The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-04-07 00:00:00

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TIIE DRAINAGE SCHEME.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENQURY.

On Wednes by last, Mr. J. Thornhill Harrison,
C.E., attended at the Corn Exchange, Stourbridge,
to enquire into the application made by the Stour-
bridge Main Drainage Board to the Local Govern-
ment Board for a Provisional Order to enable the
former body to acquire land compulsorily.
Sanction to a loan of 4.L25,003, for sewerage and
sewage disposal was also asked for.
Mr. H. Mills, the Clerk to the Board, said the
lend which the Board proposed to acquire belonged
to Miss Una ie and to Lord Stamford's repre-
sentatives. The former was for a pumping station,
and the latter, consisting of 148 acres 2 roodv, for
a sewage farm. He might remind the Inspector
that at the end of 1880, or the beginning of 1881,
the Stourbridge Improvement Commissioners, and
the Guardians of the Poor of the Stourbri,'ge
Union, who are the Rural Sanitary Authority,
presented a joint petition to the Local Government
Board on the subject, with the Main Drainage
Board. In pursuance of the order from the Local
Government Board the first meeting of the Drain—
age Board was held on the sth of December, 1881.
At that meeting instructions were given to the
Board's Surveyors (Messrs. J. Taylor and W.
Fiddian) to prepare and report upon a scheme as
to the proposed main drainage of the district. That
report was presented, and considered, in March,
and with one or two alterations in detail bad been
finally adopted. The drainage district conisted
of Stourbridge, Upper Swiufor.l, Wollaston, and
the Hamlet of Amblecbte, The total population
of the district wes 18,181 at the last census. The
rateable value of the whole district was £58,900,
and a penny rate would produce .2200. The total
acreage of the district to be dealt with was 2,513
acres, and it was proposed by:the Board to construct
three main sewers and two subsidiary ones. This
would enable the Stourbridge '1 own Commis-
sioners and the Guardians to de :in their respe?,tive
districts by gravitation into those sewers. T:lose
sewers would carry the sewage to a central point—
the pumping station. That site belongs to Miss
Unwin. It was proposed to acquire that site
and negociations were now pending between tile
Beard and Miss Unwin, and on the point of com-
pletion. The Board proposed to trect a pumping
engine, by means of which to pump the sewage
through a rising main, not quite two miles and a
quarter long, to a site which belongs to Lord
Stamford's representatives, where it would be
dealt with on the broad irrigatior system. Part
of the rising main and the sewage farm was outside
the Board's district, and it was usual to give three
months' notice. That netice was duly given and
no notice ef objection had been received by the
Beard. The suitability of the sites were, of course
cart fully considered by the Surveyors and the
Board, and it was resolved that they were the most
suitable sites for the Board to acquire. There had
been preliminary negotiations wita Lord Stam-
ford's agents, but the views of the Board and of
the vendors were so wide apart that it was found
impracticable tO continue them.
The Inspector : Lord Stamford asked more than
the Board was willing to give ?
Mr. Mills : Yes. _

Mr. W. J. Turney, examined by Mr. Mills, said
he was Chairman of the Drainage Board, Jostle
of the Peace for the County of Worcester, and
a member of the Stourbridge Commissioner,. He
had been a member of those Commissioners for ten
or twelve years, and on several occ isions chair—
man. Speaking generally he had taken an active
part in the affairs of the town, consequently had
an opportunity of learning toe wants of the town.
He appeared in support of the Board's petition in
applying for the land. The Surveyors presented
their sche:ne to the Board, and the Board discussed
and carefully considered it. With respect to the
scheme he believed it to be the Lest suited for the
convenience anl necessities of the district. It was
satisfactory and would take ia all the requirements
of the district. As to the disposo, he thought the
arrangements made would meet the requirements
thoroughly. He had gone through the whole
scheme from time to time and did not see that they
cou:d do anythinc, further with respect to it. The
arrangements made seemed to be very complete.
There had been negotiations for the acquisition
of the pumping sic, and he wai aware that those
negotiations were under consideration by both
partis, and practically almost olos7d, He looked
upon the site of the pumping station as a very
favourable one. Some negotiations for the ac-
quisition of the sewage farm took place, but ware
at present in obeyance. He did not anticipate any
liffieulty with-Lord Stamfor l's Agents in respect
fie believed that the quantity ifiFrand—propitived—to
be taken for the sewage farm would meet the re-
quirements of the district for the next forty or
fifty years, as the population had not increased
very much of late. He did not believe it was
p )ssible to deal with the sewage without
pumping. _ _ _ _

. ,
The Inspector remarked that the surveyors had
only reported on one site.
Mr. Turney : I do not think ther3 could bo
batte: si?:es sclectetl.

Th 3 lu3p2ctor : It woull have been better if V-le
surveyors had sh)wn the difficulty of other sites.
liave you considered the possibility of haviLg
put if big tanks. The scheme as now proposed is a
very expensive one.
Mr. lurney : The outlay for plant is a serious
item, but when it is down it seems to me anything
but a costly sohetn3 to carry out from year to year.
rr.e Insp2ctlr : You have the cost of pumping in
pe-epetuity, whatever it is.
Mr. Turnt-1 : The cost has been th.)roughly well
con i dered.

Tie Inspeetr : Have you had any figures before
the lioard al to the pos3ihility of otherwise dealing
wit) the sewage.
_ _

M. Turney i'•We have not had any figurA, but
he p ,hits have been argued.
Tie inspector: flow can you argue without
figures ? What I want to get out is what mans
the Board have taken t) deal with the sewage
otherwise•than now proposed, and whether they
fad given up the idea of otherwise dealin.; with it.
Mr. Turney : I don't think that any other mole
of sewerage has been thoroughly entered into.
This was thought the cheapest.
The Inspector: I don't know how your Board
can have come to that conclusion without fi;ures,
comparing it with any other scheme.
Mr. Turney : There has been some land of Mr.
Foster's thoug!it of, but this would hays still
necessitated pu:npiu •. .Tf;ere was also same land
of Air. Foley's which was under the noti,!e of th,
Board.• In his judgment the present out was far
mo-e preferable than them. .
The Inspecto: :Twit would not differ materially
from the present sell( me.
Mr. Turuey : It would not interfere with the
scheme ; the system would be the same ; it would
simply be shifting the site for the pumping station.
The Inspector: You have had no information as
to the possibility of your getting land by purchase
or agreement elsewhere, "before dealing w.th the
sewage.
Mr. Turney : We have not, with the exgept7on.
of Mr. Foley's land, which is close t) the present
s.t3 for the sewage farm.
Mr. Philip Pargeter said he was a member of
the Drainage Board, a Guardian representing the
Hamlet of Amblecote, and Chairman of the Rural
Sanitary Authority. He confirmed what Mr.
Turney had said. He believed the scheme as
proposed by the Drainage Board was the best
suited for the necessities of the district.

The luspector : When you say that you think it
's best adapted, that it ic good in comparison with
some other scheme, to what other scheme do you
refer ?

Mr. Par,geter : Th,re have been discussions as to
purilying tanks. That would bo more costly than
the present scheme, as there would be very gr.-a'
difficulty in obtaining sui'able land,
The Inspector remarked on the possii)ility of
dealing with the sewage at a point down the Stour
known as the Osier BeJs. He said witbies were
very vivacious plants, and-in some parts of the
country they were disposing of sewage in the o3ier
beds. The plants were very greedy of sewage.
Mr. Henry Hughes, a member of the Drain.tge
Board, was next examined He confirmed the
ideas of Mr. Turney and Mr. Pargeter. With
reference to.the drainage into the Stour, he said it
would meet with a number of objections. One
objection would be from Mr. Fo'ey, because the
Stour was near to hi, residence They could carry
the sewage down to te place sug.:,‘ sted by the In-
spector by gravitn ti then ultzt t could they do
wi!la it ?

Mr. W. Fiddi o:ie of i ;le surveyo:s to the
ard, Le.cribed the plans for dealing with the
swao. li,! gave details as to the outlay on
works, and fr estimated purchase of land, &e., the
extreme amount estimated being £25,000.
Mr. Mills said the cost of repayment in My
years would be £1,163 per annum.
The Inspector said the Local Government
Board would not grant that term. It would be 30
years for the sewerage, 20 years for the eugin3s,
and probably 50 for the land.
Mr. Fidttion said the estimated annual cost of
pu,nping was £325.
Mr. '1 urney said although they applied for power
to borrow £25,G00, his view was that it would no',
take that much. He believed the cost would be
420,000

The Inspector said the Local Government Boa
would not sanctioa the loan till after the pro
sional order was passed. He said he should 1
them to take into consideration whether
1601100113 COII,ICI TM be arrauged with. 3 las cot