The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-17 00:00:00

TOLL-BRIDGES OF THE THAMES.

The evidence lately published on the toll bridges of the
Thames contains, in a scattered form, full particulars of ,
the financial position of the various companies to which I
they respectively belong. A summary may, therefore,
be made, which will prove useful to the dealers in the
securities issued by each. Southwark-bridge was opened
in 1819 at a cost of 666,0001. Its income at present is
about 2,9001. per annum, and its outgoings 1,2001. Be-
fore the opening of New London-bridge, in 1831, it had
an income of 7,000/., but from that period the re-
ceipts rapidly declined. The original shareholders have
never received any dividend?, but 150,0001. of the
capital consists of 1,700 preference shares of 50/
each, and 5,000 of 131. each, on which 1 per cent. is
at present paid, as much as 3 per cent. having been
paid in 1830. At the time of the project to bring
the North Kent Railway over the Thames there was
an intention to purchase this bridge for 300,000/.
Waterloo-bridge was built on the authority of an
act obtained in 1808 or 1809, at an aggregate cost of
1,050,000/. The sum originally subscribed was 500,000/.,
and on this not a farthing has ever been paid. The re-
mainder was made up by an issue of annuity shares of
81. per annum, for 99 years, at 60/. each, to the extent
of 300,000/., and others of 7/. per annum, at 401. each,
to the extent ,of 200,000/. There is also a mortgage
of 54,0001., which takes precedence of every other
claim, that amount havhig been borrowed of Lord
Crawford, on condition that it should not be re-
deemed for 999 years. The average income at pre-
sent is 18,0001., and the expenditure about 3,500/.
During the last three years the income has increased
at the rate of about 900/. per annum. After payment
of interest on the mortgage debt, the annuity holders
are the only persons who receive anything and the
payment, even in their case, is not more than 4s.
in the pound of their claims, or 325. for every 8/.
annuity, while the arrears due to them amount to
2,399,937/. 10s. Charing-cross or Hungerford-bridge
was opened in 1845, at a cost of 113,000/. The
capital raised was 137,C00/., including a small sum
still in hand for an extension. The receipts and ex-
penditure are not stated, but the average annual
traffic is 3,121,980 passengers, exclusive of that from
the steam-boat pier. The revenue has increased
yearly by about 100/., and last year the augmentation
was as much as 800/. The company contemplate widen-
ing the bridge for a carriage way, at a further cost of
150,000/. by the issue of preference shares, and
they estimate that the gross revenue would then
reach 20,0001. to 30,000/. per annum. They pro-
pose carrying the Middlesex approach through Hun-
gerford-market, widening Hungerford-street. Vaux-
hall-bridge was built at a cent of about 370,000/., the
capital consisting of 5,800 shares of 64/. each, besides
which the company owe about 7,0001. The receipts
amount to 11,000/. per annum, and the expenses to
2,2501., enabling a dividend of 265. to be paid on each
64/. share. Fer seven years before the removal of the
South-Western Railway station from Nine Elms the re-
ceipts were 12,700/. per annum, and for a short time a
dividend of 2/. per share was paid. Subsequently a
great decline took place, but for the last four or five
years there has been a recovery at the rate of about 15/.
per week. Battersea-bridge is 83 years old, but in good
repair. Its original cost seems not to be known, but it
belongs to 13 proprietors, who divide between them 400/.
or 5001. per share. The last sale of one of these shares
was about ten years ago, and the price obtained was
6,5001. The tolls were then about 5,000/. per annum,
but for the last four years they have averaged 6,100/.,
and they are still increasing, while the expenses are only
760/. Putney-bridge was built in 1729, and cost about
30,000/. the capital consisting of 30 shares of 1,000/.
each. The average gross receipts are about 3,550/., and
the net receipts about 2,117/. The dividend paid for
the last three or four years has been 64/. or 651. per
share, and the last price per share was about 2,000/.
Hammersmith-bridge was built in 1324, at a cost of
85,000/. The revenue, which increases at the rate of
1501. a-year, was last year 3,7001., and the annual ex-
penditure is 1,5001. The company had a small debt,
which has been paid off, and their entire capital now
consists of 1,578 sharp of 501. each, on which they di-
vide 245. eeshare. Kew-bridge is a private one, and its
cost is not stated. It belongs to a person who bought it
some yearly
of 330/. _n age for 20,700/., subject to a tontine annuity
° a life of7o. Its income last year was
2,750/., and the .
built by tontine
ion
ntf3ings 230/. Richmond-bridge was
were about 8070 t, at a cost of 30,000/. The re-
ceiptstell on foot passengers . a year till last May, when the
i was taken off, and they are now
about GOO/. There fund of 14,000/. in vested in
Consols for annual repairs, ,erd the bridge will become
entirely free on the death old lady, who originally
put 100/. into the tontine, andan
vivor, receives 800/. per annum. who
now,
as the sur-
fer cost
48,000/., and was built about 25 years ago. The mo-
ney was obtained by the corporation as a loan from the
Exchequer at 34 per cent., to be dischargedreout of the
surplus tolls, if any. About 31,0001.
the liquidation is igoing on at the rate of 800/due,but
The bridge will therefore ultimately be free. yearly.
sent it is let at a rent of about 2,0001. to 2,2001.
ton Court-bridge was built under authority of an mpa-
ef the year 1749, with the condition that it should hce
redeemable by the Crown in 26 years at cost. It was
purchased by the present proprietor about 25 years ago
for 7,000/., and it is i..very unsound repair, but te
tolls are exorbitant, and the receipts are believed to
range from 1,000/. to 1,500/. a year. It is let by its
owner at 700/., but since the lease was granted the tolls
have largely increased in consequence of the railway.
Of Moulsey-bridge nothing is stated, except that the
toll is Is. each way for every waggon ; and of Walton-
bridge all that appears is that it is farmed to a person
for 300/. par annum, that it is in good repair, and that
the traffic, which would be great if it were free, is
-.eery small.