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.
had no model either for mills,.machinery, or organized system for
the practical and profitable application of capital and labor to manufacturing purposes. That men of good judgment, of great mechanical genius and skill, have, from the first. controlled the operations
of this vast manufactory, the beautiful and substantial appearance of
the mills and dwellings, and the gratifying averagfe rate of dividends
bear ample testimony. Perhaps as striking an instance of foresight,
or the application of knowledge to a good result, as can be named in
the history of Lowell, occurred in the management of the affairs of
the' Proprietors of the Locks and Canals," by James B. Francis.
Esq., the present chief engineer of this company, a gentleman who
has occupied this position for the past tiwenty-tltree years, and an
emp)loye of the same company for the past tltirty-four yea-s!
WIhen the old cancel was enlarged for manufacturing purposes, and
the "guard locks" built, the engineer (Mr. Lewis), with P. T.
Jackson, Esq., and associates, concluded that the height at which
they established them was sufficient to guard against any rise of
water that should ever take place, (judging, from data which they
obtained from oldtl men living in the neighborhood, and from " water
marks" which remained of former floods). At the time of building
the new (or Northern) Canal (1847-8), it occurred to the agent
of the WAater-Power Company (Mr. Francis), that as the height of
the lockls was established to correspond with the water of the river
befo)re the ive.-ctcm was built, they were no protection to a portion
?f the city below them in case a freshet should occur as high,l as the
memorable one of 1785, which was the greatest ever known on tlhe
Merrimack since the English settled on its borders. His reasoning
was, " what a.cts happened, may happen again." IKnowing, only
what the former engineers and agents knewv, but excelling them all
in the al)plicattioi of his knowledge, he caused an embankment to
be constructed. six feet in height, composed of masonry and ealrth,
and extending on either side, like a massive brace, to the high land,
some twenty rods to the rear of the gateway. Over the canal,
through which the boats and rafts must pass, he also caused a huge
gate to he suspended by aA iron ring or clasp, and gave instructions
to the " keeper" of the locks, that if the water should ever rise
to a certain point to "' send for him, and begin with hammler and
chisel to sever the clasp that held the sgate." In 1853 occurred tlhe
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