ing industry. Potatoes, hops, broom-corn, and garden produce all decreased. Fruits were raised more extensively. It is evident from these facts that farming as an industry has been outstripped by manufacturing. Agriculture has made little advance in the last twenty years, and in many lines has declined. The causes are the low price of farm products, competition with the fertile west, easy means of reaching the markets, and better returns for capital and labor in other lines. Yet in the last ten years the state has spent nearly $3,400,000 for agricultural purposes. The future must solve grave agricultural problems.

Industrial Centralization. The modern industrial tendency is toward centralization. Labor and capital have each organized for its own advantage. Although capital and its products have increased so marvelously, the number of factories has decreased very noticeably. In 1880 there were 265 manufactories of agricultural implements, employing $10,000,000. Ten years later the capital had doubled, but the factories had been reduced to 116. Leather establishments changed from 571 to 200 during the same time. Boot and shoe industries decreased from 272 to 251, while the money invested doubled. Paper-mills dropped from 168 to 128, and the capital increased $5,000,000. The salt-works were reduced in number, while the capital tripled. Flour-mills fell from 1,768 to 1,235, but the capital increased a million.

Trusts. So dangerous has this centralization seemed to many that the legislature has been urged to pass laws restricting combines or trusts. A committee was named to investigate them (Feb., 1897). An anti-trust law was

passed in 1899 prohibiting the formation of trusts in the state. It was estimated that there were 72 trusts in New York alone. The question became a national political issue in 1900.

Labor. Along with trusts have come organizations of labor. The people of nearly every branch of trade and industry are united into societies for mutual help and protection. As a result there have been strikes, boycotts, and lockouts in shops, factories, coal-mines, on railroads, street-cars, bridges, and other lines of work. Thousands of dollars have been lost in wages, much property has been destroyed, the public has suffered, and the state has been put to an enormous expense. 1898 there were 1,009 labor unions in the state and 30,000 unemployed men. Grave problems in this line remain to be solved in this century.

In

Remarkable Age.-The dawn of the twentieth century closed the most wonderful industrial century the world has seen. The innumerable inventions seem to be almost superhuman achievements. They meet us at every turn and make life happier and easier in a thousand different ways. The part the Empire State has played in this progress is one which may well fill her citizens with conscious pride.

CHAPTER LVIII.-COMMERCIAL PROSPERITY

Transportation.-A large increase in farm and factory products demanded improved means of transportation. The 132 railroads in the state in 1880 covered nearly 6,000 miles, with 4,000 miles of side-track, cost $600,000,000, and handled 1,150,000 tons of freight yearly. In ten years there were 7,653 miles, and 8,230 miles in 1900. New York now ranks fourth in railroads, but still has more miles than most of the countries of Europe. In 1890 more than 527,000 persons were engaged in trade and transportation, and in 1900 74,000,000 passengers were carried on the steam-roads.

Street-cars. John Stephenson introduced the first horse street-car in 1831 in New York City, and in 1869 an elevated railroad four miles long, drawn by a cable, was used. In 1879 32 miles of elevated tracks were operated, and in 1885 such a road was introduced into Brooklyn, which had 25 miles a decade later. In 1883 the cable was first used on Brooklyn Bridge, and then adopted on surface roads in New York (1886). In 1880 there were 385 miles of street-car lines in the state, and in 1898 2,293 miles. Greater New York is now the first city in the nation in this respect. About 1,986,000,000 persons are carried in one year on these lines.

Electricity has driven out horses and even locomotives. Binghamton first used it as power on a five-mile road (1886) which is still operating. In 1890 there were only 61 miles of electric roads, but in 1897 there were 1,862 miles. The cars doubled in number, and the capital invested tripled. This is an "electric age."

The great silent power was applied first to the telegraph, and then was soon used in connection with other inventions. It was early employed by the New York police system (1856), and then adapted to house- and streetlighting. The first electric lamp was used in 1876,

ness firm to use electricity for illuminating purposes was in New York City (1881), and then it was employed in a mill at Newburg. The first hotel to adopt it was the Blue Mountain House in the Adirondacks. The New York Herald was the first newspaper to introduce it (1882), and the same year a part of the metropolis was lighted by it, and then Lockport adopted it. By

1890 the 7 electric-light plants (1880) had increased to 650, and 57 steamboats and 10 electric roads were using the power. For police patrol 5 cities were employing electricity, and 36 for fire-alarms. Electric welding and smelting began. Electricity is also found to be helpful for heating and domestic purposes, and serviceable for physicians, surgeons, and hospitals. Every city, village, and home is made happier by the great discovery. It was early seen that the great falls of Niagara might be used for vast industrial purposes. The Niagara Power Company put up a plant of 27,000 horse-power, and another corporation has one of 100,COO horse-power. The first practical test of the hydraulic tunnel, which cost $4,000,000, made by the second company, was a success (Jan. 25, 1894). The marvelous lighting effects at the Pan-American Exposition were derived from that source. It is hoped that in time the tremendous power now wasted may be utilized for factories, light, street-cars, and railroads.

The Canals have continued to be a source of profit to the state and a convenience to the public. The railroads have been strong competitors, but under free tolls (1882) the canal trade continues to be enormous. Wheat is carried from Chicago to New York for four cents a bushel, and corn for a little less. The price from Buffalo to New York is three and two cents. In 1900 more than 3,350,000 tons were carried on the canals. Various routes have been suggested for a great ship canal connecting the Great Lakes with the ocean, but the project remains for the future. The Harlem ship-canal was opened June 17, 1895, with a land and marine parade, banquet, and fireworks. It opens up