12 libraries, not including the State Library, which contains over 525,000 books. There are 75 churches, some of them of great architectural merit. Among the most notable public buildings are the State Capitol, City Hall, Union Station, State College for Teachers, county court house, the State Hall, State Education Building, and the State Library and State Museum. In addition to these there are many handsome business buildings.
The industries of the city are varied. It has the oldest and largest baling press factory in the world, as well as the largest factory devoted to the manufacture of car-heating apparatus. It has also the largest toy factory in the United States. Other industries are the manufacture of billiard balls, patent stove specialties, writing paper, underwear, locomotives, gas ranges, beds, dies, cart wheels, chemicals, lumber, printing products, shirts, etc.
The assessed valuation of real estate of the city is about $100,000,000, with a personal valuation of about $10,000,000. There are four banks of discount, two trust companies, and seven savings banks, in the latter a deposit of nearly $100,000,000.
The first permanent site of Albany was made in 1614 by a company of Dutch traders who established a station at Castle Island under the name of Fort Nassau. The station was removed later to the mainland. In 1623 eighteen Walloon families sent by the Dutch West India Company settled on the present site of the city. In the same year Fort Orange was erected near the site of the present Steamboat Square. The settlement suffered severely from Indian attacks but continued to grow steadily. It received its name in 1664 from the Duke of York and Albany, afterward James II. It obtained a city charter in 1686 and became the capital of the State in 1797. Albany was selected for the convention of the First Provisional Congress which formed “a plan for a proposed union of several colonies.” Pop. (1890) 94,923; (1900) 94,154; (1910) 100,253; (1920) 113,344.
ALBANY CONGRESS, an assembly of representatives of the most important British North American colonies, which was called together in 1754 by the British Government to consult in regard to the threatening French war. Two plans were proposed: First, a league with the Indians, which was carried out, and, second, a proposal offered by Franklin for a political union. In this a common president was proposed and a great council, representing the different colonies. This plan was rejected by the British crown because it gave too much power to the colonies, and by the colonies because it gave too much power to the crown. The significance of this congress lies in the fact that it stimulated the union of the colonies which was afterward accomplished.
ALBANY REGENCY, THE, a name given in American political history to a powerful combination of eminent Democratic leaders of New York State. It was instituted in 1822 by Martin Van Buren, who remained its dominating spirit for many years. It continued to exercise large power until 1854, with such men as William L. Marcy, Silas Wright, John A. Dix, and Horatio Seymour identified with it. Afterward Samuel J. Tilden, Dean Richmond, and Daniel Manning preserved in a manner its traditions.
ALBATROSS, a large sea bird, belonging to the procellaridæ, or petrol family. It is the diomedea exulans of Linnæus. When young it is of a sooty or brown color, but when mature it is white with black wings. It nests on elevated land, and lays numerous eggs, which are edible. S. of the Cape of Good Hope sailors call it the Cape sheep; sometimes, also, it is named the man-of-war bird. Everything about the great wandering albatross is vast—the wings are enormous, its flight is reckoned by the thousand miles. There is a northern species near Bering Straits.
ALBATROSS
ALBAY, a province in the S. E. part of Luzon, Philippine Islands, and the richest hemp-growing district on the island. In January, 1900, Brig. Gen. William A. Kobbe, United States Volunteers, was appointed military governor of the province and Catanduanes Island,
