Identifier: newenglandgazett00lchayw (find matches)
Title: The New England gazetteer; containing descriptions of all the states, counties and towns in New England: also descriptions of the principal mountains, rivers, lakes, capes, bays, harbors, islands, and fashionable resorts within that territory. Alphabetically arranged
Year: 1839 (1830s)
Authors: Hayward, John, 1781-1869
Subjects: New England -- Gazetteers
Publisher: Boston, J. Hayward Concord, N. H., Boyd & White
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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is the great thoroughfare for trav-ellers from the north, and the freightby horses and baggage wagons isimmense. The soil of this town is general-ly good, and the intervales veryproductive. Large masses of gran-ite suitable for the purposes of build-ing exist here, the most important ofwhich is The J\eio HampshireLedge, a name by which in an act ofincorpoiation an immense mass ofgranite in the N.W. part of the townhas been designated. This ledge issituated about 1 1-2 miles N. W. ofthe state house, and about 200 rodsdistant from Merrimack rivei-,whichis navigable to this place with boats.The course of the ledge is from N.E. to S. W. and its rise about 45°from a plane of the hoiizon, and itsheight about 350 feet. It presentsa surface of massive primitivegranite, of more than 4,500 squarerods. The rift of this stone is veryperfect, smooth and legular; splitsare easily made to the depth of 12to 20 feet, and of almost any re-quired length. And unlike muchof the buildins: stone now in the
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NEW ENCLAND GAZETTEER. market, it has been ascertained bya recent examination (made by Mr.A. H. Hayes, of Roxbury, Mass.,and other eminent chemists andgeolos;ists,) that the stone Crom thisquarry is perfectly free from thoseoxides, or other mineral substances,which on exposure to the atmos-phere, mar the beauty of much ofthe New England granite. Thisstone quarries easily ; the great ele-vation and dip of the ledge, and itsproxin)ity to the river, giving it facil-ities of working and transportation,it is believed unequalled. From thebase of the ledge to the bank of theMerrima(;k, a rail-way is contem- jplated, the proprietors of the ledge ;having already obtained a charter (for that purpose. As the great fa- ;cility of transportation by way of jthe river to the markets, becomesknown, together with the fact, thattJie upward freight would, during agreat portion of the year, go fartowards remunerating the cost oftransportation of this stone to theseaboard—the situation, extent, andvalue

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