New Bedford

New Bedford, a city and port of entry of Massachusetts, is on the Acushnet estuary (here crossed by a bridge 4000 feet long), 3 miles N. of Buzzard's Bay and 56 miles by rail S. of Boston. Many of its private residences are very handsome, while the public buildings include a city hall of granite, a custom-house, 30 churches, a public library, and a fine high school ($126,000). There is a broad drive (4 miles) round Clark's Point, at the extremity of which there is a strong granite fort. For a century (1755-1854) New Bedford was the chief centre of the American whale-fisheries, sending out more than 400 whaling-vessels, and receiving 60,000 barrels of sperm and 120,000 of whale oil in a year; but this industry has since declined, till now only some 80 whaling-vessels belong to the port, and the people have turned their attention mainly to manufactures. Besides several great cotton-mills (nearly 500,000 spindles), the city contains foundries, oil-refineries, and manufactories of drills, cordage, boots and shoes, flour, glass, plated ware, carriages, candles, &c. Pop. (1880) 26,845; (1890) 40,735.