Chatham, Ct.
Middlesex co. The township of Chatham embraces Chatham par- ish, (formerly East Middletown,) the greater part of Middle Haddam parish, the parish of East Hampton and a part of the parish of West Chester. It lies 16 miles S. from Hartford, and opposite to Middle- town, from which it was taken in 1767. Population, 1830, 3,646*. Chatham is watered by Salmon and Pine brooks and several ponds.— Job's pond, abbut 2 miles in cir- cumference, has no outlet. It rises and falls about 15 feet. It rises for six or twelve months, and then falls about the same period. It is high- est in the driest season of the year, and lowest when there is most rain. It is from 40 to 60 feet deep. Chat- ham is noted for its valuable quar- ries of freestone. “ For forty years past it has been extensively improv- ed, and the stone, to the depth of thirty feet from the surface, are now removed over an area of an acre and a half, back from the river. The stone in this quarry is covered in some places with four or five feet of earth, and in others with four or five feet more of shelly rock. It is not perfectly solid, but lies in blocks, eight or ten feet thick, and fifty and sixty feet long. The seams and joints facilitate the process of removing these from their beds; and when removed, they are reduc- ed by the wedge and chisel to any size or form which is wished. In this quarry thirty hands have been employed for several years, eight months in the year, and from four to six teams. The quantity of stone prepared for market, and sold to the inhabitants of this and the neigh- boring towns, and exported to dis- tant parts of the country, has been very great; and has yielded a hand- some profit. Fifty rods south of this quarry an opening was made about 1783, now spreading over half an acre. Here the stone is |
covered with ab&ut ten feet of earth. In this opening as many as !
twelve hands have been sometimes employed. Vessels come to this and the above quarry, and load from the bank. The bed of stone in which these and the smaller open- ings in the neighborhood have been made is immense, and lies at differ- ent depths from the surface in dif- ferent places. It has been discov- ered in sinking wells, for half a mile in northern and southern di- rections, and has been opened at a greater distance eastward. Where- ever found, the stone possesses the \
same general properties, but varies, like the freestone in Middletown, 1
in the fineness of its texture.”
Chelmsford, Mass.
Middlesex co. On the south side of Merrimack river, and connect- ed with Dracut by a bridge.—
First settled, 1753. Incorporated,
1655. Population, 1837, 1,613. It lies 25 miles N. W. from Boston,1 and 4 S. W. from.Lowell. Chelms- ford abounds in limestone and gran- ite ; considerable of the latter is transported to Boston by the Mid- dlesex canal, which passes through the town. The manufactures of this town, during the year ending ;
April 1, 1837, amounted to about $100,000;—principally of glass and iron.
Chelsea, Vt.
County town of Orange county.
First settled, 1785. Chelsea is a township of good land, with a pleas- ant village in the centre. It is wa- tered by the head branches of White river and has a good hydraulic pow- er. Its manufactures consist of 1
cassimere, satinet, leather, iron, &c. . I
Chelsea produces all the various ;
commodities common to the climate, \
and feeds, about 6,000 sheep. It lies 5
20 miles S. by E. from Montpelier. j
Population, 1830, 1,958. |