to Captain Gray, of Boston, 1792; Fur Company's trading post at Astoria, 1811; organized as a Territory, 1848; admitted 1859.
Area, 96,030 square miles; average length, 360 miles; breadth, 260 miles; coast line, 300 miles; Columbia river frontage, 300 miles. Number counties, 27. Temperature at Portland: winter, 38° to 46° summer, 62° to 68°: rainfall at Dalles, 22 inches, and at Fort Hoskins, 67 inches.
Portland, Astoria and Coos Bay are ports of entry; Oregon City, Roseburgh and La Grande are land offices. Portland, the metropolis; population, 33,400. Salem is capital.
Number farms, 16,217; about 25,000,000 acres arable land, and same of grazing land; forest, 10,000,000 acres. Average value per acre, cleared land, $21.71; woodland, $4.50.
Wheat the staple; noted for superiority of its flour and for weight, often reaching 65 pounds per bu. Wheat crop, 1884, 15,462,000 bu.; oats, 5,470,000 bu.
Chart of Fishery Production by State - headed by Oregon
Cattle raising ranks 2d only to agriculture; wool is of fine quality.
Extremely rich in minerals; gold found in Jackson, Josephine, Baker and Grant counties; copper, in Josephine, Douglas and Jackson counties; iron ore, throughout the State; coal, along Coast Range.
Principal exports are wheat, flour, lumber and canned salmon. Over 10,000,000 feet lumber out annually, and over 600,000 cases salmon packed.
Population, 174,768: male, 103,381; female, 71,387; native, 144,265; foreign, 30,503; white, 163,075; colored, 487; Chinese, 9,510; Indians, 1694
Governor and State officers elected quadrennially, and legislature every two years; number of Senators, 30; Representatives, 60; sessions of legislature biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting first Monday in January; limit of session, 40 days; term of Senators, 4 years; of Representatives, 2 years.
Number of electoral votes, 3; voting population, 59,629. U.S. army, idiots, insane, convicts, and Chinese excluded from voting.
Number of colleges, 7; school population, 65,216; school age, 4-20.
Legal interest rate, 8; by contract, 10; usury forfeits principal and interest.
Map of Oregon
WASHINGTON.Wŏsh-ing-ton.
First settlement of white Americans at Tumwater, 1845, though trading posts had before been established by fur traders; organized 1853
Area, 69,180 square miles, nearly same as Missouri; greatest length, 340 miles; greatest breadth, 240 miles; Pacific coast line, about 180 miles. Number counties, 33.
Temperature at Olympia: winter, 37° to 44°; summer, 59° to 62°. Rainfall, Ft. Colville, 10 inches; at Ft. Vancouver, 39 inches, and at Neah Bay, 123 inches.
Olympia is the capital, and Walla Walla and Seattle the largest towns. Harbors of Puget Sound numerous and excellent. Railroad mileage, 716; Northern Pacific from Wallula Junction to Idaho line, and from Kalama to New Tacoma, which is connected by railway with Seattle.
About 25 per cent. of area well fitted for agriculture; cereals all thrive, but generally too cold for corn; wheat crop, 1884, 4,118,000 bushels; oats, 2,623,000. Fruits of temperate zone, excepting peaches, attain perfection. Considerable attention paid to hop culture, latest reports giving 703,277 pounds; also 1,003,530 bushels potatoes.
Chart of Butter Production by Territory - headed by Washington
Grazing interest valuable and rapidly increasing; grazing region east of Cascade Range, the bunch grass furnishing an inexhaustible food supply.
Coal mined at Bellingham Bay and Seattle; area coal-bearing strata, 20,000 square miles. Gold-bearing quartz and silver lodes exist in Cascade and Coast ranges; copper, cinnabar, lead and other minerals are found.
Lumber resources almost inexhaustible; amount lumber cut annually, 250,000,000 to 300,000,000 feet, 150,000,000 being exported.
Population, 75,116: male, 45,973; female, 29,143; native, 59,313; foreign, 15,803; white, 67,199; colored, 325; Chinese, 3,186; Indians, 4,405.
Territorial and congressional elections, Tuesday after first Monday day in November; number Senators, 12; Representatives, 24; sessions of legislature biennial, in odd-numbered years, meeting first Monday in October; terms of Senators and Representatives, 2 years each; limit of session, 60 days. Voting population, 27,670; native white, 15,858; foreign white, 8,393; colored, 3,419.
Number colleges, 2; school population, 23,890; school age, 4-21.
Legal interest rate, 10; by contract, any rate.
Map of Washington
CENTRAL AMERICA AND WEST INDIES.
Central America is an irregular mass of land in southern part of North America, and lies about midway between the two great continental masses of the New World. It includes the republics of Guatemala, Honduras, San Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, together with British Honduras.
The West Indies, an extensive system of islands lying southeast of North America, contain the large islands of Cuba, Hayti, Jamaica and Porto Rico, and are arranged mostly in three groups; viz., Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles and the Bahamas.
Map of Central America and West Indies
COSTA RICA.Kos´ta Ree´ka.
The most southern republic of Central America. Area, 26,040 square miles. Population, 190,000. There are many volcanic peaks: Turrialba, 12,500 feet high; Chiriqui, 11,265 feet high; Los Votos, 9,840 feet high.
The chief executive, the President, elected for a term of 4 years, is assisted by 5 ministers. Legislative power is vested in a Congress of Deputies, chosen for 4 years. Capital, San José; pop., 20,000.
The principal products of the soil are coffee, sugar, maize, cocoa, sarsaparilla and fruits. The principal export is coffee. Value of exports, 1883, $2,431,625; of which coffee amounted to $2,000,590. Imports chiefly manufactures from England, $2,081,805. Revenue for fiscal year of 1885, $2,867,170, mainly derived from customs duties and the monopoly on spirits; expenditure, $2,961,110. In 1884, $841,440 were expended for public works. There are about 104 miles of railway: telegraph, 451 miles.
The state religion is the Roman Catholic; constitution guarantees religious liberty. There are 341 national schools and 584 private schools; total number of pupils, 13,924.
NICARAGUA.Nik-ar-a´gwa.
Largest of the Central American states. Area, 49,500 square miles. Population, 400,000. Fifty-five per cent, of inhabitants are Indians. Climate is healthy; mean annual temperature about 80°; rainfall about 100 inches. Constitution adopted 1858. Presidential term, 4 years. Legislative power rests with a Senate and a House of Representatives. Capital, Managua; population, 12,000.
Through want of peace and industry the great natural resources are undeveloped. Lead, iron, zinc, antimony, tin, quicksilver and gold are found. The vegetable products are cotton, coffee, indigo, rice, tobacco and corn. There are about 400,000 cattle in the country. Leading exports in 1882: coffee, $659,550; India rubber, $638,010; gold, $150,000. Imports for the same year, $1,477,340; exports, $1,895,760.
Army, 703 regulars and 9,600 militiamen. Number of schools, 178; pupils, 8,330. Vessels entered, 1882, 213; tonnage, 256,000. Telegraph, 1882, 800 miles; railway, 83 miles.
SAN SALVADOR.Săl-vă-dōr´.
In area the smallest, in population the second, of the Central American republics. It extends along the Pacific coast 170 miles. Average breadth, 43 miles; area, 7,225 square miles. Population, 554785
Constitution adopted 1864; amended 1883. Government administered by a President, elected for 4 years, and a ministry of 4 members. The legislative power is vested in a Senate and House of Representatives. Capital, San Salvador; population, 18,500.
The temperature varies greatly; but the climate is generally considered healthful. This is the most advanced and best cultivated of the republics. Principal agricultural products, indigo, coffee, sugar and balsam. Minerals are not abundant, though there are some rich veins of silver. Value of silver ores, 1882, $700,000.
Latest reports give value of imports as $2,327,765; exports, $5,638,080. Value of coffee exported, $3,416,100; indigo, $1,812,590; sugar, $93,230. In the same year 265 vessels entered the ports.
The army consists of 1,200 men and 2,500 militia.
GUATEMALA.Gaw-te-mah´la.
The most populous of the five Central American republics. Area, 41,830 square miles. Population, 1884, 1,278,311. Climate healthful; snow never falls; frequent violent earthquakes occur. Watered by numerous rivers.
Constitution adopted 1859; amended 1879. President is chief executive; legislative power in the hands of National Assembly; President and members of Assembly elected for 6 years; suffrage universal. Capital, New Guatemala; pop., 55,728.
The soil is fertile; cotton, sugar cane, coffee and tobacco are grown. Roads are poor. Coffee crop, 1884, over 42,000,000 lbs. Sugar, wool and fruit trade recently developed. In 1882, number of land-owners 5,334.
Imports, 1884, valued at $2,630,100; exports, $3,716,340. Miles of railway, 105. Miles of telegraph, 2,880; 1,100 miles controlled by the state.
Army consists of 2,180 men, rank and file; 33,000 militiamen. There is no navy.
In 1882, sum spent on education, $434,753; state contributed $323,860; in 1883 there were 844 primary government schools; number night schools, 48; pupils attending all schools, 42,021.
HONDURAS.Hon-doo´ras.
Republic established November 5, 1838. Area, 39,600 square miles. Population, 458,000. Capital, Tegucigalpa; pop., 12,000. Numerous mountains; between them fertile valleys. Coast line on the Pacific, 40 miles: Atlantic, 400 miles. Many excellent harbors; many rivers, some of them navigable.
Government consists of President, 6 ministers, and an Assembly of 37 Representatives. Finances badly disordered; foreign debt, $26,125,106; interest unpaid, $24,308,846. Standing army, 830 men; militia, 31,500. Navy, 2 steam corvettes, with 8 guns.
The products are mahogany, fruit, cotton, cattle, coffee, tobacco, indigo, India rubber and rosewood. Exports from Truxillo, 1883, $804,550; 26,000 head of cattle; mahogany valued at $88,000; hides and deer skins, $40,000. Total exports, 1883, $2,193,149; imports, $1,749,146.
Railway, 29 miles. Telegraph, 1,800 miles; offices, 23; messages, 107,730. Universities, 2; several colleges; 573 schools, with attendance of 20,518.
BRITISH HONDURAS.Hon-doo´ras.
A British Colony in Central America. Area, 7,562 square miles. Population, 27,452. Coast low and swampy; land gradually rises; on the inland boundary are hills of from 800 to 1,000 feet high; mountains 4,000 feet high. Sixteen rivers descend from elevated lands. Climate hot and damp; temperature, 1878-79, 75°; rainfall 105.49 inches, unusually heavy.
Government in the hands of Lieutenant Governor, an executive and a Legislative Council. Capital, Belize; pop., 5,767. Soil fertile. Sugar cane is grown; fruits flourish; the staple products, however, are the natural woods of the colony. Annual export of mahogany, 3,000,000 feet; logwood, 15,000 tons; estimated value of fruit exports, $100,000. Total imports, 1883, $1,344,865; exports, $1,514,345. Large trade with neighboring republics.
JAMAICA.Ja-mā´ka.
An island of the West Indies; formally ceded to Great Britain, in 1670, by the treaty of Madrid; most valuable possession of the British Crown in the West Indies. Area, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, annexed in 1873, 4,362 square miles. Population, 585,536. Surface mountainous. There is a great variety of climate. Temperature in lowlands, 95° at night, 85° in the day; in highlands, 40° to 50°. Produces most of the tropical staples; the rosewood, mahogany and ebony of the island are well known.
Latest reports give 121,457 acres under crops; 120,264 in guinea grass, and 318,549 in pasture. Principal exports: coffee, 9,572,714 lbs.; ginger, 908,603 lbs.; pimento, 6,195,109 lbs.; 29,000 hhds. of sugar; 18,115 puncheons of rum, and 35,157 tons of logwood. Value of fruit exported in same year, $197,255. Total value of imports, 1889, $6,609,810; exports, $7,745,290.
Governor is assisted by a Privy Council and Legislative Council. Kingston, the chief city and port, is the capital; pop., 38,566.
Miles of railway, 25; 60 miles in process of construction. Telegraph stations and post offices in every town and village.
SAN DOMINGO.San Do-meeng´go.
A republic occupying the eastern and larger portion of the island of Hayti. Area, 18,045 square miles. Country first settled by Spaniards under Columbus in 1492. Republic founded 1844. President elected for a term of 4 years; legislative power in the hands of a National Congress. Capital, San Domingo, founded 1494; population, 10000
The country is very fertile. Principal products, sugar, molasses, tobacco, cotton, coffee, cacao, fruits, mahogany and live stock. The production of sugar and molasses is largely on the increase. Latest reports give $5,000,000 capital invested in sugar factories; amount of product, 10,000 tons.
Value of imports, 1883, $3,142,100; exports, $2,129,265. At the two most important ports, San Domingo and Puerto Plata, there entered, in 1883, 297 vessels, of 192,042 tons.
HAYTI.Hā´tee.
A republic, occupying the west part of the Island of Hayti. Area, 10,204 square miles. Population, 572,000. Capital, Port au Prince; pop., 35,000. Nine-tenths of total population are negroes. Essentially mountainous. In plains, temperature rises to 96° and 100°; on high lands, ranges between 60° and 76°. Constitution was adopted 1867. President is elected for 4 years; National Assembly consists of Senate and House of Commons. Mountains cultivable almost to their summits; covered with valuable timber. Agriculture is backward, though the soil is probably the most fertile in the West Indies. Business of the country transacted by foreigners.
Finances badly deranged; foreign debt, $6,409,970; no interest paid on debt for years. Revenue, $4,500,000; expenditures, $7,000,000. Three-fourths of revenue derived from duties on imports and exports. Imports, 1881, $7,283,620; exports, $6,240,460. In same year, 792 vessels entered, and 768 vessels cleared, the ports of Hayti.
By a law of 1878, army consists of 6,828 men; the Guard of the Government, 650 men.
Language of the country, French; religion, Roman Catholic.
CUBA.Kū´ba.
A Spanish colony in the West Indies. Area, 43,220 square miles. Population, 1,521,684; 50 per cent. of the inhabitants are blacks and enfranchised slaves. The greatest length of the island is 760 miles; width varies from 20 to 135 miles; coast line about 2,000 miles. Surface is broken by a mountain chain running through its centre from east to west; average altitude of summit is between 5,000 and 6,000 feet. Pico de Turquino, 7,670 feet, is the highest peak. There are over 260 rivers, all valueless for navigation purposes, except the Canto. Mineral springs abound.
But little attention has been paid to the development of the mineral wealth. Gold was obtained by the early colonists, but for two centuries comparatively none has been found. There are extensive copper mines, and coal is abundant. Copperas and alum have also been obtained.
Rainfall at Havana: in the wet season, 27.8 inches; dry season, 12.7 inches. Average temperature: at Havana, 77°; at Santiago de Cuba, 80°. Yellow fever and earthquakes are frequent.
Thirteen million acres of Cuban territory are uncleared forests; 7,000,000 wild and uncultivated. Principal woods grown and exported are mahogany, rosewood, Cuban ebony, and cedar.
Tobacco and sugar raising principal occupation of the people. Many sugar plantations comprise 10,000 acres each.
Two crops of Indian corn grown per year; rice, cotton, cacao and indigo also produced; most tropical fruits are abundant. Sugar product averages 520,000 tons per year; molasses, 79,365 hogsheads. Total value of agricultural products over $90,000,000. United States receives 80 per cent. of Cuban sugar. No manufactures deserving mention.
Latest reports give exports of cigars 225,000,000 per annum; leaf tobacco, 13,500,000 pounds. There are about 900 miles of railway. Marine cable connects Cuba with Florida.
Roman Catholicism is the only religion tolerated. Education compulsory; school attendance, 34,813.
Havana is the capital; Pop., 25,000. Government administered by a Captain General, appointed by the Spanish Crown. The island is now represented in the Spanish Cortes, Madrid.
PORTO RICO.Pōr´to Ree´ko.
The smallest of the Greater Antilles. Area, including dependencies, 3,550 square miles. Population, 754,313. Rectangular in shape; length, 100 miles; breadth, 40 miles. A range of mountains extends across the island from east to west; highest peak, 3,678 feet.
The island is very fertile; its principal products are sugar cane, coffee, tobacco, cotton, rice and Indian corn. In proportion to its area, it produces more sugar than any other West India island.
Government is administered under a constitution granted by the Spanish Cortes, 1869. Slavery was abolished in 1873. Capital, San Juan; pop. about 27,000. Climate warm; more healthful than that of the other Antilles. Destructive hurricanes are frequent. The natural productions are very numerous; medicinal plants and many valuable woods, as mahogany, ebony, logwood, and cedar, abound in the forests. Business in the hands of foreigners. Imports, 1871, $17,500,000; exports $15,500,000. Export of sugar, 111,084 tons; molasses, 7,590,915 gallons.
Telegraphic cable connects Porto Rico with other West Indies; telegraph lines connect the principal towns; there are no railroads.
Map of Cuba
SOUTH AMERICA.
A vast, compact, triangular peninsula, forming southern portion of Western Continent. Area, 6,827,230 square miles; extreme length, 4,550 miles; extreme breadth, about 3,300 miles. Number political divisions, 11.