384    STRAFFORD.

Bay and the Piscataqua, divide'the county from Rockingham
county, on the east. These streams and their tributaries, now fur-
nish 7,523 improved horse power.

Boundaries &e. It contains thirteen towns, of which one was
incorporated in the reign of Charles I.; in the reign of George I.,
two; George II., three, and seven under the State government.
Bounded north by Carroll County, east by State of Maine and
Great Bay, south by Rockingham County, and west by Belknap
and Carroll Counties. It was incorporated, March 19, 1771, and
named in honor of William Wentworth, Earl of Strafford.

Agriculture. This county is small in territory, but much of the
land is valuable for farming purposes, raising good corn, oats, hay
and potatoes. The total number of acres of improved land is
94,650; annual value of productions, of all kinds, $ 1,146,464.

Manufactories. In proportion to its population and wealth, its
manufactured productions, and the amount paid for mechanical
labor, exceed that of any count}^r in the State. The value of cotton
ploth annually manufactured is $ 4,474,000; of calico goods, $ 3,447,

000. This cotton print business has increased rapidly since 1870.
At that date, only printing 19,000,000 yards, while the present year,
over 31,000,000 yards. There are sixty-one shoe firms, with a cap-
ital of $ 1,237,000, employing 2,101 males, and 356 females, with an
annual pay roll of $ 1,264,000 producing 3,837,000 pairs of men’s,
women’s, and youth’s boots and shoes, valued at $ 4,937,000; 4,628,
000 yards woolen goods, valued at $ 2,055,000; flour and meal,
$ 292,000; also lumber, leather, oil cloth, glue and sand paper,
carriages, machinery, bobbins &c. The total capital invested in
manufactories is $6,373,000; men employed, 4,491, women and
children, 3,201; annual pay roll, $ 3,403,000, and the product
$ 16,916,000 worth of manufactured goods. (See tables.)

Valuation and Taxes. The total assessed value of the county is
$ 14,899,029;—true value, $ 22,348,544. The total State, county,
town and school tax assessed, was $ 273,517.20, or eighteen mills
on the dollar—the true per cent. Ill mills.

Churches. There are fifty-six church edifices, seating capacity,
19,550 (or 641 per cent, of all the inhabitants in the county.)
Value of the edifices, $ 290,000.

Schools. There are 176 schools, of which 58 are graded ; num-
ber of boys attending school, 3,446; number of girls, 3,278; av-
erage attendance, 4,120 or 61 per cent.; average length, for the