WATERTOWN, N. Y. city, county-seat of Jefferson County, on the Black River, about 10 miles from its entrance to Black River Bay, an arm of Lake Ontario, and on the New York Central Railroad (Saint Lawrence and Ontario divisions), about 80 miles northwest of Utica and 73 miles north of Syracuse.
Industries.— The city lies on both sides of the river, which has a tall of 112 feet inside the city limits. From Carthage, a village 16 miles above the city, to Dexter, eight miles below the city, the river is lined with busy manufacturing villages, all of which contribute to a considerable extent to the prosperity of Watertown. Along this 24 miles of river val ley the investment in paper mills alone exceeds $15,000,000. More than 2200 persons are en gaged in the paper industry. Watertown in addition to its paper mills has a widely-diver sified manufacturing life, the largest industry being the New York Air Brake Company. with nearly 3,000 persons regularly employed in the production of air-brake equipment. Other large manufacturing establishments include the Kops Brothers' corset factory, one of the largest in the country. The Bagley and Sewall Com pany, producers of paper and pulp mill ma chinery and vises and J. B. Wise, Inc., op erating a large brass rolling mill and foun dry and producing a complete line of bathroom fixtures and plumbers' supplies. Two large flouring mills, one of which manufactures health and dietetic foods that are consumed throughout the United States and in many foreign markets; two silk mills, a glove fac tory, a plant producing clinical thermome ters, a large knit underwear mill, several ma chine shops producing special machinery, wood working plants and printing establishments are included in the list of manufacturing institu tions of Watertown. Over 8,000 employees are engaged in the operation of these industries, which have gross annual products of more than $20,000,030.
Trade and Finance.—Watertown is the financial and commercial centre of a rich agri cultural region and is the trading town for the people of the rural section and the numerous communities within a radius of 35 miles. The county of which Watertown is the seat is one of the largest in the United States in the num ber of dairy cows and in the production of hay and forage crops. The Watertown Prod uce Exchange, made up of the manufacturers of American cheese, is the largest inland cheese board in the world. The annual sales of this commodity on the local exchange exceed $2,500, 000. Watertown has one trust company, three national banks, two savings banks and a large building, savings and loan association. The trust company and national banks have deposits in excess of $15,000,000; the savings banks, de posits of more than $13,000,000.
Buildings and Munia:pal Improvements.—
The retail business of the city is located in Public square, an imposing plaza situated in the geographical centre of the community. In recent years, as a result of continued increase in population, retailing interests have invaded six of the thoroughfares that radiate from the common centre. The public buildings include the government post office, a State armory, four county buildings, the city hall and the Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library, a classic marble structure costing nearly $300,000— the gift to the city of Mrs. Emma Flower Taylor, as a memorial to her father, who was a governor of the State of New York. The city also has two orphanages, three hospitals, the City Hos pital and Saint loachim's, the latter being con ducted by the Sisters of Mercy. The Henry keep Home. established and endowed by Mrs. Emma Kees Schley, is a refuge for the aged The new Kamargo Hotel, a modern fireproof structure, cost $55Q,000. The pub lic schools, 11 graded and one high school, are not surpassed by any in the State of New York. A full-paid fire department, housed in four modern buildings and equipped with motor-driven apparatus, is a model of efficiency. The city has 23 churches, the largest and most attractive being Trinity Episcopal erected by the late Roswell 1"'. Flower and his brother, the late Anson R. Flower; the Sacred Heart and Holy Family (Catholic), the Emmanuel Congregational and the Asbury Methodist. The Young Men's Christian Asso ciation, with a modern six-story building con taining gymnasium, swimming pool, bowling alleys and other accessories and equipment, oc cupies one of the most valuable sites in Public square. The Young Women's Christian Asso ciation, occupying its own building, which is also located in Public square, is another important institution in the religious life of the city. The Black River Valley Club, with a modern club house in lower Washington street; the Elks' Club; the Masonic Club, housed in a beautiful marble temple,• the Knights of Columbus, with a spacious club home in Stone street, close to the business centre, and the Lincoln League, with 2,000 members, are the principal social organizations of the city. Watertown is over looked on the east and south by a beautiful pub lic park, purchased, developed and presented to the city by an unknown donor. It embraces more than 600 acres, a considerable portion of which has been improved with drives, walks, storm water sewers, its own water-supply sys tem and a most attractive landscape scheme, with shrubs and flowering plants in great pro fusion. Two daily and one weekly newspapers are published in the city.
Government.— On 1 Jan. 1920 the city of Watertown went under the commission-man ager plan of municipal government. Pop. 26.895