RHODE ISLAND. 



RHODE ISLAND. 



294 



able quantities, but the soil is for the most part better fitted for 

 pasturage than for the plough. The cereals chiefly cultivated are 

 maize and oats ; a good deal of rye and barley is also grown ; wheat 

 and buckwheat are little cultivated. Potatoes and other vegetables 

 are grown very largely, and of excellent quality. A considerable 

 quantity of fruit is also grown. In the low districts extensive pine 

 lands occur, and there are large quantities of oak, chestnut, and 

 walnut trees, but there are no extensive forests. 



Cattle and sheep are raised in great numbers on the islands and on 

 the coasts of Narragansett Bay. Horse* are numerous, and there are 

 a great many swine. Butter and cheese are largely made ; and a good 

 deal of wool is sent to market The rivers, Narragansett Bay, and 

 the coasts supply plenty of fish. 



The manufacture* of the state are extensive. Providence is the 

 centre of both the manufacturing and commercial industry. The 

 cotton is the principal manufacture. In 1860 there were in the state 

 168 cotton factories employing 4959 males and 5916 female*. The 

 woollen manufacture employed 1758 persons; the iron about 1100 

 persons. There are also numerous tanneries, breweries, distilleries, 

 paper-mills and flour-mills, manufactories of machinery, hardware, 

 cutleiy, saddlery, hat*, glass, jewellery, ftc. 



The direct foreign commerce of Rhode Island is now very small, 

 little more, in fact, than one-tenth of what it was fifty years back : 

 > the exports of the state amounted to 2,572,049 dollars, while 

 in 1853 they were only 310,486 dollars. The imports in 1853 amounted 

 to 366,116 dollars, of which goods to the value of 261,719 dollars 

 were carried in American vessels. The foreign trade of Rhode Island 

 is now chiefly carried on through the port* of Massachusetts and New 

 York. Providence has the greatest number of veestil* entering and 

 clearing at Rhode Island port*, aad Bristol and Newport together about 

 equal Providence. The total amount of shipping owned in the state 

 in 1850 was 40,489 ton*, a large proportion of which was engaged in 

 the cod, mackerel, and whale fisheries, and in the coasting trade. In 

 1863 there were 11 vessels, of the aggregate burden of S170 tons, 

 built in the state, of which 6 were ships and 5 schooner*. 



Dititioia, Tow, <*. Rhode Island is divided into five counties, 

 the respective capitals of which, Providence, Newport, Bristol, East 

 Greenwich, and South Kingston, are also the political capitals of the 

 state; the meeting* of the general assembly being held at each 

 periodically. Of these, with some of the other more important towns, 

 we give a brief notice : the population is that of 1860 : 



Prvndaux, a city, the principal capital, and considerably the largest 

 town in the state, is situated at the head of the navigation of Provi- 

 dence River, 86 mile* from the sea, and 394 mile* N.E. from Wash- 

 ington ; in 41* 49' N. tat, 71* 24' W. long. : population 41,513. The 

 town is built on both aide* of the river, and the two parts are 

 connected by bridge*. The harbour is safe and convenient, bat some- 

 what difficult of approach. Vessel* of 900 ton* burden can lie 

 alongside the whirfs. Most of the house* are of wood, but many are 

 of granite and brick, aad in the more modern part* of the city many 

 of the houses are both costly and handsome. The chief public 

 building* are the state house, of brick ; the state prison ; the arcade, 

 which is a magnificent doric building 22 feet long, 80 feet deep, and 

 72 feet high, the body of stone, and the two fronta and the columns 

 of granite ; the two halls of Brown university, of brick ; the athenasum ; 

 the museum ; WhatCbeer building ; the Dexter asylum, for the poor 

 of Providence; Butler hoepital for the insane ; the Friends' boarding- 

 school ; the first Congregational, 8t John's, St. Peter'*, Grace, and 

 some other of the churches are handsome buildings. Brown University, 

 originally founded at Warren in 1764, but removed to Providence in 

 1770, is chiefly under the direction of the Baptists. It hai 11 in- 

 structors, S6S student", and a library of 32,000 volumes. There are 

 several public school*, and three or four libraries belonging to literary 

 BMtkuUon*. Providence is a place of great manufacturing industry. 

 There are large cotton- and woollen-factoriee, worked both by steam 

 and by water-power; extensive Mnefhine; establishments, dye-houses, 

 iron-foundries, maehine-ehops, bi aes foundries, establishments for 

 working in tin, sheet-iron, copper, brass, Ac. ; marble-works, grist- and 

 saw-mills, glees-houses, carriage manufactories, numerous jewellers' 

 and goldsmiths' shop* ; beside* boot, hat, soap, and several smaller 

 manufactories. But the commercial is greater than the manufacturing 

 Importance of the place. The foreign trade, like that of the state 

 generally, has declined, but the coasting trade is extensive ; and the 

 whale, cod, and mackerel fisheries afford considerable employment 

 The transit and retail trade* are also very extensive. The city pos- 

 sesses great railway facilities, and constant communication by steam- 

 Teesiili is maintained with Boston and New York. There are 26 banks 

 in the city. Providence was founded by Roger Williams in 1637. 



Nmfftrt, the town next in importance to Providence, is situated at 

 th south end of the island of Rhode Island, in 41 29' N. lat, 71 18' 

 W. long., 80 miles 8. from Providence : population 9583. The situa- 

 tion is very beautiful ; the town is tmilt in the form of an irregular 

 " i around the harbour, which is one of the finest in the United 

 It contain* a state-house, custom-house, market-house, 12 

 , several schools, an atheuseum, and other public buildings. 

 There are Urge cotton and woollen factories. The commerce of the 

 place i* lea* than formerly. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in 

 the masting trade and the whale and cod fisheries. The harbour 



which can accommodate vessels of the largest size, is defended by two 

 strong forts. The beauty of the situation and the salubrity of the 

 climate have rendered Newport a fashionable bathing-place, and 

 extensive hotels, Ac., afford ample accommodation for visitors. 



Erutol, on the east side of Narragausett Bay, 20 miles S. byE. from 

 Providence, population 4616, contains a state-house, churches, schools, 

 &c. ; has a good harbour, and is much engaged in the coasting trade 

 and fisherie*. 



Eatt Greenwich, on the western branch of Narragansett Bay, 15 

 miles S. by W. from Providence, population 2358, has some cotton 

 and woollen-factories, and many of the inhabitants are engaged in the 

 coasting trade and fisheries. 



South Kingston, on the west aide of Narragansett Bay, 33 miles 

 S. by W. from Providence, population 3807, who are chiefly engaged 

 in the woollen manufacture, in the coasting trade or in the fisheries. 



BurriilviiU, on a branch of the Blackstone river, 20 miles W.N.W. 

 from Providence, population 3538, has extensive water-power, which 

 is applied to the working of several large factories. Coventry, on a 

 branch of the Pawtuxet, 14 miles S.W. from Providence, population 

 3620, is another busy manufacturing town. Pavtucket, on both sides 

 of the Pawtucket River, 4 miles N. from Providence, population about 

 7000, is next to Providence the chief seat of the cotton manufacture 

 of the state. The village contains 12 cotton-factories and 3 banks: 

 also 7 churches. Scituatr, on the Pawtuxet Itiver, 12 miles \V.S.\V. 

 from Providence, population 4582, has several cotton-mills; in the 

 neighbourhood are extensive freestone quarries. Tiverton, on the east 

 side of Narragansett Bay, 20 miles S.E. from Providence, population 

 4699, has numerous factories chiefly of cotton goods, and a considerable 

 coasting trade. 



Qurtnment, ffUtory, <l-c. The constitution of 1663, under which 

 Rhode Island was governed for nearly two centuries, was in 1844 

 superseded by a new one. By this the right of voting is vested in 

 every male citizen of the United States (not being a Narragansett 

 Indian) who has resided for 12 months in the state, and for 6 mouths 

 in the town or city for which he claims to vote, he owning real estate 

 in such town or city worth 134 dollars above all iucumbrances, or a 

 clear yearly value of 7 dollars; and every such elector is capable of 

 holding any office for which he is qualified to vote. The legislative 

 body, styled the General Assembly, consists of a Senate of one member 

 for each of the 31 towns [townships] or cities ; and a House of Repre- 

 sentative* of 72 members. The senators and representatives, as well 

 as the governor of the state, are elected annually. The state has no 

 (admitted) public debt. The total revenue of the state for the year 

 ending April 30, 1854, exclusive of the balance from the previous 

 year, was 136,160 dollar*; the total expenditure for the same period 

 was 116,348 dollars. The state militia is composed of 15,969 men, of 

 whom 111 were commis*ioned officer*. For educational purposes the 

 state baa a permanent school fund, the interest of which, with that of 

 the deposit fund, and the proceeds of the militia commutation tax in 

 each town, are applied to the support of public schools. The number 

 of school district* is 879 ; the number of scholars in 1853 waa 25,905, 

 of whom 14,089 were male* and 11,819 females. The only college in 

 the state is that at Providence, already noticed. A state normal school 

 was established by the legislature in 1854. 



The first white settler on Rhode Island was the celebrated Roger 

 Williams, who, in consequence of the severity of the laws against the 

 non-conformists, fled from England to North America, where he 

 arrived on the 5th of February 1631. Williams soon began to preach 

 at Boston, and afterwards at Salem (where he became pastor of a 

 church), in favour of unlimited religious toleration, extended not 

 merely to every sect of Christians, but to Jews, Mohammedans, 

 heathens, and infidels. This extent of toleration was not approved of 

 by the New England churches, and Williams, after some years of con- 

 troversy and persecution, during which he was more than once obliged 

 to withdraw for awhile from Salem, was eventually banished from the 

 colony. Having refused to submit to the orders of the general court, 

 and there being evident danger of the infection of bis opinions spread- 

 ing very widely, it was resolved to send him to England in a ship then 

 ready to sail. A pinnace was sent to bring him to Boston to embark, 

 but he had fled. It was the depth of winter (January, 1636). " For 

 fourteen weeks he was sorely tossed in a bitter season, not knowing 

 what bread or bed did mean." He wandered towards Narragannett 

 Bay, and was welcomed by the Indians, whose language he had learned. 

 In June 1636, with five companions, he founded his little settlement at 

 the mouth of the Seekonk Kiver. He named the place Providence, 

 as an acknowledgment " of Ood's merciful providence to me in my 

 distress. I desired," he said, " it might be for a shelter for persona 

 distressed for conscience." On the 24th of March, 1688, the chiefs of 

 the Narraganaetts, to whom the territory belonged, made over to him 

 a large domain. This was the foundation of the state of Rhode 

 Island, which was then called Providence Plantations. 



A sect of violent Antinomian Calvinists had sprung up in Massa- 

 chusetts, who became offensive, to the government, and its leaders 

 were sentenced to banishment : they were welcouied by Kogor 

 Williams, and through bis influence and that of Sir Henry Vane, who 

 was then residing in Massachusetts, they obtained from the Nai-ra- 

 gansetta the island of Rhode Island ; and tho colony of Rhode inland 



i* thus founded. 



