[Illustration: APPLETON MILLS. 1845.] Nor would a sketch of Lowell be complete without mention of the firm of J.C. Ayer and Company. Dr. J.C. Ayer started the business in 1837, when he offered to physicians the prescription of cherry pectoral. It soon became a very popular remedy, and he was soon embarked in the enterprise of manufacturing it. Liter he added to the list of his proprietary medicines cathartic pills, sarsaparilla, ague cure, and hair vigor. He died July 3, 1878, after having accumulated a princely fortune. His brother, and partner, Frederick Ayer, conducts the business. The firm occupy several large buildings and employ three hundred people. The world demands fifteen tons of Ayer's pills yearly. They publish thirteen million almanacs, in ten languages, issuing twenty-six editions for different localities, keeping several large presses constantly at work. [Illustration: HIGH-STREET CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.] C.J. Hood and Company also make sarsaparilla and other proprietary medicines. They employ seventy-five operatives. E.W. Hoyt and Company employ twenty hands, and make two million bottles of German cologne. There are numerous other manufactories in the city, of more or less extent. Their products consist of porus and adhesive plasters, lung protectors, sulphuric, hydrochloric, and nitric acids, and other chemicals and dye-stuffs, belting, paper stock, yarns, shoulder-braces, suspenders, shoe-linings, elastic webbing, sackings, rugs, mats, gauze undergarments, looms, harnesses, felting, hose, bunting, seamless flags, awning stripes, reeds, braid, cord, chalk-lines, picture cords, twines, belts, fire hose, leather, bolts, nuts, screws, washers, boilers, tanks, kettles, presses, fire-escapes, water-wheels, wire-heddles, card-clothing, wood-working and knitting machinery, cartridges, chimney-caps, stamps, tools, lathes, files, wire-cloth, scales, steel wire, paper boxes, music stands, mouldings, carriages, sleighs, shuttles, doors, sashes, blinds, furniture, asbestos covering, blotters, crayons, drain-pipe, glue, lamp-black, machine brushes, matches, croquet sets. [Illustration: MERRIMAC HOUSE. Built in 1833, rebuilt in 1873. Henry Emery proprietor since 1845.] Proper attention has always been paid to education in Lowell, In 1822, there were two schoolhouses within the territory, one near the pound, the other near the stone house at Pawtucket Falls. The Merrimack Company soon after its organization built a schoolhouse on Merrimack Street and paid the teacher. The Reverend Theodore Edson had charge of the school. Joel Lewis was the first male teacher. Alfred V. Bassett was the second. In 1829, the school had one hundred and sixty-five pupils. In 1834, the school was divided. The High School building on Kirk Street was erected in 1840, and remodeled in 1867. Charles C. Chase was teacher from 1845 to 1883. He was succeeded by Frank F. Coburn, the present teacher.