The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-03-28 00:00:00

WEYMOUTH.
Tax Nitw Birrain---We are pleased to be able to
state that our borough members have each most
generously presented the Bethel committee with £2O
in order ta carry out the erection of the proposed
new 13ethel.
WEYMOUTH AND ROUTH COAST RAILW•Y.-11 is
proposed to apply to Parliament in the next erosion
for powers to make and maintain a railway from
Weymouth to Bridport, in the 000n7 of Dorset, and
from thence to join the Landon an South-Western
and the Bristol and Exeter Railways, at or near
Chard, in the county of Somerset, with branches
from such railway to Bridport Harbour, Lyme
Regis, and Charmouth. A glanoe at any railway
map will show that the lines of railway along
the south coast of England—from Margate and
Ramagate on the east, to Penzance on the west—are
practically complete with the exception of that
nazi: between Weymouth and Chard, in the
counties of Dorset and Somerset. By reason of this
break there is no direct communication, either by
the broad or narrow guage, with the great arsenals
and naval and military stations of Plymouth, Port-
land, and Portsmouth, and the coast is left in •
perfectly defenceless state. The projected line of
railway will unite those important stations and places,
and will open to the government a most important
means of communication to this part of the coast for
the conveyance of troops and military stores; and
will complete the line of the south coma railways,
for national defence, and for all military and naval
purposes, for the interest of the public, and the
existing railways. It is of importance that the
defects in the present emit railway system should be
, cured. The proposed line will afford direct oom-
' munioation with Liverpool, Cheater, Manchester,
Shrewsbury, Birmingham, Hereford, Cheltenham,
Gloucester, Bristol, and Exeter, Plymouth,
and Falmouth, South Wales and North Devon, and
will aid very materially in developing the sources
of the locality, open up new markets, and afford the
much required accommodation to • rich agricultural
district, and cheap and easy access to the watering-
places of Lyme Regis and Charmouth, and will very
materially shorten the distanoe between the various
towns in the south and West of England, more
particularly between Exeter and the towns west-
ward, and the various towns in the proximity of the
coast of Dorset, Hants, Sumer, and Kent. It is
believed this railway will considerably increase the
value of property in the district it traceries, and it is
confidently anticipated that • large amqunt of
through traffic) from the London and South-Western
Railways will necessarily par on this line, which,
with the local traffio, will bring • fair return on the
'capital invested.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT RIDGWAY. —The in-
habitants of the villages of IJpway and Ridgway
were thrown into • state of the greatest alarm and
excitement on Monday, by • fire which broke out
at Ridgway, and entirely demolished several houses.
The conflagration commenced in a group of houses
opposite the Ship Inn, at the beginning of the old
Ridgway-hill. It seems that the fire originated in
a cottage occupied by • man and his wife, named
Humphries. Mrs. Humphries had a fire lighted in
an outhouse, when, as is too often the case, the flue
was in • defective state, and, owing to this mishap,
very serious consequences resulted. The houses in
this neighbourhood are nearly all thatched, and as
the wind was very high the sparks from the chimney
fell on the thatch, awl soon caught it on fire. In an
almost incredible short time two or three houses
were in flames, and although the dwellings are some
distance from each other, the wind was so powerful
as to waft the devastating element to them, and with
its forked flames encircle them in destruction. The
Ship Inn, on the opposite side of the road, fell a
prey to the flames, and altogether there are eleven
booms destroyed. Indeed, at one time, the entire
demolition of the village seemed apparent, but
owing to the active exertions of those who rendered
assistance this was averted. On the fire breaking
out intelligence was conveyed to Dorchester and
Weymouth, and a detachment of the Royal
Engineers from the latter place, with their fire-
engine, as also the borough fire-engine, with Super-
intendent Lidbury and several of the polioe force,
soon arrived on the spot. Superintendent Under-
wood, of the County Constabulary, and several of
his men were promptly on the ground. The fire
, was at its height when this assistance arrived, and the
officers, soldiers, the police officials, and byeatanders,
worked in a most energetic manner in order to sub-
due it. Their efforts were, however, greatly
marred by the scarcity of water, the supply Wing
quite inadequate to the demand, and this had to be
conveyed from a considerable distance. The water-
carts of the Turnpike Trust were most actively en-
gaged in supplying the engines with water ; and
although a "chain" was formed, and all parties
worked most willingly, the supply was anything but
satisfactory. After considerable labour those en-
gaged had the satisfaction of seeing their efforts
crowned with Boomer, and the flames were ex-
tinguished. In the first cottage or two which caught
fire the flames spread with such rapidity that their
Inmates could scarcely save any of their furniture,
but others were more fortunate, although • great
portion of it was damaged by hasty removal. It
was distressing to see the sad relics, of what in the
morning composed many a happy home, strewn
wbont the road, or placed in neighbours' houses for
inefety, and several families have been plunged into •
!state of grief and desolation by this sad calamity.
IThe names of the persons who are rendered homeless
late Thomas Humphries, James Toms, Mary
Mayo William Wills, Nehemiah Notley, James
Bushr:od (Ship Inn), John Roberts, Ann Christopher,
William Randall, Richard Arden, and Joseph Love-
less. Fortunately no lives were lost, but had the
fire occurred in the night it is impossible to imagine
the fearful results whioh would have ensued. We
ibelieve the Ship Inn is the only building which it
Insured, so that the dertruction of the houses will
/prove • severe loss to their owners. The villagers
exhibited the greatest sympathy towards the home-
canes, about 40 in number, and placed their
homes at their disposal. This sad nalamity will
prove another call upon the purees of the charitable,
land it is hoped that a handsome subscription will be
leotard in order to reinstate the unfortunate people.
ST. MAZY'S NATIONAL SCHOOLS. —Sermons were
iprAmilied at St. Mary's Church, on Sunday, in aid of
thrdoo sehools. in the morning and evening by the
Rey. T. Grooves, and in the afternoon by the Rev.
W. W. Cooper. The collections amounted to
.about £26.
MAIDEN SESOIONEL There *as no liminess
transacted at the borough petty amnions on Tuesday.
• THE FORTHOOHING FLOWER AND VINEETABLE
filecw. —We are informed on good authority that
this show will take place in this town in July next,
and that it will exoel any 'similar exhibition which
has ever taken place in the county. Roses will be
'the chief feature in the floricultural department of
the show, and it is intended to offer snob • prite SS
has never been yet offered, namely C2O, whit% no
doubt will be the means of lel:hieing growers of this
sawn of flowery to enter keenly. into the competi-
tion. for the encouragement of the Little&ld
taw* the following prises will be offered: For the
eollection of vegetables, six varieties, fi we
!guineas; ditto, four varieties, three guinea*.

TOWN COUNCIL AND DOA.RD OF HEALTH
A meeting of the Corporation was hold on
Thursday. Preeent : The Mayor (Captain Frowse),
Aldermen AO:3g and Deceuish ; Councillors H.
Deveuiah, Maunders, Hibbs, Mssoti, Potheoary,
Thomas, Ithiledgo, Roberts, Harper, Hare, and
Tizard.

HILLS.
Nearly two hours were occupied in examining and
passing various bills, but it appeared that the
borough funds were not in a very flourishing state to
meet them, the Mayor remarking that he 106
attacked right and left by partial Who *anted to
know when their bills weed b paitL
JONATHAN TAYLOR'S CHARITY.
The next businea was to appoint a achoolnisater.
under this eharity.—The Mayor remarked that soma.,
time ago Mr. Henry Gibbs, the master of Trinity
School, was a candidate for this offioe, but &II Is. was
not versed in navigation, the Council gave him two
months to qualify himself for it, and he (the Mayor).
bad now received a certificate from Mr. Robert
Fowler stating that Mr. Gibbs warn perfeetly cotnpe-
tent to undertake the ditties of the office. The
salary was £7 a-year%-.-Mr. Pothecary thought thia
appointment wee one which the Council ought to exer-
cise with a great deal of caution. The muter would
have under his care a great number of lads, and it
was necessary, not only for their own sakes, but for
the sake of those into whose _-
ultimately go, that Usy should be w.. _
science of navigation. This we he first certificate
he had ever seen from Mr. Robert rotrior amt
being abl
months '

emplsy, thoif migh44
tibmall versed Is thol

able

'ler to_
is hi two I

memben.—Mr. Alderman Devenish Who am
they 7—Mr. Maunders replied, the Mayor, and
Messrs. Milledge, Thomas, Drew, Mason, flare,
Hibbs, and himself. He then read the report, which
was as follows :

"Your committee report that the balances due from
the late treasurer to the Council on the *lose of his
aooounts in the year 1862 still remain in the same state,
and are as follows, via :
s. d.
Amount due to the Pile Pier Capital Amount 37 12 8
Ditto Police Account
Ditto Superannuation Fund Aseount 3B 9 10
Ditto Fines Aocount
Ditto Bridge Amount lOB2 9 8

Total £1266 1 7
These sums appear 11 roar committee to remain
unsettled from the fact that the following iterns on
otheraosounts are still due to the late treasurer, via. :
£ s. d.
On the Market-house Aestount

On the Pile Pier General AOOO110 l

On the Harbour Aocount 752 5 9
On the General Acnount

Totel £llB9 17 8
Thus leaving • balance on the nine accounts enumerated
above of £76 Is. Ild, due by the late treasurer to the
Council. On further exsmination your committee find
that the late treasurer, in the year 1862, placed the sum
of £76 a& lid to his credit at tdef.srs. Eliot's in •
separate and distinct account, and that the same is
still in their hands. Your committee furthbr report
that the late treasurer objects to any other settle-
ment with the council than by handing them
over the sum of £76 Is. lid., as the balance of
balances. Your committee, under these circumstances
cannot recommend the present treasurer to receive the
said £76 Is 11d., nor the Council to sanction this mode
of settlement; but to obviate the difficulty now exist-
ing, and which is likely to continue, unless disposed of
by the Court of Chancery or by the aid of an Act of
Parliament, your committee recommend—
i. That the present treasurer be instruoted to pay
out of the Pile Pier General Account the sum of
£l5 ss. 2d.. being the amount due and owing to theist.
treasurer on the said Pile Pier General. Account.

2. That the Council borrow on the Market-house
the further sum of £200; or failing that, that the
treasurer be instructed to suspend the payment of any
further interest to the bond-holders of the Market-house
until the sum of £2OO 13s. 7d., the amount due to the
late treasurer, be accumulated, when the same shall be
handed over to him.
. . . .

"3. That the treasurer be instrunted lo suspend for
six months, if needed, the payment of any interest to the
bondholders of the harbour, and until that fund lain •
position to pay off the £762 Fla 9d. due to the late
treamrer on that fund, when the same shall be handed
over to him. . .

--
" 4. That the sum of £220, or say EMI, be raised on
a mortgage of some portion of the oorporation property,
or by a renewal of some of the corporation leases by way
of fine, payable on the execution of the renewal deeds.,
and the treasurer instructed to pay to the late treasurer
the stun of £221 13s. 24., the baLnae due to him on that
fund.

"That when and as soon as these requirements are
accomplished the treasurer and town clerk shall be re-
quested to meet the late treasurer and pay the same
over to him, and receive at the sores time the various I
amounts due by the late treasurer on the other accounts. I
Your committee, being fully aware that noise consider-
able time must elapse before their recommendation can
be carried out and their object fully accomplished, beg
to suggest that the settlement be accelerated by the
following arrangement, as • first instalment, via. :
That the present treasurer do pay ont of the Pile Per
General Amount to the late treasurer the sum
of £l5 ss. 24., being the amount due to him
on that account ; and also the sum of £92 2s. 10d.
out of the Harbour Account, being on account of and
, in part payoient of the £752 ss. 9d. due on that account;
' end receive from the late treasurer the following sums,
via. :--£37 12a. 84. to be placed to the credit of the Pile
Pier Capital Account; £95 If& 84. to be placed to the
credit of the Police Account £3B 9s. 10& to be placed
to the credit of the Superannuation Fund ; and £ll 12s.
to be platted to the credit of the Fines Account. By this
arrangement the sum of £76 3e. 11d., now in the bands
of Messrs. Eliot and Co., will be brought into account
to the disposal of the Council, and six of the sums
contained in the statement of account with the late
treasurer will be finally disposed of, leaving only four..
unsettled. The remaining items undisposed of will be
' the amount due to the Bridge Account, £1,062 9e. 84.
, The amount due from the Market-house Account,
£2OO 13s. 7d.; Harbour Account, £660 2s. lid.;
General Account, £221 13e. 24—total, £1,082 ch. 84.
And your committee, in tonelasion, further recommend
that the present treasurer be instructed to pay from
time to time, as funds in his hands admit, any gum or
sums of money on account of the balance due to the late
treamper on the harbour account nntil the whole sues is
liquidated, and at the same time receive a like sum
from- the late treasurer on amount of and until the
whole debt due to the bridge account shall be fully paid
off."

By the means which he had taken, he said that the
neck of the account would be broken, and in a short
time, perhaps in a couple of years, the whole affair
would be disposed off.—Mr. Ayling asked if the
wares suggested would involve Mr. Jacobs, the late
treasurer, to refund any money.—Mr. Maunders
replied in the negative.—Mr. Pothecary inquired
what was the amount of interest paid to the
mortgagees of the harbour ?—The 'Town Clerk
replied 5 per cent. upon £lB,2oo.—Mr. Pothecary
, suggested that a half-year's interest should be ca.
pended for the purpose of meeting these accounts.
Mt i Tieard 000sidered the report amounted to • sus-
I pension of dividends.—Mr. Maunders said there was
• balance of £3OO in the hands of the present
treasurer.—The Town Clerk said the funds which
most demanded attention were throe of the Bridge.—
I Mr. Potheoary considered the Council had adopted a
most injudicious course in taking oft the Bridge tolls
before they had got rid of their liabilities.—The
Town Clerk explained that the Council were corn'
polled to adopt the course they had pursued.—After
some further discussion Mn Thomas said, singe
signing that report it hd occurred to himi and it
Prat a matter which ought to he thoroughly tihdbr,
stood., that when the late Mr.Fenning settled 'boat
the Park questioni be left £l,BOO to be appropriated
to some objpet for the reoreatiou of the people of the
Unless that money was used for the purpose
for which it was left, they were doing an act of in.
justice to Mr. Henniiig's memory, and also injwitios
to the town at large in not providing that which in
his agreement he desired them to do. He inquired
why that motley could not be dealt with in the same
manner as the other balances brought forward,—Mr,
Tigard said half of the money, he tlldstight; WM
swallowed Up in late ,espenlok—The Toith thetk
replied that every shilling of it wu goo!, and that
with the full congest of the donor.—Mr. Thomas re.
marked that it he bad been *member of the Council
at the time when the legacy was left, he sbculd have
felt it to have been his duty to have carried out Mr.
Henning's wiebes.—The discussion then reverted to
the treasurer's balsams committee, which was ulti-
mately disposed of by Mr. Meanders proposing that
the report be received and adopted; and that the
Town Clerk And Treasurer be haltietted tO carry the
same ihto etest.—Mr. L Devenish seconded the
reeolution, which was carried MIL con.
- - - 11111 MARKWI,HOI7BI.

Mr. Poinirxcasx inquired how the Icing Market-
house action now Aired I—The Town Clerk replied
that the refer?* hid prlipikW his ewe, which was
new reedy for either plaintiff or delete:lit lo
Mittlit apply for it.
lIRMORIAL no Mtn 00AL stmts.
The next subject for onnaideraticro, his Worship
a memorial which he had received from the
ire of the pork, which was is !Clio*.
"To the Wprshigfitl ihiMaybr, Aldermen, awl'
Connell of Wsymettth and Meleombe Regis.
b' Gentlimen,—We, the undersigned coal meters,
appointed by the eorporation of Weymouth
Meloombe Regis, beg most respectfully to present this
memorial before your honourable body, requesting that
the Bye Law respecting the coal meters be enforced,
vu. :--' That every ship or vessel coming into this
port with coals, calm ooke, or lenders, Chid hate k
meter, and that Ito tidier pertidtjle hmil97lKl thilh
sworn Me*, AppRIV lehltPorit on of Wey-
Mlitith end IftedMii !As two shine hare delivered
Without env meter, WO others by persona nee
appointed by the corporation. And we also request
that the payment for the meters' services be according
to the Bye Law which has been paid for so many years.
We humbly beg your honourable body will give this
memorial your consideration, and your memorialists
will ever feel grateful for the same.—Robert Fnwler,
:limes Flaunt George Hellen /Cobol*, Warry,
Edward Newma;4 irehn Dttkea Robert Attwool, Daniel
Eebarte.4
A Aoki diactission ensued in reference to this
Subject, in which it was doted that the removal of
the Harbour and Bridge dues did not at all effect the
foal meters, and that under the bye-laws they must
setain their situations as formerly. The Harbour
Master was directed to place a coal meter on board
every vessel entering the harbour, and if the ownerll
of the ship °ideated to the noiir, he *es to 14 the
ease before the Toted Oterk *he wohld Uolbthende
legal protteedings agtinit them.
ollisethsttok Pub LAND TABU BY THR wertdorm
IND PORTLAND
7
Irrence

Irid, tag
coal meter*

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