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Rankin County, Mi., c. h. at Brandon. Bounded
E. by Scott and Smith counties, S. by Simpson
co., and W. and N. by Pearl River, separating it
from Hinds and Madison counties. Drained by
branches of Pearl River.
Raphoe, Pa., Lancaster co. Great Chiques
Creek runs on the E. and S., and Little Chiques
on the W. border of this town. Surface undu-
lating ; soil calcareous loam, sand, and gravel.
12 miles N. W. from Lancaster.
#Rapides Parish, La., c. h. at Alexandria.
Bounded N. W. and N. E. by Natchitoches and
Catahoula parishes, E. by Avoyelles, S. by St.
Landry and Calcasieu, and W. by Sabine parish.
Drained by Red River and its tributaries, Bceuf
and Crocodile Bayous. Soil fertile on the streams,
but elsewhere sterile, and in some portions liable
to inundation.
Rappahannock County, Va., c. h. at Washing-
ton. Bounded N. E. by Fauquier co., S. E. by
Culpepper, S. W. by Madison, and N. W. by
Page and Warren counties. Watered by the
head branches of Rappahannock River.
Raritan, N. J., Hunterdon co. Drained by
branches of the Raritan River. 20 miles N. from
Trenton.
Ravenna, 0., c. h. Portage co. Near a branch
of the Cuyahoga, which affords water power, and
on the Pennysivania and Ohio Canal. 140 miles
N. E. from Columbus.
Rawlingsville, Aa., c. h. De Kalb co. 153 miles
N. E. from Tuscaloosa.
Ray County, Mo., c. h. at Richmond. Bounded
N. by Caldwell co., E. by Carroll co., S. by the
Missouri River, separating it from Lafayette and
Jackson counties, and W. by Clay and Clinton
counties. Drained by Crooked River and Fish-
ing Creeks, tributaries of the Missouri.
Raynham, Ms., Bristol co. This town was a
part of Taunton until 1731. It wras first settled
in 1680. Its Indian name was Hockamock. The
surface is generally level; the soil light, and not
very productive. On its southern and eastern
borders Raynham is finely watered by Taunton
River, which affords power for manufacturing
operations, and it contains a number of large
and beautiful ponds. 33 miles S. from Boston.
Raymond, Me., Cumberland co. Raymond is
watered by Crooked River, and several ponds.
This is a good farming town, with 2 villages, and
some trade. The inhabitants are principally de-
voted to agricultural pursuits. It lies 22 miles
N. N. W. from Portland. It is bounded on the
W. by Naples, and contains some of the sources
of Sebago Lake on its S.
Raymond, N. H., Rockingham co. Two branches
of the Lamprey River unite in Raymond, and
the wraters of 2 ponds also fall into it. The Pa-
tuckaway crosses the N. E. comer. The soil is
various; that bordering on the river is produc-
tive. In the N. part of the town, near the sum-
mit of a hill about 100 feet high, is a natural
excavation in a ledge, called the Oven, from the
appearance of its mouth. It is a regular arch
about 5 feet high, and of the same width, extend-
ing into the hill about 15 feet, and terminating
in a number of fissures. 25 miles W. by S. from
Portsmouth, and 28 S. E. from Concord.
Readjield, Me., Kennebec co. A good township
of land. 11 miles W. from Augusta. |
Reading, Ct., Fairfield co. This town was in-
corporated in 1767, and derived its name from
Colonel John Read, one of its first settlers. The
soil of the town is good, but the surface is rough
and hilly. The business of the people is chiefly
agricultural, who live scattered about on their
farms. Considerable attention is paid in Read-
ing to the growing of wool. It is watered by
Saugatuck and Norwalk Rivers. 60 miles S. W.
from Hartford.
Reading, Ms., Middlesex co., was called Lynn
Village, and was a part of Lynn until its incor-
poration in 1644. The surface is pleasantly di-
versified by hills and valleys. The soil is gen-
erally good, in some parts excellent, and the town
is watered by Ipswich River. There are two vil-
lages in the town — Wood End Village, at the S.
part of the town, through which the Boston and
Maine Railroad passes, and West Village, about
3 miles N. of the other. 13 miles N. from Boston,
and 10 W. from Salem. The shoe manufacture
is large.
Reading, N. Y., Steuben co. Watered by a
few small streams flowing into Seneca Lake,
which bounds it on the E. Surface elevated and
rolling; soil well adapted to wheat. 21 miles E.
from Bath, and 186 W. from Albany.
Reading, Pa., Adams co. Conewago Creek
and Muddy Run water this town, the surface
of which is level, and the soil red shale and slate.
Reading, Pa., shire town of Berks co. Situated
on the E. bank of the Schuylkill River. 58 miles
N. W. of Philadelphia, and 52 E. of Harrisburg.
It is built on ground gently rising from the
river towards the base of a ridge of hills which
passes behind it. The streets are wide and
straight, crossing each other generally at right
angles, and are dressed with a covering of white
gravel, or disintegrated sandstone, which consol-
idates into a smooth and solid carriage way, su-
perior to that of the McAdamized road. Besides
the court house and jail, there are an academy,
a female seminary, 3 public libraries, — one of
which is German, — 3 banks, and from 12 to 1.5
churches of the different denominations. The
principal churches are the Lutheran, German
Reformed, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist,
Baptist, Friends, Universalist, and Roman Cath-
olic. The Lutheran Church is a large and hand-
some structure, with a steeple 201 feet high. The
German Reformed Church is of brick, and has
likewise a lofty steeple. In these two churches
divine service is performed in the German lan-
guage. Of several weekly newspapers published
here, 3 are in the language of the Germans. The
court house is a fine building, on elevated ground,
commanding an extensive prospect. It has a
portico with six columns of red sandstone in
front, and presents an imposing appearance.
A large business is done here in the manufac-
ture of hats for the southern and western mar-
kets. A cotton factory is in operation here for
making fine muslins, which turns out about 8000
yards a day. There is a rolling mill and nail fac-
tory, and large flouring mills in the place. White
wines of an excellent quality are manufactured
here to a considerable amount, from the grapes
grown in the vicinity. Reading is supplied with
water by an aqueduct from a spring on Penn's
Mount, conducted into a reservoir, and distrib-
uted through the streets in iron pipes.
The Schuylkill Canal, which commences at
Port Carbon, near Pottsville, in the coal region,
passes through Reading, and terminates at Phil-
adelphia. The Philadelphia, Reading, and Potts-
ville Railroad also connects these three places. |
