GROWTH OF HAVERHILL. 9 



worship God," it became at last one of those towns in the 

 county which were distinguished for the skill and prosperity 

 of the agricultural community which was settled here. It 

 was finelv located on the banks of this swift-running river, 

 which came flashing along from the mountains of New Hamp- 

 shire and the lakes above, with no alluvial soil, but with 

 those rich and fertile and beavj' clay banks which are so 

 superior, under the long-continued toil of the farmer, for the 

 purposes of various crops. Here the fathers established a 

 prosperous agricultural community, and year after year, for 

 more than two centuries, Haverhill performed her part as one 

 of the leading towns in this Commonwealth. Wheu the busi- 

 ness of agriculture began to decline, aud the attention of our 

 people was turned to other branches of business, how she 

 sprang forth to accept the work which was then laid before 

 us, advancing in a few years from a little town of 3,500 peo- 

 ple, prosperous in their agricultural pursuits, to a city of 

 almost 15,000 people, with more thau 150 firms engaged 

 in the manufacture of leather aud its products, and with an 

 annual production of ten millions of dollars from her industry 

 alone ! It is in a town like this that we have gathered to-day, 

 one of the significant towns of the State of ]\Iassachusetts ; 

 one of those towns which, having grown out of the simple 

 and 'primitive agriculture of our fathers, has developed, by 

 its industry and skill, not only the agriculture of the section 

 in which it is located, but its own inherent power and wealth, 

 and has fixed here the great law of American farming, which 

 is, that local markets shall be the sources of profit to the 

 farmer. 



Now, in welcoming you to this spot, I congratulate you 

 that you have fallen upon so hospitable a community, and I 

 am sure you will agree with me before this meeting closes, 

 that 3"ou have also fallen into an attentive and intelligent 

 assembly. 



The agriculture of this county — which is now a matter of 

 interest to us, having assembled here — has passed through all 

 the various phases of agricultural necessity and experience in 

 this country. The coast line here was earl}' inhabited. Salem 

 was settled two years before Boston, and from that day down 

 to the early part of this century, agriculture was the main 



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