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 TRIBUTARIES.
company. While assiduously engaged in those duties which have
brought prosperity to the city of his adoption and profit to his employers, his fellowv-citizens have not been unmindful of his course,
nor yet of his merits; but, never in any sense a, politician, he has
steadily and persistently avoided, when possible, the honors and
duties of public life, and is an example - rare in these days - of the
office seeking the man. Still, lon. E. A. Straw has not been wholly
able to escape serving his fellow-citizens, he having been a member
of the Legislature seven or ei,lght years, and once president of the
Senate. Few men have by their own exertions met with equal success, or exhibit a fairer record, and it is gratifying to know that his
individual prosperity approximates that of the great corporation he
manages, and the city in which he resides. The managers of the
Amoskeag Company have been men of liberal minds and comprehensive views, and it has been the good fortune of Mr. Straw to possess their entire confidence; consequently the suggestions he has made
to them concerning improvements, generally including, the present or
prospective welfare of the city, have been heartily endorsed by them
without hesitation, and thus his great regard for her is plainly traced
on every rood of her territory and every section of Manchester.
Mlr. Straw, as agent of a company which contributes more than a
modicum of the city tax, has exercised a controlling influence, always
judicious and healthy, over public improvements, inciting and spurring up, if necessary, any laxity of negligent officials, generally by
offers of valuable co-operation; and recently, thllrou,gh the paternal and
munificent liberality of the company, he has been the a,gent for pre senting the city with a valuable and eligible site for a public library,
and has reason to hope to receive contributions sufficient to defray one
half the estimated cost of erecting a suitable building for such an
institution. As an evidence of the high estimation in which he is
held as a practical manufacturer, it may be mentioned that there is an
association composed of the agents and treasurers of all the principal
establislhments in the New England States, of which Iton. E. A.
Straw is president., By reference to a publication bearing date of
January 15th, 1868, containing the transactions of this association,
it will be seen that it is called the "N. E. Cotton Manufacturers'
Association;" President, Hon. E. A. Straw, Manchester, N. I-I.;
Vice-Presidents, A. D. Lockwood, Lewiston, Me., Wm. A. Burke,
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