USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 66
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At no previous time, has business of all kinds been so brisk in Manchester, as at the present time. In addition to the mammoth mill now being constructed, which is to be 440 ft. in length, we understand that another is to be constructed this season, of the same dimensions. Upon the corporation a large number of brick tenements are now building, and other improvements in grading and the like are continually being made, giving em- ployment to a large number of laborers. Among our citizens also there is great animation in the way of buildings. As a town they are building a Hall, that we hazard nothing in say- ing, will be as beautiful a building as is to be found in New Eng- gland. The basement is already up, and with its large and beautiful granite columns, now gives an earnest of its appear- ance. Then across the way, our enterprising citizens, Messrs. Barnes and Putney, are just finishing a large block of buildings, in a style superior to anything in the state. They are three stories, of press brick, with granite front, and glazed with the largest size of plate glass, and in other matters are finished in a style alike creditable to the taste and enterprise of its worthy owners. Then upon the west side of Elm street, a company of our worthy citizens, have commenced building another brick block, which we understand is to be the crack building of the state. It is to be three stories, with a basement front of iron pillars, surmounted with an iron balustrade. The block is to extend from Mechanic to Water st., a distance of one hun- dred and forty four feet, to be occupied as stores and dwellings. Then again Mr. Ballou, at the corner of Elm and Hanover sts., is removing his large brick store and house, together with a three story building, occupied for offices, &c., to make room for a block of stores, to be of three stories and granite front. This improvement just opposite the building of Messrs. Barnes and Putney, will add much to the beauty of the street. Then the "September Sale," is being covered over with dwellings ; we counted 40 buildings erected or in progress, upon this ground, some of which was cleared the past season. At the north end, also, improvement is going on with rapid strides.
*The Democrat.
628
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Our friends who visited us on the 4th of July, will hardly credit us, when we tell them that as many as 11 beautiful cottages are building in the woods hard upon the "celebriation ground." With a taste alike rare and creditable, several gentlemen have purchased these pine groves, leaving enough of the forest trees for shade and ornament, are fitting up beautiful grounds, prefer- ring natives to exotics. and having an immediate pleasure instead of anticipation.
A number of gentlemen lately bought a large lot of land on Elm street between Lowell and Bridge streets, and running back to Birch street. They have formed two new streets ; one running from Lowell and Bridge streets on the west side of the Universalist Church, is named. Church Street ; the other running midway from Lowell and Bridge streets, from Elm to Birch street, is called Washington street. This lot of land is subdivided into thirty-three lots, twenty-two of which will be built upon this season, and we would not be surprised if every lot should be covered with buildings before the setting in of next winter. The buildings on Elm street are to be of brick, three stories high. The others of brick and wood as the purchasers may fancy."
Some 200 buildings are now in the course of erection in Man- chester, and something near a hundred more will be commenc- ed prior to the 4th of July. There is no procrastination here. A building is decided upon and it goes up, as if by the pow- er of Alladin's Lamp. Where now stands the noble block of Messrs. Barnes & Putney, all blinded, 60 days since stood a most unseemly block of "ten footers," and on the spot, where is now a handsome brick store and Messrs. Ballou & Pierce are selling boots and shoes at cost, in 90 days is to be a block of stores of press brick with granite front ! One year from this writing will show a fact of this place, of which no other sec- tion of the country can boast, a School District, that eight years since had but 125 inhabitants, teeming with a busy population of 10,000 people.
The Court of Common Pleas commenced a session in this town, on the 28th of October, 1845, for the first time. The Court was held in the Town Hall, which had been appropri- ately fitted up for the occasion. Hon. Ira A. Eastman, presid- ed. Before the term of the Court closed, all in attendance be- came satisfied that it was highly proper that a term of the Court should be holden in Manchester, and it is very much doubted, whether Judges, Lawyers, Jurors, or suitors, would consent to have the October Term moved again to Amherst.
629
BUILDING OF SEWER.
At the annual meeting March 10, 1848, the rateable polls had so increased, as to entitle the town to eight Representatives in the Legislature, and that number was accordingly chosen. It was voted to raise the sum of $4000, for the support of schools, $$50, of the amount to be expended in the ont Districts, and the balance in District No. 2; to pay the firemen ten cents an hour for each hour of actual service at fires ; to choose a committee to petition the Legislature for a City Charter "when they shall deem it expedient" ; to build a sewer from Bridge street to Granite street, and to choose a committee for that purpose.
The committee chosen to petition the Legislature for a City Charter, consisted of Messrs. David Gillis, Samuel D. Bell, Isaac Riddle, William C. Clarke, John A. Burnham, Luther Far- ley and Walter French. They considered it expedient to ask for a City Charter forthwith, and accordingly in June present- ed a petition to the Legislature for that purpose.
The town appropriated the sum of $6000, for the purpose of building the sewer from Bridge street to Granite street, and chose Messrs. Samuel D. Bell, David A. Bunton, and J. T. P. Hunt, the committee to build the same, who forthwith pro- ceeded to put in the sewer as voted by the town.
June 16, 1846, the Selectmen laid out Pine street, north to the Old Falls Road; High street betwixt Union and Chestnut streets ; Birch street from Lowell to Bridge streets; Chestnut street from Merrimack to Park street; Union street from Mer- rimack to Park street ; Lowell street from Union to Chestnut street ; Central street from Elm to Union street ; and Park street from Elm to Union street.
July 20, the Selectmen laid out upon petition, Washington street from Elm to Birch street, and Church street from Lo w- ell to Bridge street.
The Legislature, in June, 1845, passed an act incorporating the city of Manchester, and on Saturday the Ist day of Au- gust, a town meeting was held for the purpose of accepting or rejecting said act of incorporation.
Upon balloting the vote stood thus :
In favor of Charter, 485
Against, 134
Upon the same day, upon petition, the selectmen laid out a
630
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
road from Mr. John Proctor's house north westerly to the Can- dia road.
The election for officers under the City charter took place on the 19th of August, 1846. There were four candidates for Mayor, viz : Hiram Brown, William C. Clarke, Thomas Brown, and William Shepherd. The result was as follows :
H. Brown.
Clarke. T. Brown. Shepherd. Whole No. votes.
Ward 1
34
65
8
4
111
2
78
65
21
3
169
60
3
85
38
30
15
170
66
4
108
26
8
0
143
5
123
93
28
6
252
66
6
95
74
5
10
185
66
7
46
81
6
4
137
-
569
442
106
42
1170
Necessary to a choice,
586
H Brown's vote,
569
Majority against Brown,
17
The other officers chosen at this election were
ALDERMEN.
Ward 1 Andrew Bunton, Jr.
2 George Porter,
66 3 William G. Means,
4 David Gillis,
66 5 Timothy Blaisdell,
6 Edward McQueston,
7 Moses Fellows.
COMMON COUNCIL.
Ward 1 John S. Kidder, George W. Eaton, William Boyd.
2 Hervey Tufts, Daniel J. Hoyt, James M. Morrill.
3 Israel Endicott, Joel Russell, George P. Folsom.
4 David Cross, Abram Brigham, William M. Parker.
5 Ebenezer Clark, Asa O. Colby, Nathaniel Herrick.
6 William Potter, J. G. Cilley, F. A. Hussey.
66 7 Sewell Leavitt, William W. Baker, Rodnia Nutt.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
Ward 1 Archibald Stark,
631
FIRST CITY OFFICERS.
2 Nathaniel Wheet,
3 Joseph Knowlton,
4 Moses Hill,
66 5 James McCauley,
6 William W. Brown,
7 Amos Weston,
OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.
Ward 1 Joseph M. Rowell,
2 B. F. Locke,
3 Francis Reed,
4 Levi Batchelder,
5 Caleb Johnson,
6 Flagg T. Underhill,
7 James Emerson.
ASSESSORS.
Ward 1 Edward Hall,
2 Ira Ballou,
66
3 James Wallace,
4 Charles Chase,
66 5 Lewis Bartlett,
66
6 Stilman Fellows,
66
7 James Hall, Jr.
The second and successful trial for the choice of a Mayor, was on Tuesday the first day of September. There were five candidates, viz : Hiram Brown, Isaac C. Flanders, Thomas Brown and John S. Wiggin. The result was as follows :
H. Brown. Flanders.
Wiggin. T. Brown. Whole No. votes.
Ward 1
41
48
2
4
100
2
79
47
15
26
175
3
98
36
17
23
183
4
112
16
4
9
142
5
124
65
9
30
236
6
00
72
4
14
186
7
58
64
0
4
132
602
347
51
109
1154
Hiram Brown had
602
Necessary to a choice
578
Brown's majority
24
Agreeably to public notice, the citizens generally met in the
632
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
City Hall, September 8, 1846, at 10 o'clock A. M., to witness the organization of the City Government. At the request of Moses Fellows, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, prayer was offered by the Rev. Cyrus W. Wallace, senior cler- gyman of the City.
The oath of office was then administered to the Mayor elect by Daniel Clark, Esq. The Mayor then administered the oath of office to the members elect then present, of the boards of Al- dermen, Common Council, Assessors, Overseers of the Poor and School Committee.
The Mayor then delivered an address. after which the various Boards of officers retired and organized by the choice of offi- cers.
The Common Council elected Wm. M. Parker President of that body, and David Hill, Clerk.
J. S. T. Cushing was chosen City Clerk, and Thomas Hoyt, Treasurer, in Convention ; and George T. Clark was appointed City Marshal, by the Mayor and Aldermen.
Hon. Samuel D. Bell was appointed by the Executive, as Justice of the Police Court, and Isaac Riddle and Joseph Coch- ran, Jr., Esqrs., as special Justices, September 28 1846.
Thus the City Government was in full tide of experiment.
RESIDENCE OF HON. MESSRS. NORRIS AND MORRISON.
20war34 25 NIMETWHI
Vivido
633
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TOWN.
CHAPTER XXV.
TOPOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Manchester .- Its boundaries and Natural History .- Rivers,-Merrimack, Pis- cataquog, and Cohas .- Lakes and Ponds,-Massabesic, Long, Little, Fort and Skenkers .- Brooks,-Sudden Pitch, Kimball's, Ray, Christian's, Mile, Amoskeag, Fort, Little Cohas, Heathhen, Mill-stone and Black .- Hills,- Oak, Bald, Heathhen, Bushnell's, Middle, and Stark .- Rock Rimmon. - Vil- lages,-Amoskeag, Piscataquog, Janesville, Towlesville, Hallsville and Moors .- Town Farms,-Old and New, Cemeteries .- North, Ray, Christian's Brook, Valley, Goff's Falls, Centre, Forest, Merrill, Huse, Amoskeag, Pis- cataquog, Catholic and New .- Squares,-Concord, Merrimack, Tremont, Hanover, Reservoir, and Park.
The city of Manchester, is situated on both banks of the Merrimack, in the extreme eastern part of the county of Hills- borough, in latitude 42ยบ 58 north.
It is bounded on the north by Goffstown and Hooksett ; East by Auburn and Londonderry ; south by Londonderry, Litch- field, and Bedford, and on the west by Bedford and Goffstown. It is made up of territory originally parts of Chester, London- derry, Bedford, Goffstown and two ungranted tracts of land along the east bank of the Merrimack, known as Harrytown and Henrysburg. In those parts of the city taken from incorpo- rated towns, the original surveys and "lottings" have been pre- served and are still recognized. As to the other tracts, very little regularity in surveys or lots has been preserved. Upon the charter of the town in 1751, that part of it not before in- corporated, extending for eight miles along the Merrimack, by direction of the Masonian proprietors, was surveyed and divid-
634
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
ed into lots by Col. Joseph Blanchard, of Dunstable. 'The lots were mainly of 100 acres each, running from the river to the lines of Chester and Londonderry, in oblong squares, where, distance or position would admit of it, but leaving from the form of the territory, many lots of irregular shape and of less area. This plan of lots was returned to the Masonian proprietors, and December 6, 1751, the same were drawn by them. These lands having been occupied, at least most of them, for a num- ber of years at this period, they were conveyed to the occu- pants usually for a small consideration, and they continuing their original bounds, rather than those upon the Blanchard plan, this surveying and "lotting" by the Masonian Proprietors, was of little use, and it is not known that a single line then es tablished is recognized at the present time.
Manchester is a half shire, the County Courts alternating te- twixt Manchester and Amherst. Its area comprises about 21,700 acres. Its surface is broken and uneven, yet affording some fine farms in almost every part of the town. Upon the west side of the Merrimack are some excellent interval lands, while upon the Cohas are some extensive low meadows. Hills and Valleys alternate in wild but pleasing variety in the north and east part, while in the south are some extensive plains in- tersected however by brooks and ravines. The north part lof the city was originally covered with a heavy growth of oak, maple, ash and white pine, while the banks of the rivers and the south portion of the city, with the exception of the inter- vales, were covered with a heavy growth of yellow and white pine. These so extensive, gave the name of Cohas, (the pines) to the river of that name that discharges the waters of the Mas- sabesic into the Merrimack. The intervales had a heavy growth of maple, elm, hemlock and white pine. In the swamps is found the magnificent Rose Bay ( Rhododendron maximum ) and the beautiful and sweet-scented azalea, while upon the hill sides is found in abundance the splendid spoonhuch (Kalmia Latifo- lia. ) Extensive bogs and swamps occurred on the brooks lead- ing into the Merrimack, Cohas and Massabesic. Some of these were composed of peat, affording a sickly growth of al- ders, spruce, maple and pine. Others composed of more com- pact soil, were composed of maple, birch and brown ash.
The peat bogs at Little Pond, on Ray Brook and Heathhen Brook, afford most excellent peat for burning, and occurring in vast quantities in either place, will hereafter afford a supply of fuel, to meet the demands of our people.
635
QUADRUPEDS, BIRDS, AND REPTILES.
The face of the town being thus diversified, it was the haunt of the most noted beasts of the forest. The bear, catamount, moose, deer, wolt, wild cat, lynx, blackcat, fisher, beaver, otter, and other animals of common and less notoriety, were formerly often found within our limits. The bear, catamount, wildcat, lynx, and otter, have been found in this vicinity, within a few years. A catamount was seen in this neighborhood some two years since, which killed a number of dogs in the adjacent town of Goffstown. This doubtles, was the same animal that was afterwards killed at Lee. It had probably strayed from the north and finding plenty of food, had its range along the Un- canoonucks, Saddle Back, Pawtuckaway, and other moutaius in the south part of state. The ferocious species of panther called by the Indians Luncasoux, was once found in this neighborhood. The hair of this animal is of a bluish color like that of the Maltese cat. It inhabits the deep forests of Canada, and is the terror of the Indians. A bear was killed in thistown as late as 1810, upon the Island in the Amoskeag Falls. Of the smaller animals, not often found in other sec- tions of this state, but found here, is the coney. This animal, somewhat larger than a hare, was formerly found here in abun- dance. In the lower part of the city and in Bedford, and Merri- mack, they are now occasionally met with, particularly in the latter town. They burrow in the ground, and delight in the sandy, and gravelly soil of the pine bluffs. Of birds, the usual varieties are common, and the cock-of-the-woods or the great redheaded, black woodpecker, the quail, and the heathhen are sometimes seen. The heath-hen was formerly found on Heath- hen Hill, in abundance. They are somewhat larger than the quail, have a grey plumage, and their head is crested somewhat in the manner of the pea-cock. Their flesh is said to be sweat- er than that of the quail or partridge.
Of reptiles, the rattle snake formerly was found in abun- dance, and occasionally one is now found in the north east part of the town. The copper head is also occasionally found. This snake is the same one familiar to our old inhabitants, as the poisonous, water-adder. It is the true copper head, as no adder has fangs. The horned or bearded snake, is also found in this section. This snake is usually when grown, some ten to fifteen inches in length, the back of a brown color, the bel- ly white, and sometimes tinged with red, a white ring or band about its neck, and its tail tipped with a hard, hornlike point. This is its weapon of attack and defence, and it will strike it
636
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
into an object with a good deal of force. It is not poisonous.
Of fish, the Salmon, Shad, Alewife and Lamprey, were abundant in our waters. The salmon is a sweet, lucious meated fish, of great strength, and superior as a swimmer. It "run" up the Merrimack in June to deposit its spawn, seeking the cold springy, shaded branches of the river for the purpose. Hence it frequented the Pemegewasset branch of the Merrimack riv- er, and never was found in the Winnepesaukee. Ou the con- trary, the shad, "running" at the same time and for the same purpose, sought the warm streams and ponds. Hence they went up the Winnepesaukee, and were never found inthe Pem- egewasset. How singular, that these fish, making their way up the Merrimack in company, should be led by instinct to part company at its forks, that they might better answer the laws of nature in producing their progeny: The alewife was of similar habits to the shad, but they preferred smaller streams and ponds for their haunts. The lamprey, made its way up the river for the same purpose, but deposited its spawn in any place in the river where it could find a pebbly bottom. It would de- posit its spawn, and then for its protection, would construct over it a fortificatien of pebbles, from the size of a robin's egg, to that of an ostrich. These fortifications, or eel-beds, were usually a mound some foot or more in height, and two or three feet in diameter at the base. Each pebble was carried by the eel, and deposited in its proper position. The manner of trans- portation was thus : The eel, after viewing a pebble, and de- termining its fitness, would apply its mouth or sucker to the surface of the pebble, and becoming attached firmly to it, would remove it to its place and deposit it with the greatest care. It would then seek another pebble and then another, and so on through days of toil until the bed was completed. Upon the eggs or spawns hatching, the young Lampreys would readily find their way out through the interstices among the pebbles, and would as readily retreat within their fortifications upon the approach of danger. Meantime their parents would glide around their beds, aud watch their young with apparent solici- tude !
These eel beds were often so extensive on the Merrimack in certain positions about its islands, as to stop the canal boats for a time. When a boat struck upon an eel bed the boatman would stand in the bow of the boat, and commence rocking it to and fro ; this movement would diminish the structure of pebbles and the boat would pass along, but the works and the
637
QUARRIES IN MANCHESTER.
hopes of the Lampreys were demolished with their ill-located beds.
Granitic gneiss, usually called granite, abounds in all sections of the town. The Clark, Ray, Wilson, Herrick, Bald Hill, Baker, Mitchel and Company's are well known ledges. The ledge at Bald Hill worked by Kimball & Co., produces some beautiful stone of fine color and even grain. The columns of the City Hall were obtained from boulders of variegated or stratified gneiss found in the south east part of the city, near to the Morse farm. It is a stone entirely different from any in this region, beauti- ful and. durable, and it would be interesting to know in what section of the country it is to be found in situ.
Slaty gneiss is found in small quantities at Amoskeag falls. In blasting the ledge for the canal, a kind of gneiss was found, intermixed with iron pyrites, which upon being blasted, and exposed to the atmosphere, crumbled to a loose sand. Carbon- ate of lime was found at the Company's ledge, opposite the Eddy, accompanying trap dikes.
In digging for the foundation of the Print Works, a fine bed of silicious marl some five feet in thickness, was found. Speci- mens of Schorl and Garnet are frequently met with. 'Iron and copper pyrites is often found. Crystals of quartz, hornblende, epidote, and mica, are often seen. Clay occurs in large quan- tities on the banks of the Cohas, where it is worked exten- sively into brick. It is met with in the east and upper bank of the Merrimack, but contains too much sand for use in making brick. Iron ore is found in small quantities, in the shape of crystals imbedded in talcose slate. Bog ore is to be met with in the meadows around Little Pond, and upon the Great and Little Cohas ; but in small quantities. It was found in Bed- ford, and was formerly worked by Col. Goffe, and also by Mr. James Martin. The latter worked it extensively, and furnished the government with cannon balls during the revolution.
A few feet below "the pulpit" in the Amoskeag Falls, is an appearance deserving notice, as it tends to demonstrate, that our rocks generally are not primitive, as they are often called, but that they are secondary and metamorphic, that is, made up of the ruins of more ancient and primitive rocks, indurated by the action of heat, as brick are hardened in a kiln. In the solid mass of a course granite bed will be seen at the place referred to, two large granite boulders, of several cubic feet each in size, 45
638
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
of fine grained granite, rounded apparently by the action of water, imbedded in the ledge like plums in a pudding, which it seems hardly possible to doubt, were consolidated and worn to their present form, andburied in the mass of materials which now forms the ledge, while it was yet in the state of a mere bed of mud or gravel.
Fruit was not cultivated extensively in former years ; there are now however some fine orchards of apples, and plums are cultivated extensively. In fact, it is found that few places are better adapted to the cultivation of the various kinds of plums. Whether owing to the proximity to the river, or to the soil, it is found that most kinds of this fruit grow in the greatest pro- fusion, and of superior size and quality.
THE MERRIMACK RIVER.
The most important natural feature connected with Manches- ter is the Merrimack. It ever has been, and is now the source of prosperity. When the Pennacook Sagamons had their roy- al residences at Namaoskeag, the Merrimack was the object of their attraction. When the Scotch Irish claimed this territory under their title from Col. Wheelwright, the fish of the Mer- rimack was the object that prompted their claim. The thrifty men of Derryfield and the thriftless men of the same place, were equally indebted to the Merrimack, the former for their thrift and the latter for their living. And the people of Man- chester derive all their importance from the same source. The Merrimack is the great aorta that supplies it with its life blood, its energy, enterprise and prosperity. The falls in this river are the cause of such results ; in former times by presenting an obstacle to the free passage of fish, causing them to collect in immense schools in the eddies below the rapids, and thus be- coming an easy prey to the fishermen; and latterly by a ju- dicious and scientific application of their hydraulic power. These falls and the adjacent country have long been known by the name of "Namaoskeag." "Namaoskeag," or as called by the English, and now written, Amoskeag, has been a noted place for centuries. The terminals, oog, ook and uk, written by the English auke or ook, were used by the Indians to repre- set a place or spot of land or water ; and eag, eeg and eek, writ- ten by the English, eug, eke and ic were the terminals used by the Indians, to represent long or extended places of water. Thus, Namaos means a fish, and compounded with eag, with
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