HARTFORD (ante) is on the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad; pop. '80, 42,553. This "queen city of New England" is beautifully situated on small hills at the junction of the Park river with the Connecticut. The township extends about m. n. and s., and 31 e. and w., having an area of more than 10 sq.m.; the city area is about 10 sq. miles. Park river runs through about the middle, and is crossed by a dozen bridges. There is a fine bridge over the Connecticut, about 330 yards long, con necting with East Hartford. The city is regularly laid out, Main street being the great thoroughfare and chief seat of retail trade. In the outer portion and the suburbs of the city are many fine residences. The principal pleasure-ground is the Bushnell park, named after the late rev. Dr. Horace Bushnell, whose memory Hartford treasures as one of its peculiar honors. The park is one of the finest of its size in the country. It covers 45 acres, and is nearly encircled by Park river. In the w. part are the state capitol, a colossal bronze statue of Thomas Church Brownell. Episcopal bishop of Con necticut and the founder of Trinity college (Hartford); Ward's statue of gen. Israel Putnam, and a statue of Dr. Horace Wells, in honor of his discovery of the use of antestheties. In the heart of the city is Statehouse square, containing the original statehouse, a brick structure built in 1794. The famous Hartford convention met in the senate chambers in 1815. In the secretary's office is the original charter of the colony framed in wood, of the charter oak. 'There are in the senate' chamber-Stuart's portrait of Washington, and portraits of all the governors of the colony and state from 1607 down. The new state capitol occupies the former site of Trinity college. The building, completed in 1878 at a cost of $1,500,000, is of white marble, 300 by 200 ft., and 250 ft. to the top of the dome. Its fronts arc broken by angles, columns, arches, gal levies, and commemorative sculpture. Resting on the brow of a hill, it commands a splendid view, and is itself seen from all parts of the city. The hall of representatives is in the center of the s. front, and is lighted on three sides. The arcades arc upheld by polished granite columns, and the tympani are filled with sculptures, the subjects of which were selected from Connecticut history. At the angles of the dome are statues representing 12 of the original states, and on the top is a statue of Connecticut holding her charter. The new site of Trinity college is on Rocky hill, approached by avenues leading through the most delightful part of the city. The buildings (yet unfinished) are of brownstone in early French Gothic style. They will form three great quadrangles, and are intended to•be the best edifices for educational purposes in the country. The front will be 1300 ft. long. The grounds cover 80 acres. The high school is it noble building, of Norman architecture, costing $160,000. Near by, on Asylum street, is the residence of the late Lydia H. Sigourney, the poetess. A mile away on a hill lives Samuel L. Clemens, more generally known as ''Mark Twain." Another conspicuous feature is Armsmear, the residence of the Colt family, the spacious grounds being adorned with groves, lakes, statuary, greenhouses, and a (leer park. The deaf and dumb institute, founded by Dr. Gallaudet in 1817, is the oldest of its kind in America. The building is finely situated on a shady hill, and usually has from 200 to 2.50 inmates. The retreat for the insane is a stately sandstone building commanding a splendid view. • More than 4,000 patients have been received here, and 2,000 have been cured. The city
hospital, the state arsenal, and the widows' home are also noteworthy edifices. Besides these there arc many conspicuous business edifices of great extent and value. The great manufactories are the Colt rifle and pistol factory (capital $1,000.0001, the Wash burn car-wheel factory, the Weed sewing machine factory, the Pratt and Whitney machine company, the Plicenix iron 'foundry, the Plimpton envelope company, the 13atterson marble works, and the Cheney silk works. Among the great book makers a.•e the American publishing company, and Case, -Lockwood and Brainard. There are 37 churches, many of them very beautiful structures, particularly that of time Good Shepherd (Episcopal) built by Mrs. Colt as a memorial to her husband, of Gothic style with grand pictorial windows. In the old graveyard behind the Center Congregational church lie the remains of Thomas Hooker, "the renowned minister of Hartford, and pillar of Connecticut, the light of the western churches," with the ashes of a long line of distinguished citizens from the earliest settlement. The chief monument is a massive sandstone structure to the honor of the first settlers. There are 17 banks, 9 masonic lodges, 3 of odd-fellows, 3 knights of Pythias, 21 temperance societies, mud 7 military companies. Of the latter, the Putnam phalanx of only 125 men are said to represent $11,000,000 of property. In proportion to the number of inhabitants, Hartford is sup posed to be the richest city in America. The Cedar hill cemetery. on a bare and lofty elevation, has some fine monuments, including the Beach memorial, and testimonials to Colt, Russell, and others. Another institution worthy of note is the Wadsworth athenaeum in which are many works of art by painters and sculptors. The Connecti cut historical society has quarters in the atheneum, and has a remarkable collection of ancient documents illustrating New England history.
The city is divided into seven wards; the mayor is chosen for two years; the aldermen (two for each ward) arc chosen one-half annually, and hold office two years; and the council of four for each ward are elected annually. Then: are police and tire departments, good water supply, and gas. Among the institutions not mentioned are the Hartford hospital, the orphan asylum, city omission, home mission, state Bible society, state missionary society, a number of private benevolent societies, a female seminary, and several select schools. There are 16 public schools, a grammar school (the oldest in the state), dating from 1655, and a school of design. Hartford has an inter esting history. It was settled in 1635 by persons from Massachusetts, but originally from Braintree, England. The Dutch of New Amsterdam had possession for a time, but were ejected in 1654. The general court of the colony was established in 1636; the first church built in 1638; a war with the Peqnot Indians occurred in 1637, and in 1639 a constitution for the government of the colony was framed. A house of cor rection was built in 1640, and four years later the first tavern was authorized. In 1650 a code of laws was drawn up which reduced the number of capital offenses from 160 under English law to 15. In 1687 gov. Andros attempted to seize the colonial charter, hot it was carried off and hid in the famous charter oak. A printing establishment was started in 1704. Connecticut was early in the patriotic movement of the revolution, and Hartford was well represented at the taking of Ticonderoga. In 1784 the city was incorporated, and in 1875 it became the sole seat of the state government, an honor theretofore shared with New Haven.