1938: Pennsylvania

Area and Population.

One of the thirteen original states, Pennsylvania ranks 32nd in size among the states, with an area of 45,126 sq. mi. In population it ranks 2nd, numbering 9,631,350 according to the census of 1930; 10,176,000 on July 1, 1937, according to the latest Federal estimate. The largest cities are Philadelphia, 1,950,961 (1930 census); Pittsburgh, 669,817; Scranton, 143,433; Erie, 115,967; Reading, 111,171. The capital is Harrisburg, 80,339.

Of the 1930 population, 7,959,557 were native white persons, 1,233,051 foreign-born white persons, 431,257 Negroes, and 7,491 Indians, Japanese, Chinese and other nationalities. Cornplanter Reservation in Warren County, with 34 Indians residing there, is the only State Indian Reservation.

Agriculture.

Pennsylvania has at present 172,419 farms under cultivation; 172,056 are operated by white farmers, and 363 by Negroes; the farming sections near Lancaster and York are the principal sites of the excellent Pennsylvania-German agricultural development.

Although Pennsylvania is one of the foremost industrial states, agriculture represents a larger investment of capital than either mining or manufacturing of primary metals. The latest Federal census placed a valuation of $861,706,599 on the 191,284 farms of the state, and estimated its livestock at $143,719,000. Pennsylvania farmers now own $150,000,000 worth of machinery and agricultural implements. Favorably situated for the cultivation of a variety of crops, Pennsylvania ranks first in production of buckwheat, and cigar leaf tobacco, second in value of potatoes, third in value of hay, fourth in value of apples, and ninth in value of winter wheat. More than 55 per cent of the total area of the state, or 15,855,343 acres, are now in farms, and approximately half of this is crop land. The value of farm crops in Pennsylvania on the 1937 basis of prices was $250,000,000. Pennsylvania ranks fifth in value in livestock of the states east of the Mississippi River.

Mineral Products.

Ranking second among the states in the value of its mineral products, Pennsylvania owes this position primarily to the abundance of coal within its borders. The Department of Mines of Pennsylvania reported that in 1937 the output of coal was: anthracite, 54,264,016 net tons, bituminous 108,964,865 net tons, and beehive coke 1,186,194 net tons. The combined valuation of this production was $461,436,176. Next in importance are natural gas and petroleum. Production of the former in 1936 amounted to 110,362,000 M cu. ft. (value, $42,874,000). Oil production in 1937 increased to 19,189,000 bbl. from 17,070,000 bbl. in the preceding year. Shipments of cement, in which Pennsylvania leads the states, totaled 22,952,603 bbl. in 1937; of stone, 16,091,160 tons. The total value of Pennsylvania's minerals in 1936 was $617,138,041.

Manufactured products in which Pennsylvania ranks first among the states include steel and pig-iron. Of these, the amounts produced in 1937 were: steel (both open-hearth and Bessemer), 15,392,140 tons; pig-iron, 11,036,467 tons. Pennsylvania produces nearly one-half of all the steel produced in the United States, and ships it to all parts of the world. Pittsburgh is the center of the greatest metal production ever attained in one locality.

Industry.

The principal manufactures of the state are metal and metal products, with a capital investment of $1,654,008,400; textiles, $748,973,000; food, $610,203,800; mine and quarry products, $396,533,800; chemicals $380,715,400; leather and rubber goods, $134,578,300; railroad and street railway repair shops, $97,997,500; tobacco, $67,445,100; and lumber, $56,090,000.

Education.

There are 70 accredited colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, 56 of which are known as arts colleges and 14 as teachers colleges. During 1938, 85 per cent of the 57,000 full-time students attending the colleges and universities of Pennsylvania were residents of the state.

WPA artists have reproduced the best of Pennsylvania's native paintings and etchings for educational purposes. The Federal Writers' Project has published several books and numerous pamphlets on Pennsylvania; a Union Library Catalogue embracing every library in the Metropolitan Philadelphia area is now housed in The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Building in Philadelphia, and is progressing with the aid of WPA workers.

Banking.

There are 420 state banking institutions in Pennsylvania, including 182 banks, 209 trust companies, 8 savings banks and 21 private banks, with total resources of $3,040,118,479. In 1938, there were 3,839,548 depositors with total deposits of $2,357,574,983. The number of national banks in Pennsylvania is 709, with total resources of $3,245,131,000 and deposits totaling $2,788,690,000.

Events of the Year.

The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg was celebrated there from June 26, 1938 to July 6, 1938, under the direction of the Pennsylvania State Commission cooperating with the Federal Commission appointed by President Roosevelt for this observance. There were present 1800 survivors of the G.A.R. and the United Confederate Veterans. April 8, 1938 was declared a legal holiday by the State of Pennsylvania, and designated as Forefathers' Day, in honor of the 300th Anniversary of the arrival of the Swedish ships Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip on the Delaware River in 1638. The 300th Anniversary of the establishment of the first permanent settlement by the Swedes, who landed at Upland (Chester), was formally commemorated in Philadelphia on June 26, 27, and 28. For this celebration, Crown Prince Gustav Adolph of Sweden, Crown Princess Louise, and their son Prince Bertil, visited the United States.

A Pennsylvania Constitution Commemoration Committee was appointed in 1937 by Governor Earle to carry on celebrations during 1937, 1938 and 1939. The 150th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution was commemorated on Sept. 17, 1937, and the ratifying of this important document by Pennsylvania was appropriately celebrated on December 12, 1937. The celebration in Pittsburgh on June 21, 1938, included a pilgrimage to Fort Pitt Blockhouse, with services at Carnegie Music Hall, followed by a tribute at the grave of John Nevill, delegate to the 1787 Pennsylvania Ratification Convention. In Philadelphia the three-day observance from June 18 to June 21 included a school pageant, participated in by 12,000 school children, a Festival of Nations at the Municipal Stadium, and a celebration at Valley Forge where Governor Earle was the principal speaker. A Women's Program honored the birthday of the Constitution at Independence Hall on June 20.

State Officers.

As the result of the November election the chief officers of the state are as follows: Governor, Arthur H. James; Lieutenant Governor, Samuel S. Lewis; Auditor, Warren R. Roberts; Treasurer, F. Clair Ross; Secretary of Revenue, Wm. J. Hamilton; Secretary of the Commonwealth, Sophia M. O'Hara; Attorney General, Claude T. Reno; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Lester Kelly Ade.

United States Senators:

James J. Davis, Joseph F. Guffey.