PATERSON, a city and the county seat of Passaic co., N. J.; on the Passaic river, the Morris canal, and on the Erie, the New York, Susquehanna & Western, and the Delaware, Lackawanna & West ern railroads; 17 miles N. W. of New York. The city is chiefly noted for its silk industries, on account of which it is called the "Lyons of America." It is built partly on the slopes of ranges of hills which surround it and partly on a broad plain.
Business Interests.—Paterson is an important manufacturing center. Its silk mills are the largest in the United States, having an output of over $200, 000,000 per annum and employing about 30,000 persons. Its other manufactures include aeroplane motors, electrical mo tors, locomotives, -nd other machinery, linen thread, twine, yarns, and shirts. The city has three National banks, one savings institution, and five trust com panies. The assessed valuation of the property is $131,000,000 and the net bonded debt about $5,833,000.
Public Interests.—The city has an area of square miles; 115 miles of paved streets and a sewer system covering 120 miles. The streets are lighted by elec
tricity and gas. The Police Department has a force of 175 men. The Fire De partment is completely motorized. The annual cost of maintaining the city gov ernment is about $4,150,000. The streets are well paved and broad. Among the local attractions are the Passaic Falls, the river dropping over a 70-foot preci pice at this point. The principal public buildings are the city hall, court house, postoffice and the high school.
History.—Paterson was founded in 1791 by a society formed by Alexander Hamilton. The society had a capital of $1,000,000 and Hamilton's idea in organ izing it and founding the city was to en courage American manufacture and make the United States industrially as well as politically independent of Europe. The city was named in honor of William Paterson, Governor of New Jersey. In 1851 it was incorporated as a city. Pop. (1910) 125,600; (1920) 135,866.