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.
No religious organization in Manchester exhibits more positive
indications of a thrifty and progressive condition than the Catholic.
The first church of this society was erected in 1849, the expense
of it being twenty-five thousand dollars; but the society increased
so rapidly that it was found necessary to build another, which is to
be completed the present year, and will probably be the largest and
most costly church in the State.
There is also a Convent of the order of the Sisters of Charity
and Mercy, and the visits of these ministering angels, among the
poor, the destitute, and the suffering, are not few or far between.
These benevolent and cultivated ladies, by devoting their lives, their
energies, and their best efforts to the relief of want, destitution, and
suffering, illustrate and exemplify the inestimable worth and beauty
of practical Christianity.
Connected with this is an educational institution of a high order,
- "Mount St. Mary's Academy," - where all, without distinction
of creed, may obtain the higher branches of English education, as
well as in the fine and ornamental arts.
In addition to contributing their quota- in the way of taxation
-to the support of common schools, the Catholics maintain several
large Sabbath and secular schools.
The citizens of Manchester are favored with all the advantages
and benefits of a free city library, which contains fifteen thousand
volumes. This library was established in 1844 by an association of
gentlemen; but the necessity of a more comprehensive institution
of this kind being apparent, it was, in 1854, transferred to the city
under the following obligations:
"The said city shall annually appropriate, and pay the trustees
of the said city library, a sum not less than one thousand dollars. to
be expended in the purchase and binding of books and periodicals,
not being newspapers; shall, by suitable appropriations, provide for
a room, lights, fuel, and other contingencies of the library, and for
the salary of a librarian; " and became the nucleus of the present
Public Library,* and under the present arrangement to a much
* This institution was fortunate in being surrounded by warm friends in its early days;
none more ardent and untiring than the late Judge Samuel D. Bell. Many gentlemen contributed valuable additions to it in volumes, and otherwise; also, the Amoskeag Company
manifested a lively interest in its growth and efficiency; but Judge Bell, being an antiquarian and a gentleman of erudition, was indefatigable in promoting its prosperity, and to
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