The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-08 00:00:00

GROUP XXXI.

SOUTH yonasiauz, DONCASTER, GOOLE,
AND PENISTONZ (sHEPPIELD, RO a HER-
HAM, BARNSLEY, WAR.EPIELD, HUD-
DERSFIELD, AND GOOLE PURCHASE).
This Committee was occupied in taking evidence as to the
traffic in the Barnsley and Silkstone coal during the whole
of the day.

GROUP XXXII'.
WAXEPIELD, AND DIXDLAND
ZUNCTION.
-

-
The Committee met this morning at half-past twelve
o'clock Mr. Hope in the chair. Q
Mr. TALBOT, .C., then proceeded to open the case for

• -•
the promoters of this line, the Midland Company'. He said
the main ol.ject of the line was to correct the original erro
in the North Midland, w hick, it would he within the
recollection of the Committee, was projected many
years ago, when railways were in their infancy, which
was sufficient to render the errors in its construction per-
fectly excusable. The error to w :deli he referred was the
carrying of the line by Methley to Leeds, leaving Wake-
field to be accommodated by a branch. He was old enough
to recollect Mr. Geor,.;;•e Stephenson stating, win n the North
h
Midland was before Parliament, that Mettiley w
become, by the aid of the railway, of the
one
most important towns in the district, but the experience sub.
sapiently acquired had shown that these anticipations had
not and could not be realised, and that Wakefield should be
placed on a main line running north and south. The
Learned Gentleman then entered into the comparative meriin ts
of the three lines projected with the view of accommodatg
the district, namely, the above-mentioned line, the Leeds,
Dewsbury, and Manchester Railway ( Extension to W akefi e
cl on)-
,
and the Great Northern (Extension to Leeds), and
tended that that comparison was vastly in favour of his line,
ndependently of the great claim which the Midland
Railway possessed of furnishing railway communic
tion to the district. The lengths of the three lines
from Leeds ta Wakefield, between two common points were as
follows: —The Midland project, 9-1- miles ; the Great Northern,
10V2 miles, and the Leeds and Dewsbury, 10:!4 miles, the
advantage being, as would be seen, considerably 1a hi
favour. The line would forma junction at Wakefield, by
means of forks, with the Manchester and Leeds, the Mid-
land and the Pontefr,:ct and Goole ; it would tand
pass over the Calder, by Stanley, Rothwell,
nearly parallel with the old coach road to the INN'
land Railway, two miles from Leeds at a placed
called Stortonbridge, just between two points on the r?a
between Leeds and Pontefract ; its entire length b',l,nt!
eight miles and a quarter, and the entire cost 400,0001. t
worst gradient would be 1 in 91, fur a distance of aheathe
quarter of a mile. It would also be connected with
existing lines at Leeds. At W akefield, the station wag'
cost 12,0001., would be erected in open ground, cold'
tiguous to the new market, whereas the Leeds alt,e
Dewsbury line would cost 271,0001., and would
lino
erected in a crowded part of the town. That 114
would enter the town by an incline of lin which
onside most objectionable. The assents were vestvbir.
his favour. The only petitioner against the hoe was but
m
Blades, who had petitioned against the other two hoes; ail.
as there were several farms between his house and the rtera
way no residential injury would be done, and the pro° en..
had offered to refer the compensation to which he Was
ng
titled to arbitration. He concluded by confidently
'that the Committee would pass the preamble of the Bill'
Mr. W. Holdsworth, dyer, and Mr. W. Barrett, nurseerT I;
man, of Wakefield, were then called, and gave eviaeac •
superior,
favour
of the line. They sonsidered it eminently lines.
both as regarded stations and route, to the opPo'iag
The Committee then adjourned until Monday. trusti

GROUP XXXIV.
OLDHAM ALLIANCE.
Evidence in favour of this line was continued throughout
the day.
The Committee adjourned till twelve on Monday ne2ct.