Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-09 00:00:00

"moste-ofthe- parties opposing the bill. In the year 1837
the-art passed for constructing a railway from Chester to
Holyhead, the line terminating further back than the
present termini—id fact, at Grange-road. Subsequently,
the terminus was carried forward to Monk's Ferry, as,
the traffic on the railway, it was found inconvenient
that the company should depend, for 'he conveyance of
their passengers across the Mersey, on packets not under
their own contra; and the object , f this bill was to pro-
vide steamers of their own, or to give the power to charter
the steamers of other people, so as to have the mausgemet t
of the transfer of passengers across the water --to have the
management of the ferry in their own ha Ids. This had
been done in other cases. There was the power given to
the Holyhead Railway Company to run steamers from
Holyhead to Dublin, that passage being regarded as a ferry
at the end of the line. So, the Routh Western Company
ran packets from Southampton to Dieppe, Havre, and the
Channel Islands ; and the South Eastern from Folk:stone
to Calais and Boulogne ; and the importance of this part
of the bill would be immediately manifested when he stated
that last year 600;000 passengers were sent across ihe Mer-
sey. However, there was no opposition to the ferr portion
of the scheme. The company also sought power to con-
vey their goods across the river in fiats of - their own,
instead of having to hire them from other p,riies. And
this brought him to the goods termini. The company had
to cross a road, once called Corporation-road, but now
Canning-street, to get to Merpeth dock on the one side,
and to the Great Float on the other. Parliament required
them to carry the road over Canning-street by a bridge ;
but before this was finished, it was found that that
which was intended for the public interest acted in
the opposite direction, owing to ,he steepness i f
the bridge and the length and height of the
embankmen.s. In 1852, the company applied
to parliament to remedy the evil, by carrying the railway
across the street on the level. After this hed been effected,
the road was intersected by a great number of lines of
rails. Every care and precaution was taken to prevent
accident ; but the traffic, both on the rail and the road,
had so much increased, and there was a prospect; of a still
furth-r large increase, that it had become indispensible
that something should be done to prevent the railway and
the road from passing on the same level. The bridge had
been tried, and been proved by experience to he a nuisance
to the inhabitants of this part of the town. A level '
crossing was fraught with much danger. The only alterna-
tive was to shut up that portion of Canning-street which
was occupied by the rails crossing Canning-street, between
the eastern extremity of the station and Freeman-street.
Colonel Wynne, sent down by the Board of Trade, had
reported his concurrence with the proposed stoppage. Of
course, when a road was stopped up, the proprietors of
land adjoining would be somewhat inconvenienced ; and
the question was, whether the inconvenience was sufficient
to induce the committee to throw out the projee ?
CHATEDIAN: Would the diverted traffic have to cross
Bridge street ?
Mr. Serjeant WRANOISAM : Yes ; and we take off the
c corners of Taylor-street, and increase the width of it from
thirty foot to fifty feet. Mr. Laird and Mr. King held
property on one side of the present crossing, and Mr.
Potter on the other. They petitioned against she bill.
The learned counsel pointed out on the map what would be
the increased distance between various places by the pro-
posed stoppage, and said the company proposed to diminish
the trifling inconvenience by carrying a bridge for foot
Passengers over the stopped portion of Canning-street.
The Birkenhead Improvement Commissioners, who had
the care of the streets, had agreed to the views of the
railway company. _

CHAIRMAN': Do they petition against the bill there, or
only demand damages for injury to their property ?
Air. MONK replied that the value of property was an
ingredient in most of these oppositions.
Mr. Serjeant WRANGIIAM must ask the committee to
postpone their decision on the post-office clauses, on the
ground that there had not yet been time to fully consider
their effect. The Corporation asked to have saving
clauses inserted with regard to a power which they
did not yet possess, but which they were now
seeking before another committee, that of assimi'ating the
dues at Liverpool and Birkenhead. To this the company
decidedly objected, though they did not object to the con-
servation of all powers and privileges really existent
Mr. MILLWARD said the Corporation only required a
declaration that existing rights should no' be affected by
the

Mr. SERGEANT WRANG GAM : That we are willing to insert.
The following evidence was then adduced :

Mr G. DOUGLAS, engineer of the line, was examined by
Mr. Webster, in support of the opening : Canning street
is a level crossing. It is crossed by twenty lines of rails
in a space of 140 yards. Canning-street was originally
intended to be crossed by a bridge. I, was objected to.
CHAIRMAN : By whom ?
. .

WITNESS : By the commissioners and proprietors. If
the bridge had been built, the land of the petitioners would
have been cut off from access to the docks ; the approaches
would have commenced at Poole-street. to Lord-street.
Fuot passengers only use Canning-street at present ; the
carriage traffic goes over Bridge-street.
Cross-examined by Mr. VAUGHAN : I have been en-
gineer of the line since 1851. It is not more than 140
yards that we propose to take ; it is not 200 yards.
I do not know that the Corporation-road is the main road
along the entrance to the docks for two miles. A great
part of it is in grass. I don't know that it is out of repair
in consequence of the construction of the docks Land
near the docks will not, in many places, realise one-fourth
the fabulous prices given for it years bga. I have heard
of 100 shillings a square yard being paid. The Birkenhead
Improvement Commissioners have withdrawn their
opposition; I believe on acknowledgment of the ferry
rights
Mr. WEBSTER objected to this examination. The
arrangement could not concern a private landowner.

Cross-examination resumed : I have heard that some
debts owing by the Birkenhead Commissioners to the
Railway Company have been cancelled. I do not know
to what amount. I have heard that a Birkenhead com-
missioner talked about the arrar gement being worth £2,000
to £3,000 a year ; I do not believe it.
Cross-examined by Mr. Mosa : I do not know that
there was any objection to the bridge on the part of the
public.
Re-examined by Mr. WEBSTER : In 1852, the land of
the petitioners was cut off from access t> the Morpeth
Docks and the Great Float, by the approaches to the
bridge. 100 r. a square yard would be £25,000 an acre ; the
prices that have been given are no criterion of the present
prices.
Mr. CHARLES MASON, the traffic manager of the railroad,
examined by Mr. Webster, deposed that it would be a
great convenience to the public that the ferry should be in
the hands of the railway company. He believed that King
and Laird would be in no degree inconvenienced by the
proposed stoppage of Canning-street. It was already
ps.aryalarcitti.dai\s,llnAyuotos.tipted. A few coal carts of Mr. Laird occa-
sionally crossed : the number had just now considerably
increased.
Mr. WYBSTER : Since this measure las been Mare the
legislature, I suppose?
VITITNES : Yes. (A, laugh.) The proposed alteration
would not be prejudicial to Mr. Potter's land. I examined
the whole works with Colonel Wynne, from the Board of
Trade, who reported in favour of the present project.
Cross-examined by Mr. Vaughan : Two engines are con-
stantly used all night in shunting trains across Canning-
street. We run nine trains across it every day. Canning-
street is the nearest route to the Birkenhead docks—
Bridge-street is the quickest. I cannot speak of the
amount re-leased to the Birkenhead Commissioners in the
arrangement that has been come to.
By Mr. MONK : Canning-street is the principal route
from Woodside Ferry to New Brighton and other places.
I don't know that their population is 23,0 t),); nor can I
on the part of Mr. Potter, proposed to
call evidence. According to the promoters of the bill, his
client was in the position of opposing a groat improvement,
front which he was to derive no injury. Now, there was
no doubt that on the c.ompletiou of the Birkenhead docks
it was of incalculable importance that Canning atreet,
their main approach, should be kept opsn, and that such
completion would materially affect th...: value of Mr. Potter's
property. He submitted that the construction of a bridge
was the proper mode of meeting the requirementi of the
place, and that it was objectionable on no other ground
than that of expense. _ _

bRATTAN, an architect and surveyor at Bir-
kenhead, produced a plan showing Canning-street, and
Corporation road, forming two miles of continuous emu-
muaication along the banks of the Mersey. The docks
were in course of construction, and it was important that
this line should be kept free from obstruction. The land
in the neighbourhood of the docks is very valuable ; that of
Mr. Potter's is the most valuable in Birkenhead. I have
paid £6 a yard for land.
Mr. WICKHAM MARTIN ; What is it worth now ?
WITNESS : I.should say the same ; it is I:',7:Lit upon.
Mr. VAUGHAN : Then you don't think the value has gone
down of lite ?

WITNESS ; I do not. I know the Wapping level crossing
at Liverpool. There is an immense traffic. The witness
mentic';lei other instances of great traffic on level
cro:.,sing3, and added that this was not productive of in-

convenience.
Cross-examined by Mr, Webster : I sold, in ono plot,
580 yards of land at £6 a yard. This was in 1853 or 1854.
It was after the act of 1852 passed, Mr. Potter's land
might be used for b!ockmaker's shops, anchor smiths,
warehouses, &c. Great improvements have taken place in
Birkenhead within the last ten years.
At this stage the committee adjourned till twelVe o'clock
this day (Tuesday).