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forty-five feet wide, ten feet deep
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 Am-
oskeag Mill and water power
company. These falls Avere the re-
sort of the Indians in the season,
to secure fish for their year’s sup-
ply. Tribes A\rould congregate
here, for many miles around, and
catch and dry the fish, there ap-
pearing to be no end to the sup-
ply. The early settlers followed
in the tracks of the Indians, in
this respect, for many years. Par-
ties would come with teams
freighted with salt and barrels,
fifty miles distant, and camp out,
and catch and salt doAvn 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 ar-
rived. Dams and other obstruc-
tions have destroyed the whole run
of fish, AAdiich swarmed the river
from the ocean to its source in
the White Mountain streams.
Piscataquoag RiATer has its rise
in FrancestoAvn. Weare, Dunbar-
ton and NeAV-Boston, passes
through Goffstown and joins the
Merrimack at the south-Avest part
of the toAATn. There is some Aralua-
ble water power near its mouth.
Cohas or Massabesic River is the
outlet of Massabesic Lake. In the
short passage of three miles to |
Merrimack RiA'er, at Goff’s Falls,
it falls over one hundred and twen-
ty-five feet. Near the Merrimack
there is a fine water power Avhich
is improved. There are several
brooks in various sections of the
town.
City. The city proper of Man-
chester is located on tho east side
of the Merrimack and near the
Amoskeag Falls. But few cities
can boast of more rapid growth,
enterprise, and general intelli-
gence of its people. The Amos-
keag Manufacturing Company Avas
incorporated in 1831, and purchas-
ed all the land around the falls on
the east side, and Avhere the city
noAV stands, including the valley
cemetery. They noAV own nearly
all the land to Avithin one hun-
dred feet of the AV.est side of Elm
street, and OAvn and maintain all
those streets on the Avest side of
Elm, running toAvards the canal.
The Amoskeag is the largest, and
most powerful corporation in the
State, and while it has ahvays
looked at the main chance (or
their OAvn interest,) it has always
looked at the best interest of the
city. For (Avhat 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 Avent into operation,
and from that date commenced
the groAvth of the toAvn which had
increased in 1840 to 3,235 inhabi-
tants. The streets are regularly
laid out, and, in various sections of
the city, public laAvns were reserv-
ed AAdiich have been laid out into
walks and planted Avith shade
trees. Some of them have beau-
tiful artificial ponds. These parks |
