Baltimore, Maryland

From Encyclopediak

Baltimore, Md., the chief city of the state and the eighth city of the United States, is situated at the head of tidewater on the middle and northwest branches of the Patapsco River, 14 m. above Chesapeake Bay, 94 m. s. of Philadelphia, 42 m. n. e. of Washington and on the Baltimore & Ohio, Pennsylvania and other railroads. The land between the two branches of the river forms a peninsula, with south and southeast extensions. The North Branch extends inland to near the center of the city, forming' a commodious harbor, known as the Basin. The peninsula is occupied by warehouses, grain elevators, freight depots and factories. The population of this section is largely of foreign extraction. Jones Falls, a small stream, divides the city north of the Basin into east and west sections. This stream is now partially covered and the street called the Fallsway. The white stone bridge on North Avenue is one of the greatest triumphs of engineering skill in the country. The city has an area of 82 sq. m. That part of the city east of Jones Falls is divided into the southeast section, known as Fells Point, and the east section, frequently called Old Town. The modern residential section is on the west side of the falls, occupying' the north and northwest sections of the city. The business section adjoins the Basin and extends several blocks north and west. Baltimore Street, extending east and west, is the principal business street. The wholesale section extends north from Pratt Street and is bounded by Paca, Baltimore and Gay streets. Beyond tin's is the principal retail district. Charles Street is the principal north and south thoroughfare. Cliarles and Baltimore streets divide the city into four sections, and the numbering' of the streets begins at the point of their intersection, extending north, south, east and west. With few exceptions the numbers run 100 to the block, so that one can quickly and easily locate any point in the city.

PARKS AND SQUARES. Baltimore is celebrated for its many trees, parklike "Places," boulevards and shady squares. Druid Hill Park, containing nearly 700 acres, is the most noted. The park is laid out with walks and driveways, contains public athletic grounds and tennis courts, an artificial lake, a native forest, a botanical palace and an excellent zoological collection. Clifton Park, in the northeast section, has an area of 253 acres and an artificial lake. Other parks of note are Patterson, in the southeast section; Riverside, on the peninsula; and Carrol, in the southwest section.

Baltimore is known as the "Monumental City," and the name was derived from the Washington Monument in Mt. Vernon Place. The white marble shaft, 164 ft. high, is surmounted by a heroic statue of Washington. A stairway leads to the top, from which an excellent view of the city can be obtained. This monument, begun in 1815 and completed in 1829, was the first monument of note erected to Washington. In Monument Square, near the post office, is the battle monument, erected to the memory of those who fell in defense of the city in 1814. There is a monument to Edgar Allan Poe in the Westminster Presbyterian Churchyard, where he lies buried, and in Greenmount cemetery are the graves of Johns Hopkins, Sidney Lanier and John McDonogh.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The business section has been practically rebuilt since 1904 and is characterized by modern structures of stone, steel and concrete, whose uniformity adds much to the beauty of this part of the city. The city hall, courthouse and post office each occupy a separate block along East Fayette Street in the center of the business district and almost in the exact center of the city. Other buildings of note are the Baltimore & Ohio and the Union railway stations, the new customhouse, the Stafford Hotel, the Baltimore & Ohio office building, Hotel Belvedere, Hotel Emerson, the new Y. M. C. A. Building and the Fifth Regiment Armory. Among the many churches the following deserve special mention: the Roman Catholic Cathedral, built of granite and in the form of a cross, the First Presbyterian Church, the Unitarian Church and the Mt. Vernon Methodist Church.

INSTITUTIONS. Chief among the educational institutions stands Johns Hopkins University, which, with Johns Hopkins Hospital, has achieved international reputation (See JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY). Other educational institutions of prominence are the University of Maryland, the Goucher (Women's) College, the City College, the Polytechnic Institute, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the Peabody Institute, the Maryland Academy of Sciences and the Walters Art Gallery. The libraries include the Enoch Pratt Free Library, which maintains branches in various parts of the city, the Bar Library, the Maryland Diocesan Library, the New Mercantile Library and a medical library. Among the charitable institutions are numerous hospitals, the Sheppard-Enoch Pratt Hospital, Maryland Hospital for the Insane, several children's and orphans' asylums and a Pasteur institute.

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE. Baltimore is one of the leading industrial and commercial centers of the country. It is the foremost center in the world for canning oysters and fruits (See OYSTER). The next industry of importance within the city limits is the manufacture of clothing. The city also leads in the manufacture of straw hats, cotton duck and fertilizer. Other important industries are the manufacture of leather, of tobacco and of pottery. The extensive steels mills and shipyards at Sparrow's Point and the car works at Curtis Piay cause the city to rank among the leading centers for the manufacture of iron and steel. The foreign commerce is extensive. The largest ocean steamers can enter the lower harbor, where they have docks at Locust Point and Canton. The German-Lloyd, Hamburg-American and other important trans-Atlantic lines have terminals here. Vessels of lighter draft enter the upper harbor, from whose docks an extensive coastwise trade is carried on. Its shipping facilities have made Baltimore an important railway center, and the Baltimore & Ohio, the Pennsylvania, the Western Maryland and other systems have here extensive warehouses and terminal facilities. The most modern appliances for transferring freight are employed and vessels and cars are quickly loaded and unloaded. The chief peculiarity of the local traffic is the city markets, in which produce of all sorts is found. The leading markets are those on Marsh Market Space and Lexington Market at Eutaw and Lexington streets.

HISTORY. The city was named for the lords Baltimore, who founded the Colony of Maryland. The town was founded in 1729 and incorporated in 1796. It was an important center during the Revolutionary War, and Congress sat here for a short time when the British held Philadelphia. During the War of 1812 the city was bombarded, but was successful in resisting the attack. It was during this bombardment that The Star Spangled Banner was written (See HYMNS, NATIONAL, subhead The Star Spangled Banner). In the year following, Baltimore was the center of many activities. In 1792 the first monument to Columbus in America was erected here. The first balloon ascension was made from here in 1784. The first telegraph message was received here in 1844 (See TELEGRAPH), and in 1819 the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was organized here. During most of the time that the Civil War was in progress the city was under military rule. Since that period its record has been one of growth and prosperity, with the exception of the great fire in 1904, which laid waste 150 acres in the business district. This fire, however, was not wholly a calamity. Measures were at once taken for rebuilding the burnt district on the most modern plans, and the new district is not excelled for compactness and beauty by any city in the country. The growth of the city has been constant and conservative. Population in 1920, U. S. Census, 733,826.