North Adams

NORTH ADAMS. A city, inchuling several villages within its corporate limits, in Berkshire County, Mass., 21 miles north of Pittsfield; on the Hoosac River, and on the 'Boston and Al bany and the Boston and Maine railroads (Map: Massachusetts, A 2). An attractive feature of the city is its beautiful location, amid mountain scenery. at the foot of Greylock, the highest mountain in the State. It is near the western end of the famous Hoosac Tunnel. and the nat ural bridge which spans Hudson Brook at a height of 50 feet is in North Adams. The more prominent institutions are a State normal school, North Adams Library, and North Adams 'Hos pital. The principal industries include the manu facture of cotton, woolen, and print goods, boot; and shoes, machinery, etc. North Adams was one of the first places in the United States east of the Pacific slope where Chinamen were cm ployed. The government is administered, under the charter of 1895, by a mayor, annually elected, and a unicameral council, elected on a general ticket. The majority of subordinate municipal

officials are appointed, either absolutely or with the consent of the council, by the executive, but with these exceptions: city clerk and auditor of accounts, elected by the council, and assessors, trustees of public library, and school committee, chosen by popular vote. The water-works are owned and operated by the municipality. Popu lation, in 1890, 16,074; in 1900, 24,200. Settled about 1765, North Adams was separated from Adams and incorporated as a town in 1578. In 1S95 it became a city. The site of Fort Massa chusetts, which was captured by the French and Indians under Vaudreuil in 1746, is in the west ern part of the city. Consult Spear, History of North Adams (North Adams, 1385).