Westmeath

Westmeath, a central county of Ireland, in the province of Leinster, bordering on Cavan, Meath, King's, Roscommon, and Longford; area, 678 sq. m.; pop. in 1871, 78,416. The surface is hilly in the north. The principal rivers are the Shannon and the Boyne. The soil is barren in the west. Cattle raising is the chief occupation. Capital, Mullingar.

Westminster Abbey

See London, vol. x., p. 600.

Westmorland

Westmorland, a S. E. county of New Brunswick, Canada, bordering on Northumberland strait, Nova Scotia, and the bay of Fundy; area, 1,284 sq. m.; pop. in 1871, 29,335, of whom 11,871 were of English, 9,356 of French, 3,719 of Irish, 3,148 of Scotch, 533 of Dutch, and 457 of German origin or descent. It is drained by the Petitcodiac, which forms part of the S. W. boundary, and by other streams. The surface is diversified with hills and valleys, and is heavily wooded. Much timber is shipped. The Intercolonial railway traverses the county. Capital, Dorchester.

Weston

Weston, a city of Platte co., Missouri, on the Missouri river, and on the Kansas City, St. Joseph, and Council Bluffs railroad, 30 m. N. W. of Kansas City, and 260 m. W. by N. of St. Louis; pop. in 1870, 1,614, of whom 274 were colored; in 1875, about 2,000. It contains two flouring mills, three saw mills, a hemp factory, a furniture factory, a tannery, a large brewery, two wagon factories, a tobacco warehouse, two banks, a public school, a weekly newspaper, and nine churches.

Wetmore

Wetmore, a S. E. county of Dakota, recently formed and not included in the census of 1870; area, about 700 sq. m. It contains two small lakes, forming the source of Smith creek, which flows into the Missouri.

Wetmouth

Wetmouth, a town of Norfolk co., Massachusetts, on Boston harbor, 12 m. S. S. E. of Boston by the South Shore railroad; pop. in 1870, 9,010; in 1875, 9,819. The N. part is a peninsula between two friths called Fore and Back rivers. The town, which is 3 by 9 m. in extent, contains four post villages, viz.: Weymouth, East Weymouth, North Weymouth, and South Weymouth. The chief industry is the manufacture of boots and shoes, which employs several large establishments. There are also two fan factories, employing from 75 to 100 hands each, a nail factory, phosphate works, ship yards, a tack factory, an isinglass factory, and a manufactory of fireworks. There is a considerable trade in lumber, coal, and grain. The town contains a large town hall, two national banks, three savings banks, an insurance company, 23 school houses, with graded schools and two high schools, a weekly newspaper, and 15 churches.

Wetzel

Wetzel, a N. county of West Virginia, bordering on Pennsylvania, and bounded N. W. by the Ohio river; area, 360 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 8,595, of whom 11 were colored. The surface is very hilly and the soil fertile. Iron ore, bituminous coal, and limestone are found in abundance. The county is traversed along the N. E. border by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. The chief productions in 1870 were 37,170 bushels of wheat, 193,111 of Indian corn, 66,122 of oats, 19,209 of potatoes, 119,393 lbs. of butter, 23,392 of wool, 47,850 of tobacco, and 2,947 tons of hay. There were 1,629 horses, 3,864 cattle, 9,545 sheep, and 5,595 swine. Capital, New Martinsville.