The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-12-10 00:00:00

WXY/IOIITIC.

The lighting of Westgate on-Sea by electricity was Islet
on Monday night, with complete success. The experiment
Is to extend over a considerable period, with a view totes
the relative value of the new light. as compared with sas,
not only from illuminating, but from economic and
practical points of new. [Weymouth Corporation. please
note : The King's Statue might hold the fiery cremet, so
arranged as to leave the unique pedestal In black night
George 111. would be • more shining character than ever,
as the Fire King—Express and Tsiegram
Thi APPROACHING Gurgett ELlOOllOl. Soma
miserable individual, pretending to belong t-• Dor-
chester, but who evidently resides in or near Wey-
mouth, ha, issued • bill, signed "A True Conserva-
tive." advising the people of Weymouth to seise the
coming opportunity to return two candidates to
support the present Premier, &,., ko. We can
Inform this petty scribbler, this would-be disturber
of the peace, this dangerous moo, who insults
as well as injures, that Mr. Edwards is t
deeply rooted in the hearts of the people to be
removed at the forthcominz election, his kindness of
dispaition, his truth and orbenity to all classes, his
munificence to the borough in lending money t extend
the Outer Pier, and afterwards presenting the .um to
the poor of Weymouth in perpetuity, his numerous
gifts of dinneis ano blankets in discoid dreary winter,
his sympathy tor the sick and Wind, his splendid gift
of the Working Men's Club. hi. privatesifts to those
In dietress, his support of the Regatta, Flower Show,
Ewes, and Athletic Sports, and his support to every-
thing that tends to promote the welfare of the town,
will never be forgotten. In the words of Dr. Moor-
head "we possess no institution, whether religious,
charitable, or educational, upon which he has not left
his Impress. The hand of distress had
held out to him in rain." We could alto hundreds of
'natation when Mr. Edwards has kept the wolf from
in. door, and the bailiffs from the hon..; but we
refrain, for we know it is not the wish of this kind-
hearted man to let his right hand know what his left
hand doeth. Let it audios for us to say that when the
time comes for the election, we confidently believe
that Mr. Edward; will be at the head of the poll.
Tag Pottura or vas Boaormit—The following
circular has been published by the Mayor of the
borough for the purpose of making plain to the rate
payers the real facts relating to the application about
to be made to Parliament:—" It being apparent that
there still *riga in the minds of many of the rate-
payers considerable misconception with regard to the
proposed alterations in the bridge, the Corporation
have thought It desirable that the following statement
should be published. When it was found that the
present structure was both so old and worn as to
requ;re a very large amount to be laid out in repara-
tion, and also so inadequate for the Increasing traffic
of the town as to require greater width in the
centre, the Corporation had to consider what was best
to be done. They had two courses open to them,
either to enlarge and improve the present bridge, or to
pull it down and rebuild anew one; in order to help
them to arrive at a satisfactary conclusion, they called
In to their aid Mr. Matheson. one of the Mit authori-
ties in the art of bridge building, and also a gentle-
man of large imperienos in the action of Parliament
In cases similar to theirs. Hs accordingly examined
the bridge, and found there was so much that was
substantial and good about it, especially in the piers,
and that it could at no eery alarming oast be con-
verted into a good modern bridge, level, substantial,
handsome, and with a swing centre arch as at present.
He further informed the Council that the expense of
a new bridge would be at least four times the cost of
them proposed alterations, exclusive of the very costly
operation of taking down the present structure. If,
moreover, as some have suggested, the site of the
bridge were to be altered this 'theme would involve
the purchase of valuable warehouse property, com-
pensation to owners of water frontage, and a level
crossing over the tramway. The Council did
not feel themselves justified in recommending
such • very costly scheme with such doubt-
ful advantages' they therefore decided upon
Iplying to Parliament for permission to carry out
first of the schemes mentioned above—namely, to
alter and improve upon Mr. Matheson's plan, the
present structure; nod this, which they feel sure will
meet every requirement of the town for a great many
to come, will cost only the mot gum of
years to
Then came the question—How was this
money to be raised? Again there were two courses
pm, either tinder the Urban [Unitary Act to throw
the met upon the rates of the town, or to levy tolls
upon horses and carriages mine the bridge. After •
full discussion of the merits of them two plans, the
Council elected the latter as most consistent with the
Interests of the ratepayers, and they were further
backed up in their decision by the readiness with
which some of the largest merchants in the town—
those that would have to pay most toll.—expressed
their willingness that the tolls should be reimposed,
Thum then this scheme will cost £4,500, and osWat-,
lag from the income received in former years from
the bridge tolls, about £4OO per annum can safely be
relied upon as likely to be receivable when the toll
bar is mice more reestablished—it is then a very
simple maculation how long it would take to pay off
the debts, and Imre the town with a strong, useful
traffic,
quite adequate for the requirements of the
and this without the ratepayers being celled
upon to pay a decamp for it. Nor have they pro.
meslled thus far without taking opinion in the beet
meetters as to their chinos of ultimate nooses in
-Parliament, and they ars advised that there is no
manner of doubt that they will have no difficulty in
=t2r the sanction of the Lqislature to their
scheme. The Council further wish it to be
reambeeed that under the meant Bridge Act they
have power to re-impose • toll should money be
el for any extensive repair.; should the appli-
cationfor the proposed Bill he opposed and defeated,
It will have very seriously to be debated whether,
seeing the state of disrepair the present bridgelgol
lb. Um* has not arrived that such renovation
be undertaken as will certainly require the levying of
toils. They wish it also to be known that, should
the forthcoming poll be adverse to their sobsom they
still will go to Parliament with their Bill, and the
opposers of the Bill will have to contest it In It.
Keezwthrough the respective Homes of Parilaingu,t.
by order ot the Council, firk December,
WS."