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Joseph Lucas, of this town, on, a new principle, by which, while much of the manual labor is saved, a larger quantity of nails can be made in a given time than by any other machine. As a specimen of its performance, it may be mentioned, that the produce of something less than five hours' work was one thousand and twenty-five pounds of 10d. or board nails, of the very best quality. Mr. David Bradford, of this town, is the inventor of another nail machine, considered equal if not superior to the best of the old construction.

Near the rolling-mill, is an air furnace, occasionally used in casting machinery for the iron works. Here is also a furnace belonging to the same establishment, for converting bar iron into blistered steel. Thirty cords of wood are consumed in the process of baking, which requires from six to ten days. About eighteen tons are made in a batch.

At Eel River is another rolling mill of more modern construction. It commenced operation in June, 1827. The head and fall of water in this privilege are about thirty feet, with an unfailing stream. The rolling-mill and nail factory connected with it are built of granite, in a very strong and durable manner; the former is eighty by fifty feet in the clear, and the latter seventy-two by forty feet.

The rolling-mill will manufacture the present year about seventeen hundred tons of iron into nail-rods, plates and hoops. Another nail factory, about one mile from these works, is supplied by them with plates; and on the same dam with it is a forge where bar-iron of superior tenacity is made from scraps. Below these, on the same stream, is a rivet factory, where may be seen a machine for making rivets, invented by Mr. Timothy Allen, another ingenious mechanic of Plymouth, and intended to supersede the ill-contrived tools at present used. It has been in successful operation one or two years, and fully answers the expectations of the inventor.

It may not be amiss to include in this enumeration, a factory lately put in operation by Captain Samuel Bradford, for making staves, to be used for nail casks. By this machinery the staves are sawed from the log, jointed, and tapered into the precise form necessary to give the cask the required shape.

Cotton Factories. The Cotton Factory on Town-brook wa erected in 1813; dimensions ninety-two feet by thirty-six, and is four stories, including basement and attic. It contains about sixteen hundred spindles and thirty-four looms, and manufactures from nine hundred to one thousand yards of cloth daily, all about three quarters of a yard wide, employing about fiftyfour hands..

The factory at Eel River was erected in 1812, and its dimensions are ninety-two by thirty-six, and is six stories, including the basement and attic. Belonging to the same establishment and at the same dam, is a smaller building which contains spinning machinery also.

There are about two thousand spindles in both, and about forty looms in operation. From eleven to twelve hundred yards of cloth are manufactured daily, part of which is three-fourths and part one yard wide. This factory gives employment to about sixty-four persons. The factory at Manomet Ponds contains about three hundred spindles, and manufactures about 50 pounds of coarse warp per day, a considerable portion of which is colored, and made into cod and mackerel lines, which are lately introduced into use, and bid fair to supersede those made of hemp altogether. These are twisted and laid by water in a small line-walk attached to the factory. There is also a small cotton factory on the forge stream at Eel River, which manufactures coarse warps, and a very superior kind of wicking used for making sperm candles. There is at the forge dam at Eel River, a small nail factory, where about one thousand nails are made daily.

Plymouth Cordage Company was incorporated in 1824. Their rope-walk situated in the north part of the town and near the Kingston line, is three stories high, capable of employing eighty hands and making five hundred tons of cordage per year. Their cordage is of a patent kind, in high repute and made by water power.

There is another rope-walk in town, operating by water power, but no statement of the extent of its operations could be procured.

There is also in town a twine and line manufactory, where eight tons of hemp are manufactured annually into twine and various kinds of line, which come to a profitable market.

Ship building was formerly carried on to a considerable extent in this town; many excellent vessels have been sent from our ship yards, but the business is now diminished on account of the scarcity of timber. In 1779, a packet ship was built in this town for Congress, by Mr. John Peck, who was at that time much celebrated for his skill as a marine architect. ship was called the Mercury, and was commanded by Captain Simeon Sampson, and employed to carry public despatches to our ministers in France. The ship-yard was on the spot which is now the garden of Captain Lothrop Turner.

The

News Papers. In the year 1785, Nathaniel Coverly, of Boston, commenced the publication of a newspaper in town, en

titled the Plymouth Journal, but from its limited circulation, and our nearness to the metropolis, it was discontinued after a few months. In 1822, Mr. Allen Danforth commenced the Old Colony Memorial, which is published every Saturday. This paper is increasing in reputation and is well supported. Connected with the printing office is a newspaper reading room, where intelligence from various quarters is daily received, and is a pleasant resort for the reading gentlemen at their leisure hours. Under the same roof is a book-store and bindery, and a circulating library. May 17th, 1832, appeared the first number of a weekly paper entitled the 'Pilgrim,' established by Rev. F. Freeman, but in about one year it was discontinued for want of support. October 27, 1832, the first number of an anti-masonic newspaper was published in this town for the county of Plymouth. The imprint is We the People, and Old Colony Press, published once a week, by C. A. Hack and H. Seaver. Discontinued in 1834.

February 16, 1833, commenced The Old Colony Democrat, a weekly paper which in May 1834, was removed to Middleborough.

There are three licensed public taverns in towns, all of which are commodious, and well provided and attended; and there are two other taverns on the road to Sandwich.

Mrs. Nicholson's boarding house, in court square, has long been established, and is known to the public for its excellent accommodations.

The first regular stage commenced running from this town to Boston in 1796. We have now a stage establishment equal to any in the country, running daily in various directions, and provided with excellent horses and careful and attentive drivers. Although we can boast of no rail-road cars to facilitate conveyance, our public roads are kept in fine order, and our fathers would say that our Stage Coaches are good enough for their posterity to travel the paths over which they themselves were satisfied to trudge on foot or to ride on the backs of bulls.

The first post office establishment in this town was by our Provincial Congress, May 12, 1775. They established a mail route from Cambridge, through Plymouth and Sandwich to Falmouth, once a week. The Congress appointed William Watson, Esq., postmaster in this town, and Timothy Goodwin and Joseph Howland, joint post riders. The following are the rates and duties for the postage of letters, &c., to be paid in lawful money.

From any distance not exceeding 60 miles £0-0-51

The rate of postage is doubled for all double letters, trebled for all treble letters, and for every ounce weight, four times as much is to be charged as for a single letter.

Plan of riding from Cambridge to Falmouth in Barnstable county:

To set off from Cambridge every Monday noon, and leave his letters with William Watson, Esq., post-master at Plymouth Tuesday at four o'clock afternoon. To set off from Plymouth Wednesday morning 9 o'clock and leave his letters with Mr. Joseph Nye, 3d, post-master in Sandwich, Wednesday 2 o'clock afternoon; to set off from Sandwich at 4 o'clock and leave his letters with Mr. Moses Swift, post-master at Falmouth, Thursday morning 8 o'clock. To set off on his return Thursday noon and reach Sandwich at 5 o'clock, and set off from thence at 6 o'clock on Friday morning and reach Plymouth at noon; to set off from Plymouth Friday 4 o'clock afternoon and leave his letters with Mr. James Winthrop, post-master in Cambridge on Saturday evening.

Watertown, June 1, 1776.

We have appointed Messrs. Goodwin and Howland, joint post riders from the post office at Cambridge to the post office at Falmouth, through Sandwich and back again, which they are to perform according to the foregoing plan. Above you have the rates of postage; you will make up your mails separately for every office in the colony, inclosing a ticket sealed, and deliver it to the riders in due season, that they may be enabled to do their duty with punctuality; you are to be accountable to us according to the tenor of your bond, for all the money you receive for postage deducting your service in your office twenty per cent.

WILLIAM GREENLEAF, by order.

To William Watson, Esq., Post-Master at Plymouth.' Such has been the improvement in travelling since that period, that the mail is now transported in covered carriages from Bos

ton to Falmouth and returned in two days, and over the same route three times a week.

Alms House. In 1826, the town purchased a few acres of land well located, and erected a very commodious brick house and out houses, at the expense of from four to five thousand dollars, where the poor are well accommodated under the care of an overseer, and amply and comfortably provided for. The average number in the house is thirty-three, and the expense to the town for their support, overbalancing their earnings, is about one thousand dollars annually. This sum includes the expense of a few individuals partly supported out of the house.

Market. Our provision market affords an ample supply of the various substantials, the conveniences, and the luxuries of life, such as beef, pork, mutton, poultry, and sometimes venison. At our fish market we have cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, bass, tautog, lobsters, eels, alewives, and clams. Should any one complain for want of a dinner, he must be chargeable with inexcusable indolence, and probably with intemperance.

Societies. PILGRIM SOCIETY. This society was established in 1820, by the descendants of the first settlers at Plymouth, and such others as were desirous of perpetuating their principles, and commemorating their virtues. The number of members of this society amounts to several hundred, and it is desirable that number should be increased. The terms of admission are ten dollars, and those who duly appreciate the principles of the institution and the characters of the puritan fathers, cannot fail to unite in this duty of filial piety, and contribute their aid to its support. An appropriate diploma, prepared by Mr. Penniman, of Boston, has been, and is designed to be distributed among the members. The diploma is about 15 inches by 10, the upper part gives a view of Plymouth harbor, the beach, and island. Below is a sketch of Plymouth village, and surrounding objects, as now presented to view. The stated meetings of the society are held at Pilgrim Hall, on the 22d of December, and for the choice of officers, the last Monday in May. The officers of the present year, 1834, are, Alden Bradford, president; Z. Bartlett, vice-president; Benjamin M. Watson, recording secretary, Pelham W. Warren, corresponding secretary; Isaac L. Hedge, treasurer; James Thacher, librarian and cabinet keeper. There are eleven trustees, and a committee of arrangements consisting of three.

Temperance Society. The Plymouth County Temperance Society, have frequently held their meetings in this town, and Daniel Frost, Jr. Esq., being employed as agent for the county, has on several occasions during the past summer, addressed