Andover Thread." All these firms have secured such a
reputation for their goods that while a period of business depression
may lessen the profits it has little effect upon the number of hands
employed. The present population of Andover is 5,711. The growth of the
town is not rapid, but has been more so of late than formerly. The
student and business elements steadily increase, and the farm-houses in
the remote parts of the town are favorite summer resorts of such persons
as business connections keep close to Boston, but who wish to escape the
heat and noise of the city.

The number of voters is 893, and of a total vote of 468 upon the
question, "Shall licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating
liquors in this town?" the recent declaration was Yes, 141, No, 327. The
desire for improvement in the town can easily be inferred from a
statement of the appropriations for the current year. They amounted to
$77,283.67, of which the following are items:--

_Voted_ to appropriate the following sums for the different
departments: For schools, $10,700; school-houses, $1,800;
school-books, $1,000; sidewalks, $1,000; removing snow, $800;
town-officers, $2,500; town-house, $600; fire department, $3,500;
street lamps, $950; printing and stationery, $500; Spring Grove
cemetery, and avails of sales of lots, $300; Memorial Day, $175;
State aid, $1,400; additional pay to soldiers, $600; almshouse
expenses, $4,500; almshouse, relief out of, $3,000; repairs on
almshouse, $500; hay-scales, $50; State tax, $6,000; county tax,
$6,000; adjustment of taxes, $500; discount on taxes, $2,000;
abatement of taxes, $400; interest on notes and funds, $2,000;
insurance, $200; miscellaneous, $1,500; fire-engine for Ballard
Vale, $4,000; highways and bridges, $10,000; water-supply, $10,000;
tree-planting, $100; new streets, $625; etc.

For six years past--1880-85--the taxes have averaged only $7.25 per
$1,000,--on a low valuation of property. For healthfulness the town
stands near, if not quite at the head of the list, in the vital
statistics of the State. When the writer was about to make Andover his
place of residence he was heartily congratulated by a friend: "People
never die in Andover," said he, "from disease. They live on, and on, and
on, until their friends weary of them, and shoot them." No one has been
shot recently in Andover, and some have died; but the town is remarka