The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

ITS SOURCE AND ITS TPIBRUlARIES.
Extract from a letter of George B. Roberts, Esq., September,
1868: -
"I Here is the gateway between the Saco and Ammonoosuc valleys,
and we enter the latter, riding four miles to the Fabyan or Mount
Washington stand, where work has already commenced for the erection of one of the finest houses in the State. This is the startingpoint of a turnpike road, six miles in length, to the depot of the
Mount Washington Railroad, and taking us into a regular amphitheatre of hills, asking of us, it is true, a heavy toll, but amply
repaying, by keeping us in full view of the highest summits, and
grandest elevations of land this side of the Rocky Mountains, and
seems destined to be the great thoroughfare to' Tip-top.' The
only other approach which equals this in beauty and sublimity is
from the Crawford House, the bridle-path over MAlounts Clinton and
Pleasant; but I wish to say something of the Mount Washington
Railroad, which traverses the western side of the mountain of the
same name.
" This road, which is purely the invention of Mr. Marsh, of Littleton, and to which he has devoted several years of toil and much of
his private fortune, is not Vet complete, is carrying passengers from
base to summit, and back, for two dollars each, the distance being
about two and one-half miles, and the elevation more than four
thousand feet. WVhen the road is completed, the average grade will
be about five feet per rod. It has upon its track two engines of
fory horse-power each, and when not engaged in taking passengers,
are carrying lumber to the top of the mountain to finish the road.
The company have a saw-mill at the depot, which was first started
as a water-mill, using the'Tyler wheel,; but the water was found
to be insufficient at some seasons of the year, and a steam engine
of thirty horse-power was substituted, which runs a fifty-inch circular saw, and is cutting lumber at the rate of ten thousand feet per
day. Much of the road is built on trestle work, requiring a large
amount of lumber. There is nothing about the running wheels of
the engine or cars, or the rails upon which they run, which is different from the other roads, but the road has a centre rail, and each
engine and car two driving and holding wheels, the rail upon the
plan of tle segment, the wheels on the plan of the gear, completely fitting the segment rail, and all fitted with powerful brakes,
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