TRANSPORTATION AND COMMERCE. Maine is the only one of the New England States in which there was a large railroad construction in the last decade of the nineteenth century. This mile age increased from 1377 miles in 1890 to 1928 in 1900. Prior to this decade railway construc tion had been can fined mainly to the central and southwestern parts of the State. During that decade the Bangor and Aroostook line was built into the northeast counties, and its influence was largely responsible for the rapid develop ment of the forest and fainting industries which has taken place in that section. The Canadian Pacific crosses the State from cast to west. The construction of electric railways, including inter urban lines, is increasing rapidly. The electric railway mileage in 1901 aggregated 280 miles. Among the many fine harbors, that of Portland (Casco Bay), especially, is easy of access, deep.
large. and well protected, and is often unob structed by ice when harbors farther west and south are frozen over. Lines of steamers ply regularly between the largest cities of the State and Boston: also between Portland and New fork, Saint John. N. B.. and Halifax.
For the year ending June 30, 1901, the exports from the Portland and Falmouth customs district amounted to $12.403.958 and the imports to $033,114. The chief imports are coal, fish, sugar, iron, molasses, and wool; the chief exports are cotton goods, canned vegetables, boots, shoes, lumber, bacon, hams, etc.
BiNms. In 1902 there were 86 national banks with loans aggregating $27,857,000 ; cash, etc., $2,027,000; capital, $10,531,000: and deposits, $26,263,000. In 1901 there was $69,533.058 de posited in savings banks, the total number of depositors being 196,583.