10 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



LiBRAEIES. 



We have four public libraries, — the City Library, contain- 

 ing 26,000 volumes ; the Mechanics' Library, with 14,900 

 volumes ; the Young Men's Christian Association, with 1,000 ; 

 and the Young Men's Catholic Library Association, with 700 

 volumes. 



Manufacturing . 



The total capital eraplo3^ed in our manufacturing estab- 

 lishments is $17,600,000. We have 156 mills, beside ap- 

 pendant buildings. They have 877,000 spindles, 22,527 

 looms ; and they employ 23,272 persons — of which 13,345 

 are females, and 9,927 males. 



These companies manufacture annually 231,936,000 yards 

 of cotton cloth, and about 8,335,000 yards of woollen goods, 

 3,532,000 yards of carpeting, 350,000 shawls, 13,695,520 

 pairs of stockings ; and they use 70,695,984 lbs. of cotton 

 per annum, 12,270,000 lbs. of clean wool; and there are 

 97,240,000 yards of cotton cloth dyed and printed. 



There are, also, in addition to the above, various miscel- 

 laneous manufactures, some of which employ a large capital 

 and many workmen. 



In 1880 the capital employed in the United States in man- 

 ufacturing, exclusive of hosiery and mixed fabrics, which is 

 a low estimate at the present time, was $280,000,000. 



There were 10,921,148 spindles, and 230,223 looms. 



They use 1,586,481 bales of cotton, and produce 2,268,- 

 000,000 yards of cloth, employing 181,688 persons; and 

 pay for wages $43,000,000. 



In 1880 the New England States had 80 per cent, of the 

 looms and spindles of the country, and 71 per cent, of the 

 employees. 



Massachusetts had 4,465,290 spindles, or more than twice 

 as many as all the country outside of New England (which 

 was 2,114,731). 



The manufacturing interests are larger in Lowell than any 

 other town or city in the United States, excepting, possibly. 

 Fall River. 



The great Northern Canal in Lowell was completed in 



