The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-15 00:00:00

OBSTRUCTION OF MIDDLE-ROW,

HOLBORN.

Mr. Taylor, Mr. Mayes, Mr. Baldock, and Mr. White, M.D.,
Commissioners for paving the united parishes of St. Andrew's,
Hulborn above the Bars, and St. George the Martyr, attended
by the clerk, Mr. Pugh, waited upon the Lord Mayor on
Thursday, at the Mansion-House, for the purpose of soliciting
his Lordship's assistance in procuring the removal of the dan-
gerous nuisance of Middle-row, Holborn.
Mr. TAYLoa said that the petition which was presented a
few nights ago in the House of Commons would put his Lord-
ship in possession of the subject in as brief a manner as pos-
sible. It was from the Commissioners of Pavements of the
districts above mentioned, and was as follows :
" That your petitioners, in the exercise of the duties imnosed
upon them by the Acts of Parliament, by virtue of which the
paving of the Streets of the Metropolis is entrusted to the con-
trol of parochial boards, have had their attention directed to
the widening and improving of the public streets, and have
out of the parish funds under their control made many improve-
ments in the thoroughfares in the district over which they
have jurisdiction, and they observe with great satisfaction the
efforts made by her % ajesty's Government to open channels of
communication and widening and improving the streets gene-
rally. That Holborn, which is one of the two leading avenues
from the City westward, is impeded by an unsightly pil, of
buildings called "Middle-row," which reduces the thorough.
fare for foot passengers to nine feet, and renders the carriage
way exceedingly narrow and dangerous. That the buildings in
Middle-row escaped destruction at the great fire of London,
and are extremely old, chiefly of lath and plaster, and without
party walls, and two of the houses have lately fallen down,
leaving others in a falling condition and dangerous. And, in
the judgment of your petitioners, it would be most impolitic
to rebuild or repair any part of the premises, and so
favourable an opportunity for removing the whole r bstrum ion
will not occur for many years if the houses are suffered to be
rebuilt. That the removal of so large a pile of building is
quite beyond the means at the disposal of your petitioners, and
is a measure so important for the community at large, that
your petitioners are not without hope your honourable Ilouse
may, in your wisdom see fit, to cause the removal at the
public expense.
" Your petitioners, therefore, most humbly pray that your
honourable House will not allow the present opportunity for re-
moving Middle-row, or a portion of it, to be lost sight of, and
hope you will deem the improvement the clearing away of this
unsightly obstruction wi.l cause of sufficient importance to
claim your immediate attention in carrying out the mea tires
of her Majesty's Government for affording increased facilities of
transit in the metropolis."
The object of the Commissioners was to obtain the favour-
able interposition of the Lord Mayor as one of the Commis-
, Eioners of Public Improvement appointed by Parliament to
include the removal of so glaring an obstruction amongst the
contemp!ated improvements in the metropolis. Ii was true
Middle-row was not within the city of London, where his Lord-
ship's magisterial authority was available, but it was upon the
borders of the city, and any improvement which might be
affected there would peculiarly benefit the city. So excel-
lent an opportunity could not be supposed to be likely to occur
again, and as the houses en both sides had been condemned,
and the pi operty was not worth much, the expense of stressen-
flan), improving the great thoroughfare of Holborn would not
amount to an item of any consequence amongst the vast mass
of changes which are every day taking place.
The Loan May.cia admitted that a very admirable im-
provement would indeed be produced by the removal of
Middle-row, but be did not think it was likely to be re•
commended by the Commissioners of Public Improvements
to be carried into effect, except the parishioners proposed to
bear some portion of the expense. His Lordship then instanced
some parishes which had come forward with offers to pay some
part of the expeno's incurred by the alterations necessary to
increase the traffic and respectability and comfort of the
vicinities.

The Commissioners apprehended that great difficulty would
be met with in the eneeavi,ur to prevail upon those who did not
reside in the precise locality, to subscribe for an improvement
which they might think would not in any degree affect them.
For ii.stance, it could be scarcely expected that the inhabitants
of Bedford-row, and its neighbourhood, would pay a permanent
rate to widen an approach to the City of London. It appeared
to be, in an especial degree, incumbent upon the City of Lon-
don to favour the prskjec;ed alteration. The jurisdiction of the
City extended to the widest part of Holborn, and at that
spacious entrance began the contracted and broken thorough-
fare of Middle-row. With respect to the parishes which nis
Lordship had described as having contributed to improvements
in the more western parts of the metropolis, the advantages to
all the inhabitants were so obvious, that not to contribute for
such purpose wou'd show very great indifference, either to the
public or the private benefits derivable from the widening of the
thoroughfares. They believed that if Middle-row were re-
moved, the proprietors of Staple's Inn, which was a very
ancient building, would at once rebuild their ft., nt.
The LORD MaYou asked whether the ommissioners knew
the opinion of Lord Morpeth upon the subject?
The Commissioners replied that his Lordship said that the
projected improvements would he most important, and that all
that was wanted was the money to accomplish it. His Lord-
ship had visited the spot on Sunday last, and his impress.on
that the improvement ought to be made was considerably
strengthened.

Some gentlemen who were present during the interview of
the Commissioners with his Lordship. but who did not belong
to the deputation, said they were convinced it must be the wish
of every one who passed the place that the whole of the
nuisance should be, as soon as possible, removed, nd that no-
thing was more probable than that Mr. Richard Lambert
Jones, who had already done so much for the City to which be
belonged, by the construction of magnificent approaches, would
add his high authority to the evidence of the able men who
had counselled the application to Parliament under such cir-
cumstances:

The LORD MAYOR assured the Commissioners that they had
his good wishes, and that his Lordship advised them to call a
meeting of the parishioners, to take the subject into considera-
tion, and to determine to what amount they would assist the
Government in the work of removing the obstruction. His
Lordship intimated that the moment he had a pecuniary pro-
posal to 'make from the parishioners, he should, with great
pleasure, place the matter before the Commissioners of Public
Improvements, and recommend that the offer should be favour-
ably entertained.
The Commissioners expressed themselves greatly obliged by
the warm interest his Lordship took in the question, and said
they would, as soon as possible, cause the parishioners to be
called together to discuss it.