The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Worcester (counties)

WORCESTER. I. A central county of Massachusetts, bounded N. by New Hampshire and S. by Rhode Island and Connecticut, and drained by Blackstone, Chicopee, Nashua, Ware, and other rivers; area, 1,500 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 192,716; in 1875, 210,242. It is the largest county in the state. The surface is generally undulating, and the soil fertile and under a high state of cultivation. It is traversed by numerous railroads. The chief productions in 1870 were 9,946 bushels of wheat, 20,612 of rye, 284,886 of Indian corn, 173,349 of oats, 47,134 of barley, 639,305 of potatoes, 1,275,897 lbs. of butter, 605,561 of cheese, 16,001 of wool, and 130,185 tons of hay. There were on farms 7,583 horses, 28,514 milch cows, 24,127 other cattle, 4,904 sheep, and 7,900 swine. The whole number of manufactories was 1,863, having an aggregate capital of $33,835,118; value of products, $74,579,759. The most important were 8 of agricultural implements, 13 of boot and shoe findings, 136 of boots and shoes, 14 of bricks, 1 of carpets, 45 of carriages and wagons, 44 of clothing, 14 of combs, 57 of cotton goods, 5 of cutlery, 2 of edge tools and axes, 3 of firearms, 2 of flax and linen goods, 91 of furniture, 32 of hardware, 6 of hats and caps, 2 of hosiery, 21 of iron castings, 90 of machinery, 13 of musical instruments, 10 of paper, 11 of shoddy, 19 of soap and candles, 1 of cast steel, 13 of straw goods, 4 of wire, 7 of wire fabrics, 63 of woollens, 3 of worsted goods, 16 tanneries, 24 currying establishments, 49 flour mills, 11 planing mills, and 95 saw mills. Capitals, Worcester and Fitchburg. II. A S. E. county of Maryland, bordering on Delaware and the Atlantic ocean, and bounded W. by the Pokomoke river; area, about 550 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 16,419, of whom 5,869 were colored. It forms part of the peninsula between Chesapeake and Delaware bays. Along the coast are low sandy beaches, separated from the mainland by an inlet. The Wicomico and Pokomoke and Worcester railroads traverse it. The chief productions in 1870 were 20,674 bushels of wheat, 606,944 of Indian corn, 157,706 of oats, 60,845 of Irish and 44,836 of sweet potatoes, 39,460 lbs. of butter, and 19,924 of wool. There were 2,096 horses, 2,921 milch cows, 6,844 other cattle, 8,094 sheep, and 11,077 swine; 1 manufactory of charcoal, and 12 saw mills. Capital, Snow Hill.