MASSACHUSETTS. 



187 



celebrated are those of Chelmsford and Quincy, which have supplied the materials for the finesf 

 structures in Boston, and some of the southern cities. Beautiful white marble is abundant, and 

 extensively wrought at Lanesborough, Lenox, and Stockbridge ; soapstone is found at Cum- 

 mington and Middlefield ; limestone, serpentine, and asbestos, at Newbury. Bog-iron ore is 

 found at Carver, in Plymouth county ; iron also occurs in several places in the county of Bris- 

 tol. At Hawley, near the banks of Deerfield River, is an inexhaustible mine of magnetic iron 

 ore, which has been wrought for many years. There is a copper mine at Greenfield, on the 

 Connecticut, but it has been little explored. Yellow ochre is found at Templeton, in the 

 county of Worcester. Anthracite coal exists in many places in the interior of the State, but no 

 mines are wrought at present. The island of Martha's Vineyard produces abundance of argil- 

 laceous earth, from which alum is manufactured. Quarries of slate exist at Lancaster, Harvard, 

 Bernardston, Charlestown, &c. The plumbago or blacklead of Sturbridge and Worcester is 

 employed in making crucibles and lead-pencils, lubricating machinery, &c. The secondary 

 rocks near Mansfield and West Bridgewater, contain anthracite coal. Copperas ore, or iron 

 pyrites, is found at Hubbardston. 



13. Face of the Country. The mountainous region occupies the western part of the State ; 

 still, that district cannot be called in general an elevated country. The middle and northeastern 

 parts are lower, but hilly and broken. The southeast is the lowest part, and is in general level 

 and sandy. East of Wachusett there ai-e no high mountains. 



POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



1. Divisions. There are 14 counties in Massachusetts, 

 besides three cities. 



The number of towns is 313, 



County Towns. 



Lenox. 



Greenfield. 



Springfield. 



Northampton. 



Worcester. 



Edgarton. 



Nantucket. 



Barnstable. 



Dedham. 



Plymouth. 



Counties. 



Bristol, 

 Suffolk, . 



Middlesex, 

 Essex, 



County Towns. 



( New Bedford. 

 \ Taunton. 



Boston. 

 C Cambridge. 



< Concord. 

 ( Lowell. 



C Salem. 



< Newburyport. 

 f Ipswich. 



Counties. 



Berkshire, 

 Franklin, . 

 Hampden, 

 Hampshire, 

 Worcester, 

 Dukes, 

 Nantucket, 

 Barnstable, 

 Norfolk, 

 Plymouth, 

 Boston is the capital. 



2. Canals. Middlesex Canal., uniting the Merrimack with the waters of Boston harbor, 

 was begun in 1793, and completed in 1804, at an expense of 575,000 dollars. It is 27 miles 

 long, 30 feet wide, and 4 deep ; it has 20 locks and 7 aqueduct bridges over valleys and 

 streams. The canal leaves the Merrimack one mile above Pawtucket falls, and terminates in 

 Charlestown Mill Pond, an artificial basin connected with Boston harbor. It is supplied with 

 ivater by Concord River. The locks are 90 feet long and 12 wide, and are strongly built of 

 hewn stone. By this canal, a boat communication is opened between Boston and the interior 

 of New Hampshire. Paivtucket Canal was begun in 1793, and finished in 1797. It passes 

 round Pawtucket falls, on the Merrimack, is Ij miles in length, and was originally 30 feet wide 

 and 3 deep, but was enlarged to 90 feet wide and 4 deep, in 1821, for the double purpose of 

 navigation and conveying water to the manufactories of Lowell, in which town it is situated. 

 Blackstone Canal follows the valley of Blackstone River from Worcester to Providence, R. L, 

 45 miles. It has 48 locks, all of stone, making a rise and fall of 450 feet. The locks are each 

 82 feet long and 10 wide. Hampden and Hampshire Canal-, in continuation of the Farmington 

 Canal, from Southwick to Northampton, is 20 miles long. South Hadley Canal and Mon- 

 tague Canal were constructed for passing falls in the Connecticut. 



3. Roads. In the older towns, especially in the eastern parts of the State, the roads are 

 generally good, and ample provision is made by law for their support. The towns are por- 

 tioned out into districts, and surveyors are appointed to clear all obstructions, and keep the 

 roads in repair. Turnpikes are numerous everywhere, and more than 60 turnpike companies 

 have been chartered. Few of the turnpikes in this State have brought any immediate profit to 

 the oroDrietors, but the facilities for traveling which they generally afford are very great. 



