in this nation, have made such rapid progress in population, manufacturing and wealth, for the past thirty years, as Manchester. It ranks, in its value of cotton and woolen cloths manufactured, as the fourth city in the United States, and as the first in New-Hampshire. Forty years ago, where the city now stands, there was but a hamlet, and the only noise to break the stillness of the quiet, was the waters of the Merrimack, as they thundered over the falls, and for ages had been waiting to assist man to do its part in the great drama of creation's work; is now a great city of nearly thirty thousand people, and the busy hum of life is heard through the buzz of its 200,000 spindles, the clatter of its 5,000 looms, and the bustle of business of the State. It has an area of twenty-three hundred and fifty acres-about twenty-five miles in circumference; and is divided into two equal parts by a narrow strait crossed by a bridge. Each of these parts is about three miles in length by one mile in width. Lying within four miles of the city proper, it has become quite a public resort for pleasure. The Massabesic House, on the shore of the lake, is a fine hotel, and receives a good share of the public patronage. Rivers and Streams. The Merrimack River passes along the western part of the city; Amoskeag Falls is the largest on the river. In the ordinary stage of the water, the fall to the foot of the locks is forty-seven feet and the whole fall in the space of a mile is fifty-four feet. One of the most substantial stone dams on the river is built at the head of these falls, capable, at the average flow of water, to turn the whole river into a spacious basin connected with the upper canal, for the use of the mills. The Amoskeag, or lower canal, was first construct through its crowded streets, from morn till night. Unlike Lowell, Lawrence, and many other cities in the vicinity of Boston, it is far enough away from that commercial metropolis, as not to destroy its mercantile trade, and there is no city outside of Boston, Providence and Worcester, in the castern section of New-Eng-ed for navigation around the falls, land, which shows the business life in the streets, like Manchester. The surface is generally level, but the soil of a considerable part of the town is light and sandy. The intervals on the river are limited, but of easy cultivation, and fertile, while the swells afford many excellent farms, under high cultivation. Lake. Massabesic Lake, in the eastern portion, towards Auburn, lies partly in this town. It is a handsome sheet of water, with many islands, and presenting some of the finest scenery in this section and was connected with the Middlesex in 1816, and at that date was the most expensive canal in New-England, with the exception of the Middlesex. The Hon. Samuel Blodgett, who died here many years ago, was the founder of this canal and expended a large fortune in its construction without reaping any benefit therefrom-his death occuring about the time of its completion. He was a man of intelligence and enterprise and a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, soon after the Revolution. The upper canal is 4,950 feet long, forty-five feet wide, ten feet deep | Merrimack River, at Goff's Falls, and is walled throughout with stone. The lower canal is 7,500 feet in length, and corresponding in its other dimensions with the upper. The fall from the upper to the lower canal, is twenty feet. The water power, secured by the dam and two canals, is estimated to be sufficient to drive nearly 250,000 spindles, and belongs to the Anoskeag Mill and water power company. These falls were the resort of the Indians in the season, to secure fish for their year's supply. Tribes would congregate here, for many miles around, and catch and dry the fish, there appearing to be no end to the supply. The early settlers followed in the tracks of the Indians, in this respect, for many years. Parties would come with teams froighted with salt and barrels, fifty miles distant, and camp out, and catch and salt down Salmon, Shad, Alewives, Eels and other kinds of fish, sufficient to last them the year. It was rare sport, and the fishing season, at "Skeag," was looked forward to with pleasure by the settlers, for many weeks, before the time arrived. Dams and other obstructions have destroyed the whole run of fish, which swarmed the river from the ocean to its source in the White Mountain streams. Piscataquoag River has its rise in Francestown. Weare, Dunbarton and New-Boston, passes through Goffstown and joins the Merrimack at the south-west part of the town. There is some valuable water power near its mouth. Cohas or Massabesic River is the outlet of Massabesic Lake. In the short passage of three miles to it falls over one hundred and twenty-five feet. Near the Merrimack there is a fine water power which is improved. There are several brooks in various sections of the town. City. The city proper of Manchester is located on the east side of the Merrimack and near the Amoskeag Falls. But few cities can boast of more rapid growth, enterprise, and general intelligence of its people. The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1831; and purchased all the land around the falls on the east side, and where the city now stands, including the valley cemetery. They now own nearly all the land to within one hundred feet of the west side of Elm street, and own and maintain all those streets on the west side of Elm, running towards the canal. The Amoskeag is the largest, and most powerful corporation in the State, and while it has always looked at the main chance (or their own interest,) it has always looked at the best interest of the city. For (what is termed) a soul-less institution, it has been very liberal in its donations. They gave the land for the Valley Cemetery, and many other lots in various other sections. In 1837, their first mill went into operation, and from that date commenced the growth of the town which had increased in 1840 to 3,235 inhabitants. The streets are regularly laid out, and, in various sections of the city, public lawns were reserved which have been laid out into walks and planted with shade trees. Some of them have beautiful artificial ponds. These parks add much beauty to the city, and | ter, is more generally respected the streets around them, and are and beloved by the whole commu- The church property of Manchester is estimated to be worth $270, 000; the three catholic churches them are the finest and most expensive structures, of the kind, in the State. Churches. First Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. C. W. Taylor, pastor; organized 1829; house erected 1830. St. Paul, Methodist Episcopal, Rev. James Pike, pas-owning nearly one half. Some of tor; church erected in 1840, value, $16,000. Universalist, Rev. G. S. Demart, pastor; church dedicated February, 1840, value $ 11,000. 1st Congregational. Rev. Cyrus W. Wallace was pastor of this church for nearly thirty years. He resigned his charge in 1873. No man who has grown up with Manches Schools. The whole number of schools in the city is forty-five, of which thirty-six are graded; average length for the year, forty weeks; total amount of money annually appropriated for school |