MOUNT VERNON, N. Y., city in West chester County, on the Bronx River and Hutchinson River, an arm of Pelham Bay, and on the New York, New Haven and Hartford, and the New York Central and Hudson River and New York, Westchester and Boston rail roads, adjoining New York city on the north, and about 13 miles from the Grand Central sta tion in New York. Electric lines connect Mount Vernon with New Rochelle, Yonkers and a number of the villages and cities in the vicinity. Rapid transit lines from New York city extend almost to Mount Vernon (1903) and the present plans provide for the extension of the lines into the heart of the city. Mount Vernon is really a residential suburb of New York; a large part of the city is restricted for residential purposes. It was founded in 1852 and in 1892 was chartered. It has several industrial estab lishments and considerable trade, chiefly in the products of market-gardens and as a distribut ing centre for the nearby sections of county. The Westchester Lighting Company is located here. It has about 1,000 employees, and fur nishes for many places in Westchester County, light, power and heat for public and private uses. The streets and avenues are well-paved
and well-kept. The handsome lawns and gar dens and the great number of shade trees make the city most attractive. Some of the prom inent buildings are the Mount Vernon Hos pital, the Lucas Building, Proctor's Theatre, new high school, new police building, new post office, fine church and school buildings. It has a public library founded in 1896, and the build ing donated by Andrew Carnegie, at a cost of $50,000, was begun in 1903. The water, electric light and sewer systems are all well organized and are being improved and extended to meet the needs of a growing city. The government is administered under the original charter, which provides for a mayor who holds office two years and a council. The mayor appoints, subject to approval by the council, all the ad ministrative officers except the board of edu cation, comptroller, assessors and receiver of taxes who are elected by the people. Pop.