Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/229

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COLUMBIA.
183
COLUMBIA RIVER.

of the Broad and Saluda rivers, 84 miles northeast of Augusta, Ga., and 137 miles northwest of Charleston; on the Southern, the Atlantic Coast Line, and the Seaboard Air Line railroads (Map: South Carolina, D 2). It is at the head of steam navigation on the river, and is on the Columbia Canal, which furnishes abundant water-power (13,000 horse-power). The city is handsomely laid out with streets well shaded and crossing at right angles, and has a fine park. Among the prominent buildings are the Capitol, court-house, city hall, the State insane asylum, and the State penitentiary. The city maintains a municipal hospital and a public library. The educational institutions include the South Carolina College, opened in 1805; Presbyterian Theological Seminary; Columbia Female College (Methodist Episcopal, South), opened in 1859; Presbyterian College for Women, opened in 1890; Allen University (African Methodist Episcopal), opened in 1881; and Benedict College (Baptist) for colored students. Columbia is the seat of a very considerable manufacturing industry, principally in cotton; and there are also sash and door factories, iron-works, foundries, and machine-shops, etc. The government of the city, under a charter of 1854, revised in 1894, is administered by a mayor, who holds office for two years, and a city council elected by wards. The executive appoints one trustee in public schools; and the city clerk, auditor, engineer, police commissioners, and clerk of market are all selected by the council. The water-works are owned and operated bv the municipality. Population, in 1890, 15,353; in 1900, 21,108.

In response to a demand for a more central place of government than Charleston, the Legislature in 1786 ordered Columbia, which had been settled about 1700, to be laid out, and in January, 1790, it met there for the first time. On February 17, 1865, General Sherman, at the head of the Union army, entered Columbia, and that night a fire broke out, raging for a day, which destroyed three-fifths of the city, including the old State House and its library of 23,000 volumes, a convent, several churches, the railroad depot, and much cotton. After the war, however, Columbia rapidly recovered its prosperity.

COLUMBIA. A city and county-seat of Maury County, Tenn., 45 miles south of Nashville, on Duck River, and on the Louisville and Nashville, the Nashville, Chattanooga and Saint Louis, and other railroads (Map: Tennessee, D 5). It is the centre of a fertile agricultural region, and an important grain and live-stock market. It controls large phosphate interests, and has cotton and flouring mills, pump-factory, etc. A United States arsenal is located here. Settled in 1811, Columbia was first incorporated in 1822. It is governed under a revised charter of 1893, which provides for a mayor, elected every two years, and a council elected on a general ticket. Population, in 1890, 5370; in 1900, 6052.

COLUMBIA, British. See British Columbia.

COLUMBIA, District of. See District of Columbia.

COLUMBIA CITY. The county-seat of Whitley County, Ind., about 100 miles north by east of Indianapolis; on the Wabash and the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroads (Map: Indiana, D 1). Population, in 1890, 3027; in 1900, 2975.

COLUM′BIAD. A heavy gun invented by Colonel Bomford and combining some of the features of the gun, howitzer, and mortar, answering in this respect to the modern breach-loading rifled mortar or howitzer. It appeared early in the nineteenth century and was in use until after the War of the Rebellion. See Artillery; also Balllstics; Guns, Naval; and Ordnance.

COLUMBIAD.

COLUMBIAD, The. A lengthy poem, by Joel Barlow (1807), enlarged from his previous Vision of Columbus (1787), and incorporating also some of his other poems.

COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. See World's Columbian Exposition.

COLUMBIA or OR′EGON RIVER. One of the largest rivers of North America, rising in the eastern chain of the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, in about latitude 50° N. and longitude 110° W. (Map: Washington, E 4). It flows at first northwest as far as latitude 53°, and then turns sharply on itself and flows south into Washington. Just before crossing the boundary, it is joined by the Pend Oreille River (Clarke's River or Fork), a large branch from the east. In Washington it flows in a winding course, at first south (to its junction with Spokane River), then west, then south, and then southeast to the Oregon line in about longitude 119° W. Near the Oregon boundary it is joined by its largest branch, Snake River, which rises in Yellowstone Park. Below the point of junction the river flows in a western direction, forming the boundary between Oregon and Washington over the remaining distance to the Pacific, being joined on its way by the John Day, Deschutes, and Willamette rivers from the south. Its head-waters drain the Rocky Mountain region on the west from about latitude 54° N. to about latitude 42° N. Its length is 1300 to 1400 miles. Its drainage area is fully 300,000 square miles, and its low-water flow at the Dalles, Oregon, is 108,000 cubic feet per second. The river is broken by falls and rapids into many separate portions; the first navigable reach is that from its mouth to the Dalles, 190 miles in length. From Celilo, 13 miles above the Dalles, it is navigable to Priest Rapids, 198 miles, and for several shorter stretches farther up, the total navigable length amounting to 756 miles. The total navigable mileage of the Columbia and its branches is 2132 miles. The important city of Vancouver, Wash., is built on its northern bank, just above the entrance of the Willamette, and Astoria, Oregon, is situated at the mouth of the river. The value of the river as a waterway is lessened by the fact that the entrance to its mouth is obstructed by a bar. Large vessels, however,