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.

TIHE MERRIMACK PIVEPR;
venient conveyance of heavy articles, such as machinery, coal, wool,
etc., to and from the mills. These mills use the almost fabulous
quantity of between four and five millions pounds of wool per annum.
MIr. Samuel HI. Shepard, who has charge of the wool department,
met with a frightful accident and a very narrow escape from death,
in one of the large wool houses in Boston. IHe fell a distance, said
to be fifty-four feet, with no injury except a comlpound fracture of
one ankle.
John Gardner, Esq., is treasurer of this company, he having held
that position since 1856. The present agent, who has charge of
these extensive works, is M. D. F. Steere, who has occupied his
present position since the spring of 1858.
There is also a wool hat manufactory, with a capital of one hun dred and fifty thousand dollars, with three mills, each of which is a
complete factory of itself, taking the raw material and turning out
hats finished and trimmed, ready for retail. This company employs
two hundred and fifty hands, and the daily product is two hundred
and twenty-five dozen elegant hats. In addition to the foregoing,
there are other mills and works with a united capital of nearly-two
hundred thousand dollars.
Carriag(e-making is carried on here to an extent exceeding any
other place in the State, in numbers and quality, and Amesbury ve hicles enjoy a highs extensive, and well-merited reputation. Ship building is also carried on, some half dozen, of various tonnage and
-of superior material and model, being annually launched.
Pow-lVow Hill, an elevation of three hundred feet, is said to have
been the council-chamber of the aboriginal settlers, from whence
they could survey the surrounding country and gaze far out upon
the blue waste of waters.
In 1643, under a false construction of her boundary claim, Mas saeliusetts seized upon Hampton, Exeter, Portsmouth, and Dover,
in New IIamnpshire, uniting with them the towns of Salisbury and
Haverhill, in Massachusetts, formed a new county, which was called
Norfolk, Salisbury being the shire town, which it continued to be
until 1679, when the bound.ry was readjusted, and the four towns
first named reverted to their original and rightful jurisdiction.
In August, 1737,'commissioners appointed by the crown assembled
at Hampton Falls to settle the controversy. On this occasion, the
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