Banking.—On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 485 National banks in operation, with an aggregate capital stock of $179,125,000; outstanding circulation, $71,646,134; and United States bonds and deposits, $76,302,400. There were also 210 State banks, with $39,603,000 in capital, $61,911,000 in surplus; and $1,270,298 in resources; 89 private banks, with $1,521,000 in capital, $2,868,000 in surplus, and $23,358,000 in resources; 141 mutual and stock savings banks, with $2,179,034,000 in savings de- posits, $181,127,000 in surplus, and $2,367,040,000 in resources; and 101 loan and trust companies, with $136,043,000 in capital, $206,490,000 in surplus, and $3,654,027,000 in resources. The exchanges at the various clearing houses in the year ending Sept. 30, 1919, were as follows: New York, $214,703,444,000; Buffalo, $1,429,378,000; Rochester, $454,421,000; and Albany, $252,248,000.
Education.—The total school population of the State in 1918 and 1919 was 2,386,836. There were registered in the public schools 1,672,311 pupils. The average attendance was 1,310,826. The total expenditures for public schools during that year amounted to $92,334,179, and the receipts to $133,833,419. The principal colleges include Columbia University, New York University, Manhattan College, College of the City of New York, and St. Francis Xavier College in New York City; Hobart College at Geneva; University of Buffalo at Buffalo; Cornell University at Ithaca; Union College at Schenectady; Syracuse University at Syracuse; University of Rochester at Rochester; Hamilton College at Clinton; and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy. The women's colleges include Vassar College at Poughkeepsie; Barnard College at New York City; Wells College at Aurora; Elmira College at Elmira; and Teachers' College at New York City.
Churches.—The strongest denominations in the State are the Roman Catholic, Methodist Episcopal, Regular Baptist, Prostestant Episcopal, Reformed Jewish, Congregational, Lutheran General Council, and Lutheran Synodical Conference.
Railways.—The total railway mileage of the State in 1919 was about 8,500. The roads having the longest mileage are the New York Central, the Erie, the Delaware and Hudson, and the Lehigh Valley.
Finances.—The assessed value of real and personal property in the State in 1919 was $12,758,021,934. The direct taxes levied in that year amounted to $13,523,503. The ordinary receipts amounted to $80,408,634, and the ordinary expenditures to $78,941,313. The excess receipts over the expenditures was $1,492,232.
Charities and Corrections.—Among the most important charitable and correctional institutions in the State are the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Bath, Boys' Reformatory at Elmira, House of Refuge at Randalls Island, Institution for Feeble-Minded at Syracuse, Craig Colony for Epileptics at Sonyea, Reformatory for Women at Bedford Hills. The total cost for the support of charitable and correctional institutions in the State is about $3,000,000 annually.
State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of two years, and receives a salary of $10,000 per annum. Legislative sessions are held annually, commencing on the first Wednesday in January, and the length of the session is unlimited. The Legislature has 51 members in the Senate and 150 in the House. There are 43 Representatives in Congress. In 1920 the governor was a Democrat, and the Legislature Republican.
History.—The first explorations of New York were made by Champlain and Henry Hudson in 1609, Champlain coming down from Canada, as far as the lake which bears his name, and Hudson, discovering New York Bay, and sailing up the Hudson river. The region surrounding the Hudson was claimed by the Dutch who called the place New Netherlands, sending out numerous colonists, who explored the country along the Hudson and Long Island Sound, and founded trading posts at Fort Orange (now Albany), and at New Amsterdam, on Manhattan Island, the latter the present city of New York. The Dutch settlements were invaded by the English from Connecticut, and by the Swedes in Delaware. The English claimed New Netherlands as part of Virginia, priorly discovered by Cabot, and Charles II., in 1664, granted a charter of all the lands lying between the Hudson and the Delaware to his brother, the Duke of York. In August of the the same year the whole country passed into the possession of the English, who gave the name of New York, to New Amsterdam, and that of Albany to Fort Orange. When the Duke of York ascended the English throne as James II., the government became an appendage to the crown, and was administered by viceroys bearing the title of governor. In 1684 Governor Dongan concluded an offensive and defensive treaty with the Indians; and from that time forward the English became their allies and fast friends. The peace of Ryswick in 1697, terminating the war
