The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-01 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

We wish it to be distinctly understood that by inserting
letters in this solumn,lre do not thereby identify Onrselres
with the opinions of our Correspondents.
RAILWAY AND GAS ACCOMMODATION IN
STOURBRIDGE.

To the Editor of the Observer."

Sut,—Your eorrespondent, " Nemo Nomad," in a letter
which appeared in your columns last week, ascribed the
want of public spirit amongst the inhabitants of Stour.
bridge in a great measure to the lack of that article in
the Commissioners themselves ; and in doing so, cited
their conduct in reference to the removal of the post
office as an instance. Now. I think there are other mat.
ter + of quite as vital importance in whieh their want of
zeal for the public welfare lies been fully as glaring as
the one I have just mentioned, which your correspon•
dent appears to have overlooked. I refer to the railway
and gas accommodation.
. . _

ICI recollect rightly, when the Stourbridge Katension
Railway Company first obtained nowers to make their
line, it was with the express understanding that they
should erect a station in Footer-street; which, 1184 it
been carried oat, would have been a great boon ta the
inhabitants. Instead of doing this, however, they
turned over the line to the Great Western Railway Com-
pany, who, when the time for building the station
arrived, sought and obtained an extension of time
to build • station, 71 in Foster-street, the site originally
intended, and which would have been the most conveni-
ent for the inhabitants, but at the bottom of the town,
which would have been in an almost as out of the way
place as the present one. But it seems as if even this
poor comfort is to be denied us, as I aee that they are
now building the station on the site of the old one.
Now, if the Commissioners had done their duty and
called meetings, and got ups petition signed by the whole
of the inhabitanta opposing the extension of time, and
had it presented to the House of Commons by the local
members, I venture to say this would not have happened;
but instead of doing this they offered little, if any oppo-
sition to the proceeding, and consequently the Railway
Company can afford to treat us with contempt.
In like manner, in reference to the gas question, when
the Improvement Act (1.666), was about to be appealed
for, one of the great features which was used by its pro-
moters to induce the ratepayers to adopt it was the fact
that it gave the Commissioners power to erect a gas
works for the use of the town. What has been done in
tins mutter? Notwithstanding that we have the example
of a town so near to us as Walsall, where through having
their owe gas works they can have gas supplied to them
in their shops and manufactories at Is 34 per thousand
feet, we still go on paying Is Pd per thousand for the
same article. Now, it is said by uncharitable individu-
als, that probable some of the Commissioners have shares
in one or both of the above companies, and, if that were
the case it would at once account for their inaction in
the matter; but when this has been stiggeated to we I
have at once repudiated it, as say Commissioner doing
such a thing would be liable to a heavy fine for sitting at
the Board, under such circumstances.
. .

Now that there is a probability of a large influx of
trade into this town, I hope the Commissioners will be-
stir themselves in these matters, and try, by introducing
cheap gas iad other improvements into the town, to
make it a desirable situation for capitali4s to invest (belt
money in bui;ding manufactories and other public works,
and then they will deserve the thanks of the ratepayers
and the general public.
Apologising for troubling you, Mr. Editor,
I am, your, obediently,
AN OLD INHABITANT.
Stourbridge, 28th Sept., 1870.