The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-08-03 00:00:00

DORSET CENTRAL RAILWAY COMPANY.

The publio announcement that the first ordinary
general meeting of the proprietors of the above coin-
puny would be held at Witoborne on Tuesday, the
27th ult., drew from many parts of the county a
largo number of influential capitalists and tradesmen.
Henry Denby Seymour, Esq., 1. P., chairman of
the board of directors, presided, and was supported
141ord Rivers, J. C. Hansel, Esq., and G. Read,
(from Burnham). The whole of the directors,
with .the exception of Sir E. B. Baker, Bart., who
was unavoidably prevented, being present. The
whole of the professional staff, contractors, solicitors,
engineer, and surveyors were also present. It was
evident from the interest manifested by the share.
holders previous to and at the meeting, that business
of a more than ordinary character was to be dis-
cussed ; and the issuing of a balance-sheet by the di-
rectors immediately previous to the commencement
of the proceedings in some measure prepared the
minds of the uninitiated for the consideration of
financial matters. That the public may rightly un•
deretand the reason that induced the directors to
publish the following balance-sheet at so unusual a
time, it is necessary to state that the shareholders
not having had a detailed account of the income and
expenditure of the company from its commencement,
many of them had determined on not passing the
acoount• before they had been properly audited., and
had therefore given notice to the directors of their
intention to ask for a detailed financial statement at
the meeting.

B kLANCE-SHEET.

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The notloe of meeting having been read, the Chair.
man mooted the Secretary to mad the report.

DI KIWTOIMir IMPORT.
In eubmitting to you a elatement ot the present position
and promos* of the undertaking, your directors have inueh
Meteors la salting OM 101116161116
the purchase have been oonoluded for
of the whole of the lend required for the line
between Wituborne and Blindfold, comps In three tesee 11l
them the treaties ore In a forword slats, and will probably be
concluded iii a few dap.
P 016061011 il6ll been elven to the eontromors of the land for
What more limn one hell of the Una, over the whole of
wkieh the work, ore in proems.
The onumied report Irma the 011eitletf gives the details of the
work done,
Two mums have however, rendered the rate of propreelon
Slower than your directors could hove desired.
rtret, the dirflenittes whieh have Mon esirountmed in mak.
Ing agreements with the landholders ; and, moon fly, the
limited mesas 1111hatil it the dlepumt of the eompany.
Tole dir•Mtnt revel their inability to report to you, that
t=ha: been met by the lendhoideis esoso In two or three
that liberal spirit wklob 'they had 6 riaht to ea.
poet fret; a idwo "hoar, Imp, Interested In i preset degree
than fey osiw lb the e,nitctiohiOfl of the line.
Is weir IMO the miee draan has tiapeered rerf
aid lemiles were eadeluded slat dlaeulf. hut rota
diredon hating amatully weighed all the draumneoodk nave

het hitherto *moldered It doeirabie Is, newt to the useiristo
and espenolre doolelon of • jury,
The finsoelal oriole through whiah the oountry ime pissed
during the isle autumn sad winter, and subsequently the fail.
ure of. local bank, have opposed °bet/bola to so rapid a filling
up of the share list a. was desirable, and hare also to some ex.
toot delayed the parson% of oalla.
Your directors feel, however, that you have now arrived at • period whim It is Incumbent on the shareholders, and the
public Interested In bit. Hoe to mob. a final effort to provide
the small amount of ospital'etill required to oomplem it.
Th. total eat of the line to Illandford to estimated at
4148,000.
Of this sum
/1116,140
have been subscribed by tho nubile, and under the terms
of the °outrun, Moen Warring Pres. have agreed to
take
4ff,600

Together 111111,640
me camping bars power to borrow on deben.
tures
£33,000

Making • total of ftflB,slo
The deficiency therefore it preeent amoOnta to filfl,llCo

'Octal £llB,OOO
Of this deecilmoy the contractors Moe propond to the board
to take up the sum of £lO,OOl provided the balance of £21,300
is subscribed within &short period. They will at the same time
undertake to complete the line in the apring of next year.
The sum of £11,360 in, therefore now required to ensure the
oompletion of the line, and to enable the director, to avail
themselves of the offer of the contractors to tako up the ad-
ditional £lO,OOO.
Your directorn cannot, therefore, too strongly urge upon
you, In order to complete and render remunerative the under.
taking upon which so much haa been already spent, and to
secure at the earliest posaible moment the great accommoda-
tion of a railway, the neeeilaity of you Individually subscribing
for additional shares, and also of liming no opportunity of in.
financing thnee, who, although they will derive equal !drum.
tares from the line, hsve hitherto refrained from assisting In
Its construction,
The amount now required Is to mall, and there are so many
persons Interested In the susses of the undertaking that your
directors cannot suppose there will be any real difficulty in oh-
tatting It.

A raiment of aceonnts from the commencement to the iffith
of June last !snow presented to you.
It will M observed that the exam of payment, over recelpte
to that date amounted to £13,140 re. 4d. This sum, In order
to prevent delay in carrying on the works, your directors
have obtained sea loan on their personal security.
Them amounts, together with those for the current half-
year, will, In the month of January, he laid before the midi.
tors to be appointed at this meeting, and will come before you
at the next meeting for your formal approval.
Itoononty has necessarily been, and will motions to be, the
study of your directors and the shareholders may rely that
so experience that has been obtained at the expense of others
in the oonstruotion of railway work., will be Icet upon them.
Your directors propose for the present to devote their mien.
Mon to the immolation of the Bret motion of the One between
Wimborne and Blandford.
At the same time, they are fully length% of the importance
of carrying out m soon as possible the extension of the Ilne to
Bniten, so as to oomplete the gennellon with the Somerset-
shire lines, and effect the desired .communication between the
[Neigh and Bristol Channels.
The permanent survey of the extmedon has been for moms
tints in hand, and as soon as It Is sufficiently edvancied, Dego.
Ballow' will be opened with oontractors willing to undertake
Its cionstruotion.
In the meantime efforts will be mule to secure the necessary
The important.e of the line to the development of the Welsh
mineral Mule with Poole, ilouthMaptoni Dover, the Midway,
Ind the whole of the mush West ' and the advantages whlah
it 'lord. to the rich agricultural diatrlele of [tomtit and
Nolneraet, through whluh II runs, by opening up to their pro.
duos the large markets of ilrimol and gush Wiles, MORO
fail to mum for II the support of ell those intends,
All your direct,,, mini IA this meeting, hut are eligible, *NI
Issue duly nOllllB4 their intention to slier therneelvellwe rip
tleattion.
lir Ivor tints Guest, eduly quilified shareholder, hal also
nokled his nlimPon to our Itlmbell for elation ea a &Moe
at la reveling,rrir
large p by liir Icor Clued in the aunty,
end Ile Monte on wirsitrelkie mobem, from whleh grime portion
ni the trail" of the in" will derived, feeder him a viffY
delreble elution to Me 1104/4,
W,. Than • odgea Mumma 41/ Ilendford, and Mr. Ildwar4
Mu lett, of ix) will he wooed to you for election as midi.
nem two pfentlernett, who are ionlidemble othoreholdere,
11141
!l!licnreuhrmtiiirge theirt rits meng.
."4"."'""
ifl it m ;boom M int lawmen, the undit
La WWI of nteeti ,lo the hilrinela volt of
im, and to manning' la the eIITIMIOWieIf
at an eernalllzimeal be Mols to miterehoi n ni
Dimwit* Mime ,to render emPlanee in vamp ng the ohm
liewitanat de ay,
lattalatamo WIII elle be submitted to you eluting th• Cm.
ON moil auditor', and autliorielug the Croton la put In fora
Ilia humming !omen of the witrimpy,

. _
To Ma OACros66 end P1em66,6 6.f tho Dor*. Oossirs4 Aillo6y,
f4entleinen,-4 have the honour to Felton Ord the following
Ii the *to of eitrowr of the worke on thle lifii
land le in mimeo on fir nowt, Ai reliel, II I TIII le lITIMIN
4111.1esounliriii,,, p :,..ivpy.,,....,,,,;:e.„ illi onal lend to
rtort intorvel, wgilleZritilrilMeAtfor 1110,1 W 11,0? TO
thrthwtnii• ere Were or lee 10141100 ler ere thee ewe Old
three ellen', mllee, end Anlohod for alloll lefe eelee, The
thrthrfork hiring harm rmmenotn the itearivetiiertiTo of
the elothoi, thli length ime loft re on adequate lea n the
iieribwork eitthur, w Ith 111, Ili I. ibi0411,4 thgth rd o the
{Mei quentity, hie briketo ere maple with Very Ir 1110
theeptlone, foie ridge Whig fir 6 Itim he 1,66(1, (nut In
mildia, end four for Mira," halo, One 0 r mad Midge an
tirittrvem bridge ire Net trommemod, 11l eulrerii here
built,
• mile olsepore obeli% end oldies for the whole line here
been *timid nod Made, end a large quantity it Migrated on
the round, I hers much clime:um In elating that I eonshier
the whole of the work to ethouted Jo 0 subdeotial and
workmanlike manner, and to very creditable to the rthidenl
engineer and the eontraotork
I hare the honour to be, flentlemen,
Your moot obedirit 'errant,
°HAWAII Horton Demmer,
Zugineer,
I Delehey Remit, Weitmineter,
. July 20th, teat

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re.
port, referred to the legal and other diffioulties which
had prevented the directors from laying a detailed
financial statement before the shareholders at an
earlier period, and likewise stated that the appoint-
ment of auditors could not be made in accordance
with the Act of Parliament at an earlier meeting
than the present. It warn matter of astonishment to
sinue that so much progress had been made in laying
down the line, whilst the amount of capital outlayed
had been so limited; but it must be remembered
that many of the owners of land had been most
liberal in negotiating the sale of their property, and
had in many instances taken share, in lieu of per.
tions of purchase money; and further, many of the
landowners had not yet been paid the amount' due
for land purchased of them. A third reason was
that the company was at present in debt to the con-
tractor,. These combined reasons would, he hoped,
explain to the shareholders that which must appear
to many of them somewhat aurpriaing. He then
drew attention to the share list, and after pointing
out that .ff 36,000 had been subscribed for by bond
fide shareholders, adverted to the obstacles which
some of the proprietors of land on the line from
Wimborne to Blandford had thrown in the way of
proposed arrangements to purchase their land. Their
conduct had been more like that of persons opposing
the introduction of a great evil into their neighbourhood
than that of those who were favourable to the introduc-
tion of • great benefit. He eulogized the liberal conduct
of Mr. Bastard and Mr. Maakrel in the sale of their land,
stating that if all had acted as they had done the dire,-
tors would have no reason to complain of illiberal treat-
ment on the part of landholders holding property on the
first section of the line. He then oiled the attention
of the meeting to the inconvenience which many reason-
ably thought would arise from the station being situated
• mile from the town of Blandford. Ti,, directors had
conaulted Mr. Gregory (the engineer) on the subject,
and though the making of a temporary line to Bland-
ford and the erection of • temporary station in Blandford
would be attended with alight extra expense, yet the ad-
vantages to the immediate neighbour-hood appeared so
obvious as to inducts the directors to make every exer-
tion to meet the reasonable wish of those living in the
locality. The total amount required to be taken in shares
to complete the line is £21,000, and the contractors have
consented to take £10,1300 in the shape of aliares if the
public will subscribe for the remaining £21,000. We have
already experienced greet liberality on the part of the
contractors, and the offer they now make of taking
£lO,OOO worth of shares if the £21,000 worth be sub-
acribed for by the public within a short period; and fur-
ther to guarantee the completion of the line in the
spring of 113159, lays the company under an additional
debt of obligation to them for their liberality. It cannot
be denied that commercial affairs are not at this time in
an over-flourishing condition, and the bank failure and
other matters in the neighbouring locality have tended
to militate against persons taking shares and meeting
their calls, but if the present shareholders would take
two or three shares in addition to those they now hold,
the sum required to meet the contractor's condition
would be soon realised. The failure of Hours. Oak and
Snow subjected the company to • loam of £OOO, but we
trust this loss, and two or three others of moors unpin,
tanoe, will be soon made up by inoreseed energy in ob-
taining shareholders, and increased liberality on the
part of the public in taking shares. Some persons had
boasted that they never held & railway share in their
lives. This lane fit sebject of boasting. since railways
have been In this country great national bissainp, and
also the very laighroa& of commerce. That per-
sons should be desirous of receiving a fair interact for
the outlay of their capital was reasonable enough} and
when it wale considered that the Dorset Central line
paned through an agricultural district mots than or&
muilly rich in the quality of its land and the nature of
lee productions, this lino offered a preload of a greater
minuneration to the shareholders for the outlay or their
militia than most others. He then entered into a
lengthened detail of the pecuniary nooses which had re.
gulled from steam oommuniestion between the towns of
Burnham and Cardiff, showing how the traMe induced
by the enterprise had remunerated the shareholders and
opened up a means by which the products of the mineral
(Hetrick of WIWI had been introduced into the manly
of Somerset ; and holding out • reasonable hope that
when the Derail Claming Ilue wee connected with the
Somerset this county must lemma, pv11411;814 In the ad-
vantageo &rifling from the producta imported from Walm.
Cherbourg being directly opposite to the port of Poole,
connected- by railway eotninutileation with The terminus
at the annotate end of the line, the English Channel
would allow a ready eammonleallon between the French
and English maats, and offer great faellitim fur trading
In agrioulturel productions between the two "mottles,
whichmust prove materially advantepons. He repealed
the offer made by the contra/tore, humming on all per.
sans the necessity of making increased exertions to
hasten the immolation of theline, His remark. were
attentively listened to and well mastoid by the there.
holders_ present,
Mr. S. OANSLIMAII eongrektlated the meeting on the
lucid anti full statement made to it by the Chairman,
and expressed his conviction that the director, bad done
all In their power to facilitate the completion of the line.
He did not, however, think that the public would take
more shares until the amounts of the mummy had been
properly audited and laid before the shareholder'.
Every shareholder had a right to taped such an extuni.
nation of the aaaaania, and a motional inspection of
them himself before they were passed as correct. He
believed it wee bemuse this 1110M111 had not been
alreedy adopted that many persons Mused to lake
shares. If sirloin gamine= relative to the financial
mallon of the company were answered, he fully believed
the tvablie would subscribe for the additional capital
required. He soneluded by moving an adjournment of
the meeting to that day three welsh,.
The (MAMMA), expressed, on behalf of the thraldom,
• wish that the shareholders should examine the am
counts and have rook information given them as may
prove ithiefectory. It wag but natural such • request
should al made, and if Mr. Cattleman would alter the
time for heading the adjoioaed meting from Wee
week' to slx, the arranpment would allow more time

for the auditing the aswounte and laying the result
before the shareholders previous to the meeting. But
the adjournment of the meeting moot be moved after
the adoption of the report,
Mr. CASTLSMAN consenWd to the suggestion of the
Chairman, and wounded the adoption of the report,
which we. unanimously carried.
The Bev. A. HUSTAILS, in moving the reelection of
the directors, observed that he lirsi no doubt that Si
a hoard they had dune all they eould to carry out the
undertaking. At the adjourned 'nesting he should tale
an opportunity of stating his views relative to a modifl.
cation of the line on the other aide of Blandford.
Mr. CASTLEMAN seconded the motion, and it was
carried nnaninionaly.
The CHAIRMAN road a reeolution proposing that the
number of direetors be inoreased from five to seven as
presoribed by the Company's Consolidation Act of 1845;
and further moved that Sir Ivor Berths Guest be a direc-
tor of the company. Both reeolutions were duly
seconded and unanimously carried.
Mr. CASTLICM•I4 moved that Mr. Mullett, of Poole,
and Mr. T. H. Bennett, of Blandford, be appointed midi.
tore.

Mr. T. H. BASTARD duly seconded the motion, and
strongly recommended the appointment.
The CHAIRMAN then moved that the director" be
einpowered to borrow RUM on debenture.
This proposition was objected to by Mr. T. H. Bas-
tard and Mr. Castleman, on the ground that to
oonsent to such a power being granted by the directors
before the accounts had been exsinined and passed
would be premature and imprudent. After • converse-
tion, amicably conducted. £1.0,000 was decided on se the
amount to be borrowed for the purpose of allowing the
directors to pay for the land already purchased.
Mr. MANSEL, in proposing a resolution expressive of
undiminished confidence in the intrinsic merit' and im-
portance of the line, forcibly dwelt on the benefits this
county would derive in cheap coal brought from the
Radstook and the Mendip coal fields, as well as the
mineral products from Wales. One gentlemen had
offered to send • thousand tons of coal per week, and
many others would probably follow his example. The
line being direct to the wait, all coal sent in that direc-
tion would certainly be forwarded by their line. Hs
strongly urged the shareholders to make every exertion
to complete the first section, for if they tidied in doing
tide the whole scheme fell to the ground. l'he directors
were so impressed with the immirtenos of the under-
taking that they had assumed groat pecuniary respon-
sibilities to hasten it forward. He regretted the land-
owners had not supported the project aa they ought to
have done, especially when the benefits of the neigh.
bourhood were so apparent.
Mr. C. Hoxvixxe, in seconding the resolution, ob-
served that lb mimed like a work of supererogation to
second such a niaolution. Hs had been connected with
a committee for obtaining shares, and they never found a
"Ingle individual who declined taking them from
diminished confidence in the Importance and necessity of
the line. The objection generally urged was, that no
detailed financial account had been laid before the public.
At Blandford and the neighbourhood, where there wee
i larpr body of sherelsoldere than in any other looality
through which the line pound, a strong Interest was
shown II regarded the propolitlon of extending the line
Info the town. Person. residing In the town and neigh.
bouritood thought, according to the previous arrange.
monk their inkreeta would not be unsuited, but now
they would he exceedingly grained to ham that If wee
proposed bored Ilie laminae in the town. ff • believed
when the mogul, were exesulned—and *II public ac.
wants ought to be properly examined—the direetom
would hive no great diMuully In gaining that sonNdepit
whisk would *neon the taking or the additional number
of shame required to furnlob lite sum neemiaary to mins.
Mete the line,
The resolution was unanimouNly serried,
Mr, (Jmubeictor moved II vote of thinks to the Chair.
men.
Mc 114IITAPIn expresseed greet Munro In upending
the motion, He thought Ike Chairmen lad dune hfii
beet to pla e the *Ube of the rowan), ohm y and MI6.
faetorily before the muting, There wee lis strongest
'Odense to prove that the Ilimetore hael used In
ylinost
hirendeivenire be promote the intereete of tile
eliarelio e, The wen of a proper pulillehlng of I
wounle mil Oeo opera to diminish public emilidenee,
The at elejlei V/1111 to gel the line, end no one mon
than trill would NON 0 its eumplellon, He only
ret that oolong a time had Mien allowed to elapse
ore I e ilimnelif Waite of Ilie company were laid
be ore the public
:eiThee ()NAUMAN replied, whieli brought Ilse proceed.
Inge to *clue'.
The adjourned meeting le In be held at NlanAlord on
the 111th if Miguel, preelusie to.- which a printed belenee.
eliret, properly audited, le to be WM to each share.
holder,

if