Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 07.djvu/383

PORTLAND 317 PORTO ALEGRE the English in 1775; and rebuilt in 1783. It received its city charter in 1832. Pop. (1910) 58,571; (1920) 69,272. PORTLAND, a city, port of entry, and county-seat of Multnomah co., Ore.; on the Willamette river, and on the North- ern Pacific, Southern Pacific, Great Northern, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, Canadian Pacific, and the Chi- cago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroads; 12 miles above the Columbia river, 120 miles from the ocean, and 772 miles N. of San Francisco, Cal. The city is built on sloping ground; is surrounded by beautiful scenery; and has a most en- joyable climate, being much w^armer in winter than many Southern cities. Business Interests. — The Willamette river is navigable for large vessels, and a considerable trade is carried on with Great Britain, Japan, China, Hawaii, and the South American republics. The value of exports in 1920, which include wheat, flour, wool, fish, timber, etc., was $48,812,821, and the imports $7,042,702. There are more than 800 manufacturing establishments, with an output valued at more than $50,000,000 per annum. The principal manufactures are pig iron, woolen goods, flour, furniture, cordage, carriages, clothing, boots and shoes, engine boilers, etc. There are about 20 National, State, and private banks, and many daily, weekly, and monthly peri- odicals. The assessed property valua- tions exceed $226,000,000 and the total bonded debt is over $12,000,000. Public Interests. — The city has an area of 66.3 square miles; 1,350 miles of streets; a system of waterworks, owned by the city that cost nearly $12,700,000, with 755 miles of mains. The streets are lighted by electricity at a cost of about $200,000 per annum. The police department costs annually about $382,- 000, and the fire department about $562,000. There is a public school en- rollment of over 40,000 pupils, and an annual expenditure for public education of over $2,000,000. The annual cost of maintaining the city government is over $2,800,000. Portland contains the Med- ical and Law Schools of the State Uni- versity, Portland University, Portland Academy, Library Association, Good Sa- maritan, St. Vincent, and Portland Hos- pitals, etc. Histcrry. — Portland was settled in 1845 and received its city charter in 1851. It annexed the cities of East Portland and Albina in 1891. The city has had a marvelous growth and in pro- portion to its population has been said to be the wealthiest city in the United States. Pop. (1910) 207,214; (1920) 258,288. Vol. VII— Cyc PORTLAND BEDS, in geology, a series of marine beds, 180 feet thick, of Upper Oolitic age, found chiefly in Portland {q.v.), but also in Oxford- shire, Buckinghamshire, and Yorkshire. They constitute the foundation on which the fresh-water limestone of the Lower Purbeck reposes. PORTLAND CEMENT, a cement hav- ing the color of Portland stone. PORTLAND, ISLE OF, a peninsula, supposed to have been formerly an is- land, in the county of Dorset, 50 miles W. S. W. of Southampton, in the British Channel. It is attached to the main- land by a long ridge of shingle, called the Chesil Bank, and it consists chiefly of the well-known Portland stone, which is chiefly worked by convicts, and is ex- ported in large quantities. One of the most prominent objects in the island is the convict prison, situated on the top of a hill. The S. extremity of the is- land is called the Bill of Portland, and between it and a bank called the Sham- bles is a dangerous current called the Race of Portland. PORT LOUIS, the capital and princi- pal port of the British colony of Mau- ritius; on an excellent harbor on the N. W. coast, and inclosed by a ring of loftv hills. It is defended by forts (1887-1891), is a coaling station of the British navy, and has barracks and mili- tary storehouses. The city contains the government house, a Protestant and a Roman Catholic cathedral, a royal col- lege, etc. Pop. about 50,000. PORT MAHON, the capital of the island of Minorca; beautifully situated on a deep, narrow inlet in the S. E. of the island. Its harbor is one of the fin- est in the Mediterranean, and is pro- tected by powerful forts and fortificaf tions. Building stone, shoes, cottons, cattle, and honey are exported. The town was held by the English from 1708 to 1756, and again from 1762 to 1782. It was they who made it a first-clasa fortress. PORTO ALEGRE, capital of the Bra- zilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Pop. (1918) 1,852,207. N. W. extremity of the Lagoa dos Patos, by means of which it communicates with the sea. It was founded in 1742. It contains a cathe- dral, an arsenal, military and normal schools, an episcopal seminary, and a German club. Most of the wholesale trade is in the hands of the Germans. There are manufactories of pianos, fur- niture, brandy, and beer. The chief ex- ports are beef, salt pork, lard, hides, and flour. Pop. about 150,000. 21