The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-23 00:00:00

GREAT CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Yesterday a very numerous and respectable meeting
of the inhabitants of Tower Ward took place at Baker's
Hall, in Harp-lane, in consequence of a requisition pre-
sented to Alderman Lucas, to consider plans fur the im-
provement of the thoroughfare through the ward, on
account of the numerous accidents which have occurred
there.

Alderman LUCAS, in calling the attention of the meet-
ing to the subject, said it was one to which they must
look with a broader view, inasmuch as the funds from
which the improvements were to be defrayed wore not
the funds of the ward, but the Government consolidated
funds from which all the extensive improvements of the
metropolis were to be drawn. If they were to change
the ancient line of traffic, it must be considered that they
must have new sewers, new paving, lighting, and watch-
ing, and other novelties of an expensive nature ; and in-
stead of having one capacious street adapted to the in-
creasing commerce and population, they would have two
small streets, affording no public relief, and perpetrating
a vast deal of mischief upon the inhabitants.—(llear,
hear.) Some years ago, when the subject of the London-
brige improvements was agitated, Alderman Sir Matthew
Wood,who was the great organ of communication between
the Government and the Corporation, took care that the
well-known objectionable parts of Mark-lane should
stand forward most prominently for alteration. There,
however, existed a difference of opinion in the ward on
the proposed plans ; and Mr. R. L. Jones perceiving that
such opposition of feeling existed, said that if the inha-
bitants could not agree amongst themselves, the project
of improving the locality must lie upon the shelf, and so
it had been shelfed ever since.—(Hear, hear.) The idea
of the Government was to make Tower-street a great
street, and the disagreement of the inhabitants upon the
subject was the cause of the widening of streets which
comparatively required no enlargement, while that
thoroughfare was left in its old condition. Those who
heard bim knew perfectly well that more carriages passed
through Mark-lans and Tower-street in one day than
were to be seen in Cateaton-street in a fortnight.
Mr. BARKLEY rose to propose the first resolution,
which was, " that the inhabitants of the Tower Ward,
deeply impressed with the necessity for an immediate
alteration in the leading thoroughfares of Great Tower-
street and Mark-lane, in consequence of the greatly in-
creasing traffic through the confined streets in the neigh-
bourhood, by which most serious accidents and stoppages
on the highway, causing suspension to business, were
constantly occurring, earnestly requested that that part,
of the City might be presented as requiring greater faci-
lities for the transmission of heavy goods to and from
the docks, &c., and that the Aldermen and Common
Council of the ward be solicited to bring the same before
the notice of the corporation without loss of time." It
gave him the highest gratification to find that the vener-
able Alderman, who had been born in the ward, was un-

willing to see the principal street in it should become
a back street.---(Cheers.) It was the wish of the first

man in the country (the Duke of Wellington) that
Tower-street should be preserved, and he sincerely
hoped that the straight line, which formed one of the
projects, and which would infinitely damage the property
of numbers of the population of the ward by making
that thoroughfare a back street, would meet with no
supporters.—(Hear,T hear.) The meeting were aware
that Coleman-street was formerly an excellent street
of business until Moorgate-street was built. The shop-
keeper, who, in Coleman-street, paid 501. a year for his
house, was finally obliged, from the total disappearance
of business on account of the alteration, to take a house
in Moorgate-street, at the large rent of 2501.—(Hear,
hear.) The suggested improvement in Tower Ward, to
which he alluded, would just be to Tower-street what
Moorgate-street was to the unfortunate street called
Coleman-street.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. GARRETT seconded the motion, which was, after
some observations from several of the inhabitants, put,
and declared by Alderman Lucas to be unanimously
carried.
Mr. WrLis, after a few words, approving of the
unanimity with which the first resolution was carried,
moved a resolution to the effect that the inhabitants,
viewing with alarm the alterations contemplated in the
formation of a new street from Little Tower-street to
Trinity-square, which, in intersecting Mincing-lane and
Mark-lane, would seriously disturb the Colonial and
corn markets, besides destroying a large portion of the
most valuable rentals in their vicinity, and by which
also the trade of Great Tower-street would be entirely
deviated, and the property in that and the adjoining
streets greatly depreciated, called upon the Aldermen
and Common Council to state such feelings to the Cor-
poration and the Commissioners of Metropolitan Im-
provements, in order that some other plan of alteration
might be adopted, whereby their interests might not be
so seriously injured.
Mr. WARD seconded the motion.
Mr. TITE, the eminent architect, requested permis-
sion to make a few remarks, because it appeared to
him that the resolution just proposed was inconsistent to
a considerable extent, with the former proceedings of
that ward. He held in his hand documents which
showed that in 1837 improvements in the ward were
suggested by Mr. Falkner, a young architect, which
were supported by all the leading inhabitants. Those
improvements consisted of a new street from Mark-lane
to Tower-hill, to be continued across Postern-row, to
the Docks. At a wardmote, held in that year, a sub-
committee was appointed. That sub-committee reported
in 1840 to the wardmote, recommending a Bill to be
brought in for affecting that improvement. He held in
his hand a copy of the Bill, which was to the effect of
the recommendation. That street and these improve-
ments were consistent, to a very great extent, with that
which it was understood the Commissioners for the Me-
tropolitan Improvements were friendly to at the present
moment. The Bill was abandoned because it was based
on the opinion that a new street could be cut, and the
frontages sold, so as to produce a return ; and the report
of the committee even spoke of a large profit. He was
consulted by some friends interested, and after some in-
quiry he gave them as his opinion that no such return
could be obtained, and that without the assistance of a
public grant the improvement could not be carried out.
In the course of the present year the inhabitants of the
Ward of Tower had memoralised the Commissioners of
Public Improvements, in consequence of certain resolu-
tions passed on St. Thomas's day, 1845, detailing all the
proceedings from 1837 to 1840, and craving the assist-
ance of the Commissioners to carry them out. In that
state of things he suggested to the meeting that it would
be desirable to pause and to appoint a sub-committee, who
might consider all the question, rather than by a resolu-
tion of that day to negative all the proceedings from
1837 downwards.—(Hear.)
Mr. HALL said that in order to carry out the last re-
solution, he should move, as an amendment to that pro-
posed by Mr. Wylie, " that a committee be appointed to
take into consideration the various plans for the im-
provement of the Wards of Tower, and to approve of a
present plan to be laid before the ward at a future
meeting."
Mr. TILSON, and other gentlemen, opposed the
amendment, and stated that they had already plans be-
fore them, and it was to decide upon the choice of one of
these plans they had assembled.
Mr. Hall's amendment was then negatived by a very
large majority.
Mr. HOWELL then proposed the following as an
amendment to Mr. Wylie's proposition :—" That in the
opinion of the wardmote, it is most desirable that a
good thoroughfare should exist from London-bridge
and that part of the metropolis south of Cheapside, di-
rect to the Docks and the eastern part of London, over
Tower-hill. That it is most important towards the
completion of this plan, as part of the route is beyond
the limits of the city of London, that the new thorough-
fare required in the front of Postern-row should be re-
commended for adoption by the Metropolitan Commis-
sioners, and carried into effect by the proper authorities.
That such portion of the improvement as may be re-
quired within the city of London is a good street, not
less than 50 feet wide, from the beginning of Tower
Ward, on to Tower-hill, and their wardmote consider
that such street should pass on the north side of Barking
Church ; and that this wardmote, while it does not de-
termine on any exact place, earnestly desire that such
improvement should be effectual in every way for the
relief of the annoyance complained of, and commensu-
rate with the commercial importance of this ward, and
the increasing intercourse and traffic of the City gene-
rally." _ _

Mr. HANSON seconded Mr. Howell's amendment,
which was negatived by a great majority.
The original motion was then carried.
Mr. NissoN proposed the last resolution, which was as
follows :—" The inhabitants of the Tower Ward, having
obtained information that the Government intend open-
ing for a carriage way that part of Tower-hill known as
Postern-row, and having ascertained from direct survey
that access thereto from the east end of Great Tower-
street can be gained without difficulty, earnestly direct
the attention of the Corporation and the Metropolitan
Commissioners to the plan for widening Great Tower-
street, being No. 14 plan of the City improvements
(1837), by which it was proposed to remove one side of
Tower-street, a small portion of Barking Church-yard,
and two or three houses at the corner of Trinity-terrace,
by which alteration vehicles to and from the docks of
the eastern parts of London would be carried across
Trinity-scpare, a better approach would be gained to the
western entrance to the Tower, the traffic would be con-
fined to the: leading thoroughfares of the ward, and the
ventilation of this part of the city considerably improved,
leaving also the colonial and corn markets unmolested,
and affecting in a much less degree than any other plan
proposed, )ithe existing interests of the inhabitants of the
ward generally."
Mr. CIIILLINGWORTH seconded the proposition, which
was agreed to by a vast majority.
Mr. TILS'ON, as one of the representatives of the ward,
assured filo meeting that he would give expression to
their sentiments in the Court of Common Council with
high gratification.
After th inks were voted to Alderman Lucas, the ve-
nerable Al lerman of the ward, the meeting oortrAted•