﻿689 



MAIKE. 



MAINE. 



670 



schists, greenstones, soapstone, &c., abound. Lower Silurian strata 

 occupy the whole centre of the state, except where broken through or 

 transformed by intrusive rocks. The Lower Silurian series is here 

 represented chiefly by strata of blue fossiliferous limestone and argil- 

 laceous schists. The Upper Silurian rocks occupy the north-west 

 districts, including the valley of the Walloostook, and they also appear 

 in detached portions quite across to Eastport, at the south-eastern 

 comer of the state : these rocks are chiefly a light-gray limestone. In 

 the moat northern part of Maine the characteristic rocks are of the 

 Devonian formation, consisting of strata of deep red-sandstone, which 

 correspond to the old red-sandstone of Great Britain, crowning beds of 

 schistose clay. Miocene and Pliocene strata, or the middle and upper 

 series of the Tertiary formation, occur at Portland, Augusta, and 

 elsewhere. Recent rocks are found in various places at the ajstuaries 

 of rivers and along the coast. Baised beaches are met with in several 

 localities. 



Gold is said to be found in the tributaries of the Penobscot and 

 Koose rivers. Iron-ore of excellent quality is found in considerable 

 quantities. Traces of bituminous coal, outlyers of the carboniferous 

 measures of New Brunswick probably, are said to have been discovered 

 in the south-eastern districts between the Kennebec and St. Croix. 

 Granite-limestone and marble of superior quality are largely quarried, 

 as well for export to other states as for use in Maine. Lime is burnt 

 to a great extent at Camden and Thomaston. There is a salt-spring 

 at Lubec. 



Soil, Climate, and Production). — Along the sea-coast, and from ten 

 to twenty miles inland, the soil is of moderate fertility, and frequently 

 intersected with sandy and sterile tracts ; but beyond this region the 

 soil improves, and produces plentiful crops of grain, flax, and hemp. 

 Between the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers is a very fertile tract of 

 country. The tract between the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy has 

 a strong moist soil, and is known as the White-Pine Land, from the 

 tree which most largely covers it. The mountain districts are chiefly 

 available for grazing. 



The winter is very severe. From the Ist of November to the 1st 

 of April the ground is covered with snow, and the rivers and lakes 

 with ice. The summer on the sea-shore is very hot. The thermometer 

 frequently rises to 90°, and sometimes to 100° ; and the weather is 

 subject to sudden and great changes. Vegetation commences late ; 

 the season of growth lasts from the middle of Api-il to the middle of 

 October, but growth is vigorous for little over three months, during 

 which it makes rapid progress. Drought is frequent. The mean 

 temperature is about 42°. In the year the thermometer ordinarily 

 ranges 116° ; between 96° above and 20° below zero. In the interior 

 of the hilly region the weather, though not so warm, is much more 

 regular. The climate is generally healthy. 



A very dense forest covered Maine in its natural state, and still 

 spreads over the greater part of it The forest-trees consist princi- 

 jmlly of white pine, spruce, maple, beech, birch, white and gray oak, 

 and constitute the principal wealth of the state, timber being its 

 staple. The cultivated fields do not occupy one-twentieth part of the 

 surface. Maize, which constitutes the principal food of the inhabit- 

 ants, thrives WfiU as far north as the valley of the Lower Penobscot 

 River. Most other cereals are cultivated in this state. The fruit- 

 trees of northern Europe thrive very well, especially pears and apples, 

 as well as most of otir vegetables. 



Cattle and hogs are numerous, and afford articles of exportation. 

 Deer were formerly abundant; wolves, bears, beavers, foxes, and 

 squirrels are still common. The sea abounds in fish, especially cod ; 

 and the rivers and lakes are full of fish, especially salmon ; large trout 

 are common In the lakes in the interior. 



Manufaclwa, Commerce, <tc. — Maine is not to any great extent a 

 manufacturing state; the chief branches of manufacture are cotton 

 and woollen goods and iron. Very nearly half of the male population 

 over 15 years of age (77,082 out of 162,711) are returned as employed 

 in agriciilture, while a veiy large number are occupied in the forests 

 cutting timber, in the numerous saw-mills on the rivers preparing the 

 timber for market, and in various employments more or less connected 

 with agriculture and the timber trade. 



The exports consist chiefly of the produce of the forests, as timber, 

 lumber, boards, and potash, and of dried fish, beef, pork, and grain. 

 For the year ending June 80th 1852 the vJue of the articles of 

 domestic produce exported was 1,668,274 dollars; of foreign produce 

 exported, 49,644 dollars ; total, 1,717,818 dollars. The imports 

 amounted in the same year to 1,094,977 dollars, of which 047,926 

 dollars were in American vessels and 147,051 dollars in foreign vessels. 

 The imports consist mostly of manufactured articles from Europe, 

 and salt, iron, and colonial produce from the West Indies, especially 

 Cuba. This state possesses a larger amount of shipping than any 

 other state in the Uiiion except Massachusetts and New York ; and a 

 krger number of ships are now built in Maine than in any other 

 Mate. In 1852 there were 854 vessels built in the state of the aggre- 

 gata burden of 110,047 tons : of these 188 were ships, 63 brigs, 148 

 ■ohoonera, and 5 sloops and canal-boata. 



JMvitioni, Toani, ttc— Maine is divided into 18 counties. Augusta 

 is the political capiul ; but Portland is the commercial metropolu and 

 most populous town in the state. These, with the other more import- 

 ant towns, we notice below : the population is that ol 1860, but it 



is proper to intimate that the term 'town' as used in Maine is equiva- 

 lent to the English 'township,' and the Census Report does not 

 discriminate the urban and rural population. 



Aufjusta, the capital, is built chiefly on the right bank of the 

 Kennebec River, at the head of steam navigation, 43 miles from the 

 sea, and 595 miles N.E. from Washington, in 44° 18' N. lat., 69° 50' 

 W. long. : population, 8225. The town is regularly laid out, and a 

 fine bridge 520 feet long connects the main part with that which lies on 

 the left bank of the river. The principal buildings are the state-house, 

 which stands a little south of the town, the county buildings, state 

 lunatic asylum. United States arsenal, several churches, schools, &c. 

 Steamers ply regularly to the principal North Atlantic ports, and the 

 Portland and Kennebec railway terminates here. Four newspapers 

 are published here weekly. 



Portland, the capital of Cumberland county, is the chief commercial 

 city in Maine, and the third in importance in the New England states. 

 It is finely situated on an elevated promontory on the south-west side 

 of Casco Bay, 55 miles S.S.W. from Augusta : population, 20,816. 

 The city is regularly laid out, and well built, especially in the more 

 recent parts. The chief public buildings are the Exchange, which 

 includes the post-ofiioe, custom-house, and United States court-rooms; 

 the city-hall ; the old custom-house ; 18 churches ; numerous high 

 and public schools ; an athenaeum ; natural history society's museum, 

 &c Portland is a place of considerable trade. The foreign commerce 

 of the city is principally with Europe and the West Indies. The 

 coasting-tnide is chiefly with Boston, with which port there is regular, 

 and during summer daily, steam-boat communication. The exports 

 are lumber, ice, fish, provisions, &c. Portland Harbour is capacious, 

 safe and well sheltered, has a good entrance, and is seldom obstructed 

 by ice. Four lines of railway terminate at Portland, and aflbrd very 

 complete facilities for communication with the neighbouring states and 

 Canada. There is a very extensive manufactory of locomotives and 

 railway-cars in the town. Two daily and seven weekly newspapers 

 are published here. 



Bangor, the capital of Penobscot county, occupies both banks of 

 the Kenduskeag River, at its confluence with the Penobscot, at the 

 head of steam navigation, 60 miles N.E. from Augusta : population, 

 14,432. The harbour is spacious and deep. The chief trade is in 

 timber. The town has good railway and steam-boat communication 

 with the other leading towns of the state. A bridge 1320 feet long, 

 across the Penobscot just above the city, connects Bangor with the 

 manufacturing village of Orrington. Bath, on the right bank of the 

 Kennebec, 12 miles from the sea, and 28 miles S. from Augusta, popu- 

 lation 8020, is a busy sea-port and commercial town. The shippmg 

 belonging to the town in 1850 amounted to 103,628 tons, of which 

 76,606 tons were engaged in the foreign trade. A branch of the 

 Kennebec and Portland railway is carried to the town. Belfait is 

 situated at the head of Belfast Bay, 30 miles from the sea, and 37 

 miles E. by N. from Augusta : population, 5051. The harbour is 

 capacious, deep enough for the largest vessels, and is rarely obstructed 

 by ice. "The town possesses a considerable trade in the export of 

 lumber and fish. Ship-building is carried on to some extent. There 

 is regular steam-boat communication with the neighbouring ports. 

 Bruntaicl; on the right bank and near the mouth of the Androscoggin, 

 29 miles S. by W. from Augusta : population, 4977. A large quantity 

 of lumber is brought here for export, and there are extensive saw-mills 

 both at Brunswick and at the village of Topaham, on the opposite side 

 of the river. The two places are connected by a bridge, on which 

 also passes the Portland and Kennebec railway. Bowdoin College and 

 Medical School is situated at Brunswick. Camden, on the west side of 

 Penobscot Bay, 36 miles E. by S. from Augusta, population 4005, pos- 

 sesses a good harbour, is somewhat largely engaged in the coasting- 

 trade, especially in the export of lime, fisheries, and ship-building. 

 Calais, on the right bank of the St.-Croix River, at the head of steam 

 navigation, 133 miles E.N.E. from Augusta: population, 4749. Calais 

 consists of an upper and a lower village ; to the lower vessels of con- 

 siderable burden ascend, and there is an extensive trade in the 

 preparation and sale of lumber. The upper and lower villages are 

 connected with each other and with other parts of the state by a 

 railway, and with the British territory by a bridge, which is carried 

 across the St-Croix below the lower falls of that river. Eastport, on 

 Moose Island, Passamaquoddy Bay, close to the British islands Campo 

 Bello and Indian, 145 miles E.N.E. from Augusta: the population of 

 the island, which is 4 miles long, and several smallc^r islands, is 4125. 

 Eastport has a large lumber trade ; and a considerable business in the 

 foreign and coasting trade, the cod and mackerel iisheries, and ship- 

 building. A United States garrison is maintained on the island, which 

 is the most eastward portion of the territory of the United States. 

 Gardiner, on the right bank of the Kennebec, at the confluence of the 

 Cobbessecontee, 12 miles S. by E. from Augusta : population, 6486. A 

 great amount of water power is aflbrded by the rivers, and immense 

 quantities of timber are sawn here. The Portland and Kennebec 

 railway passes through Gardiner. Mallowell, on the right bank 

 of the Kennebec, 2 miles S. from Augusta : population, 4769. 

 The town is regularly laid-out, and contains some neat buildings. 

 The town has an extensive coasting trade; the chief exports are 

 lumber and granite. Vessels drawing 9 feet of water can lie along- 

 side the wharfi. The Fortknd and Kennebec railway passes through 



