The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-18 00:00:00

TWO %baton

WEST LONDON RAILWAY.
(THIS DAY.)
A special general meeting of the shareholders of
this company took place to-day at the London
Tavern, for the purpose of determining upon the
course to be pursued, with a view to obtain a per-
formance of the covenants contained in the lease
granted to the London and North-Western Railway
Company.
Mr. STEPHEN BIRD, in consequence of the lamented
death of the late chairman, H. H. Grounds,
Esq., from cholera, shortly after the last
meeting, took the * chair at one o'clock,
and in doing so, after passing a high eulogium on
their late chairman, stated that they had met for the
purpose of considering what was best to be done in
consequence of the London and North-Western
Railway Company not fulfilling their contract. The
directors were unanimously of opinion that something
should be done to make the London and North-
Western Campany fulfil their engagements. Since
the last meeting in that place a meeting had taken
place at Manchester, and the directors and principal
proprietors there had come to the following reso-
lutions :
" That this meeting having received the report of what
took place at the recent interview between their direc-
tors and a deputation from the London and North-
Western Board, is of opinion that it is the duty of the
directors of this company to forthwith institute and
prosecute such proceedings at law, or in equity, as their
counsel may advise. for the purpose of compelling the
performance by the London and North-Western Railway
Company of the engagements they have entered into
with this company; and that the shareholders present
will support a resolution to this effact, at the ensuing
special general meeting.
" That this meeting regrets the loss the company has
sustained in the death of its late chairman, and recom-
mends that the consequent vacancy be filled up by the
appointment of a Lancashire shareholder.
" That the thanks of this meeting be given to Mr.
Richardson for his impartial conduct in the chair, and
for the interest he has taken in the affairs of this com-
pany."
Mr. AINSWORTH then moved the following resolu-
tion :—" That the directors be authorised to take
such proceedings at law or in equity to enforce per-
formance of the covenants in the lease granted to the
London and North-Western Company, and to obtain
compensation for the non-performances that has
already taken place, as counsel may advise." He had
no doubt that the resolution would be unanimously
adopted, and it was evidently the interest of the
proprietors to accede to it. He could assure the
proprietors that the directors had had such opinions
and advice as warranted them in the course:they were
about to pursue.
Mr. RICHARDSON seconded the adoption of the
resolution.
Mr. CAMPLIN, in supporting the resolution, said
that he was happy to be present on that occa-
sion. The course that had been pursued by the
proprietors at Manchester afforded him the highest
satisfaction. When they considered the low terms
on which the London and North-Western had pur-
chased the lease, he thought 'no one could doubt
that they ought to be made to perform their bargain.
Having law and common sense on their side
nothing was left them but to follow up parties
who had so basely treated them.—(Cheers.) If they
had even offered them common interest, that Eight
have been sufficient ; but as the London and North-
Western had adopted the course they had, no step
was left them but to enforce their claims.—(Hear.)
Mr. RIGBY also cordially supported the resolution.
He concurred with Mr. Camplin, that the course
pursued by the London and North-Western Railway
was base and disgraceful.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.")
He believed there had been a foul conspi-
racy between the Great Western Railway and the
London and North-Western Railway Company. The
Hon. and Learned Proprietor, after going at consider-
able length into the details of the trasactions that had
taken place between the company and the London
and North-Western, and the course the latter had
pursued with respect to obtaining Acts of Parliament
to extend the line, observed that there could be no
doubt that the Great Western and London and North-
Western Companies had joined together for the
purpose of defeating their line.—(Cheers.) The truth
was that it was the interest of the carriers, who
made most enormous profits, that had caused the
London and North-Western Company to pur-
sue the course they had. There could be
no doubt that the West London Railway would have
been of the greatest importance to the London and
North-Western Railway by a judicious management ;
but that company, instead of giving the West London
Company every facility, had placed every obstacle in
their way, and had ultimately declared their repu-
diation of all that had taken place. He considered that
the West London proprietors bad been treated basely,
perfidiously, and unjustly by the London and North-
Western Company ; and be therefore cordially as-
sented to the resolution, and expressed a hope that
no objection would be made to it, but that it would be
carried unanimously.
Mr. GUNTER also concurred with the course that
had been adopted at Manchester, and thought that
the proprietors could adopt no better course then to
leave it to the directors and their legal adviser to de-
termine what steps should be taken.—(flear, hear.)
There could be no doubt that the course that had
been adopted by the London and North-Western
Company had been pursued in order to delude the
proprietors of the West London Company.—(Cheers.)
He believed if the railway was honestly and fairly
worked the shareholders would get a fair remunera-
tion for their money.—(Cheers.) His opinion was
that the London and North-Western Company were
inclined to put the screw on, in order to see how far
the proprietors of the West London Company would
boar it.—(Hear, hear.) He cordially supported the
resolution.
The SECRETARY, in answer to the question of a
proprietor, stated that the course pursued by
the London and North-Western Company with
respect to the carriage of goods occasioned a loss of
no less than 2s. Gd. a ton to their shareholders, for
they had to pay now Gs. when they would only pay
3s. 61. if the goods were conveyed by means of the
West London Railway, instead of carriers. :
Mr. BURGE, though he supported the resolution,
thought they had better try persuasion before they
resorted to force.
Mr. CAMPLIN said that he had usually found his
friend Mr. Burge in the wrong box—(Laughter)—
and he now appeared anxious to put them into it also.
—(lncreased laughter.) He thought no better course
could be parsued than to adopt the resolution.
Mr. BURGE, by way of retort, observed that Mr.
Camplin would recommend the directors to spend
their money, but he would answer for it that he would
take good care not to furnish a single farthing.
The CHAIRMAN believed that it was of no use to
make any further applications to the London and
North-Western Company. That company had tram-
pled quite enough on the directors of the West London
Company, and it now became their duty to act and
not to propose.—(Cheers.) He could assure the pro-
prietors that the directors were prepared and deter-
mined to act most energetically—(Cheers)—and not
to give up one iota until they had brought the directors
of the London and North-Western Company to their
senses, and obtained from them the fulfilment of the
agreement they had entered into with the West London
Company.—(Cheers.)
After some further discussion,
The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, and declared it
to be carried unanimously.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
meeting separated.

THE PIMLICO TRAGEDY.
(THIS DAY.)
The adjourned inquisition, touching the cause of
the deaths of the five unfortunate individuals who
perished in the foul sewer in Kenilworth-street, Pim-
lico, was resumed this afternoon, before Mr. Bedford,
the Coroner for Westminster, at the Clarendon Tavern,
Piinlico.
Mr. J. Phillips, of No. 9, Priory-road, Wands-
worth-road, and chief surveyor to the Metro-
politan Commissioners of Sewers, was the first
witness called today. He stated that the sewer was
built by Mr. Thomas Cubitt in January, 1848.
Directions had been previously given by the Commis-
sioners as to the mode in which it should be built, hut
be did not see it at the time. There were printed
regulations supplied to Mr. hi Cubitt as to the
form and size of the sewers always re -
tpired. to he built by the Commissioners.
These printed regulations, together with the petition
of Mr. Thomas Cubitt for leave to build the sewer,
were read by Mr. Phillips. The sewer was built
under the inspection of the dicer in charge of the
district, and so far as the works had gone, the printed
regulations had been complied with ; but as yet the
sewer was incomplete as it was originally de-
signed or intended. He had, within the last
few days, inspected the sewer in which this
calamity took place. It was a brick sewer, 418" feet
in length, nine inches thick, four feet high, and-two
feet six inches in width. The sewer had scarcely
any fill, but if it had any it was into the Warwick.
street sewer. It was bricked up at the end of it,
to prevent mischievous boys from getting into Kenil
worth-street. There were six houses in the street,
three only of which were inhabited, and one of those
was the house in which they were then in.
he sewer was flat, and perhaps that was the cause of
the accumulation of matter in it. There
were two gully holes [into the sewer close to
IVarwick-street, but they were about 300 yards
from the wall which locked up the Kenilworth
sewer. There were no means of ventilating the
sewer; but it should be borne in mind that the
sewer was not yet completed. These causes would