VERMONT (ante) was first settled by people from Massachusetts, who built fort Bummer near the site of Brattleborough in 1724. Many other settlers soon followed from Connecticut, and some of the southern towns that sprang up were chartered by Massachusetts. New York and New Hampshire, however, soon laid claim to the whole region, and there ensued much hostility between these colonies during several years. In 1776, when the Vermont settlers petitioned the provincial congress, then in session in Philadelphia, for admission into the confederacy, the people of New York opposed and caused them to be rejected. The following year the settlers declared their independ ence, framed a state constitution, and applied again to be admitted. Congress hesitated, though, as before, and the British generals engaged in subduing the revolution, seized the opportunity to endeavor to induce the people of the new state to declare allegiance to Great Britain. But they bravely refused to do so, and continued to wait until 1791, when their claims and rights were recognized. The original constitution was modeled on that of Pennsylvania, and is still known as " the constitution of Vermont adopted by the convention of 1793." The state, after its admission to the union, prospered for many years better than most of the other states, but during the past 30 years the popu lation has remained nearly stationary. In 1870 the density of population was 32.37 per sons to a sq. mile. There were 70,462 families, with an average of 4.69 persons to each, and 66,145 dwellings, with an average of 5 persons to each. Those engaged in agricul tural pursuits numbered about 57,900, of whom 23,692 were laborers and 34,144 farmers; in professional and personal services, 21,000, including 591 clergymen, 9,588 domestic servants, 6,426 laborers, 72 lawyers, 569 physicians and surgeons, and 1895 teachers; in trade and transportation, 7,132; and in manufactures and mechanical and mining indus tries, 22,616. By the census of 1880 the total population amounted to 332,286, showing an increase of only about 1700 in 10 years. The total number of farms in 1870 was 33,827; and in 1873 the chief products were 1,748,000 bushels of Indian corn, 399,000 of wheat, 60,000 of rye. 3,579,000 of oats, 97,000 of barley, 365,000 of buckwheat, 5,088,000 of Irish potatoes, 350,000 lbs. of-tobacco, and 893,200 tons of hay. The live stock num
berUI 71.000 horses, 128,000 oxen and other cattle„195,700 mulch cows, 543,600 sheep, and 53,500 swine. In manufactures Vermont is far behind the other New England states, and by the census of 1870 ranked as the twenty-fifth in this respect in the union. The number of manufactories at that date was 3,270. These employed about 18,600 hands, had a capital of $20,329,637, paid in wages $6,264,581, used raw material valued at $17,007,769, and produced annually goods worth $32.184,606. The largest manufac turing interest was lumber, of which, planed and sawed and manufactured as sash, doors, and blinds, the annual product in 403 mills was $6,186,660; of woolen goods in 43 estab lishments the value was $3,550,962; of flouring-mill products in 81 mills the value was $2,571,594. Other manufactories were 150 tanneries; 2 scales factories; 37 machine shops; 162 carriage and wagon factories; 28 cheese factories; and 47 manufactories of furniture. Considerable foreign commerce is carried on with Canada through Burling ton, which is the port of entry of the United States customs-district for the state. For the year ending in June, 1875, the value of exports amounted to $2,496,830, and of imports, $2,631,748. This commerce is, for •the most part, carried on by the way of lake Champlain and the Richelieu and St. John's rivers. The railroads in the state New 'chiefly trunk-roads, forming parts of the route between Quebec, Montreal, and New York, or connecting with the Grand Trunk, the Boston, Portland, or White Mountain routes. The principal roads are the Connecticut and Passumpsic rivers, 123 m. in the state; the Rutland railroad, 120 in. ; the Vermont Central, 193 m. ; the Rensselaer and Saratoga, 33 in.; the Montpelier mid Wells River, 38 m.; and portions of the Troy and Boston, Harlem Extension, and the New London Northern. The national banks of the state in 1875 numbered 46, with a paid -in capital of $8,945,390, and an outstanding cir culation amounting to $7,178,581. There were also at that date 20 savi?gs-banks, which had 27,677 depositors and deposits amounting to $7,590,599; and 6 fire and 3 life insur. ance companies incorporated by the state.