The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-24 00:00:00

IMPROVEMENTS AT HOLBORN-HILL.

A petition from Mr. James Moon, having reference to
the great railway projects of Farringdon-market and the site
of the Fleet prison, was then read.

PETITION IN FAVOUR OF THE GREAT RAILWAY PROJECTS

FARRINGDON-STREET.

Mr. WIRE said that the petition which he had to present
to the Court was of such a description as not to require any
comments from him. It was in support of the vast schemes
of improvement which had been propounded to the Court
a short time ago, and was signed by between 600 and 700 of
the most eminent merchants, bankers, and wholesale and
retail dealers in the City of London, who were aware of the
importance of such a change as it recommended.—(Hear,
hear.) It was quite impossible that a petition from so
highly respectable' a body should not meet with the most
attentive consideration, and in order to prove to the Court
that it possessed peculiar claims, he should read a few of the
names of the petitioners. There were attached to the docu-
ment, amongst others of high station in the mercantile and
banking world, Messrs. Cook and Gladstone, St. Paul's- church-
yard ; Messrs. J. and F. Cooper, Messrs. White and Green-
well, Cheapside ; Messrs. Leaf, Coles and Co., Old Change;
Messrs. Jones, Lloyd and Co., Messrs. Groucock and Co.,
Bow-churchyard ; 'Messrs. Lea, Bousfield, and Co., Wood-
street; Messrs. Brittle and Co., Messrs J. and R. Morley,
Messrs. Bradbury, Greatorex and Co.; Aldermanbury ;
Messrs. Meybyn and Grant, Cheapside ; Messrs. Capper,
Morley and Co., Watling-street; Messrs. Salomons and Co.,
Old Change; Messrs. Johnson and Nephew, Watling-street;
Messrs. Liddiard and Co., Friday-street; Messrs. Lupton,
White, and Co., Bread-street, &c. &c. &c. The following is
the 'petition :

44 TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND COMMONS, IN CO3InoN

COUNCIL ASSEMBLED.

" The Petition of the undersigned 11Terchants, Bankers,
Wholesale and Retail Dealers, and others engaged in or
connected with Trade and Commerce in the city of
London,
" Showeth,— That we have heard it is proposed to construct
a great trunk line from Battle-bridge to Farringdon-street,
ft,r the use of such of the Northern, North-Eastern, and North-
Western Railroad Companies as shall be desirous of availing
themselves of it, upon payment of such fair remuneration to

:he company conkrnaing the same as may be agreed be
wen them.

" We have heard that the company promoting this great
undertaking are desirous of purchasing from the corporation
of London, at its fair value, the site of Farringdon-market,
which we are informed is so little needed for the purposes of
a market, that the receipts from every source have not since'
its erection defrayed the costs of management and repair.
" We understand that the company propose to take the
site of the market, and other adjacent property, for the pur-
pose of establishing spacious and convenient stations for the
accommodation of passengers only, for which the width of
the street, its central situation, and the number of its outlets
to all parts of the metropolis, appear, in the judgment of
your petitioners, to render it eminently well suited.
" We have further heard that the promoters of the plan
propose that the site of Field-lane, Safli•on-hill. West-street,
Sharp's-alley, and other wretched localities to the north of
Holborn-bill and Snow-hill, on each side of the intended
railroad, shall be used for the erection of temporary depots
for merchandises and goods coming by railway from the
manufacturing districts, and that goods and cattle arriving
by rail shall be passed to their destination from those spots
without in any manner crowding the stations, or incommod-
ing the passengers in proceeding to or from the terminus in
Farringdon-street.
" We believe that a project of this nature will largely con-
tribute to the public convenience and accommodation, and
will be productive of great advantage to the trading interests
of the City of London.

"We do therefore most respectfully request V-at you will I
give to the promoters of this undertaking the requisite
facilities for establishing the terminus for passenger traffic in
Farringdon-street."
It is proposed to take site of Farringdon-street, and the new
street with as much property on both sides as may be requi-
site. It is then proposed to effectually remedy the evils of
Holborn-bill, by forming a level road (the entire width of
the street) from Hatton-garden tl Sea Coal-lane, to be car-
ried on arches at an altitude of 26 feet above the loweet
point; these spacious arches will form communications and
warehouses for the :station. It is then proposed to make a
new street, 65 feet wide, from St. Bride's Church to Hatton-
gat den, which is to be used, and a continuation made home
to Guildford-place. Branch streets are to be formed on
arches from Charles-street, Hatton-garden, and from Vine-
street to Clerkenwell-green, and it is proposed to widen the
Old Bailey, next to Ludgate-hill. The terminus is proposed
to have three approaches, the principal entrance to be across
Farringdon-street, at about the Fleet Prison. to make an ap-
proach from the new street for omnibuses and carriages to
and from Paddington, the west-end, Bridge-street, &c., and
the third approach from the Old Bailey for omnibuses and
carriages to and from the City, Islington, &c.; the two latter
entrances will be on moderate high ground, and the three
entrances thus placed will divide the extensive traffic, and
not form any interruption to the great thoroughfares of Hol-
born and Fleet-street. Finally, it is to be observed that the
valley is especially adopted for this important object, whilst
by diverting the traffic it affords the means of a most efficient
remedy for Holborn-hill ; the high ground at Hatton-
garden and Skinner-street is attained by easy acclivities—the
first by the new street.and the other by the Old Bailey. The
foregoing is an outline of the design proposed to be sub-
mitted for the consideration of the City authorities and the
following four railway companies—viz., the Great Western,
the London and Birmingham, the Direct Manchester, and
the Eastern Counties.
The petition was, after a few words from Mr. ASIIURST,
who said the subject demanded the attention of the Court
in a particular manner, in cousequence of the vast alterations
and improvement contemplated in the vicinity, referred to
the Improvement Committee.
Mr. Lorr requested to be informed whether the gentlemen
at the bar were not petitioners in favour of the Direct
London and Manchester Railway?
One of the petitioners replied that some of them were, and
some were not, petitioners for that line.
Mr. Lorr said it appeared to him that there was something
exclusive in the object of those who sought to introduce the
railway into Farringdon-street.
Mr. WIRE said he could easily satisfy the Court that there
was nothing at all of en exclusive character in the course
pursued by the supporters of the Direct Manchester line. He
held in his hand the petition which had been presented at the
last Court. It had no exclusive object, but prayed for a
great general central terminus, available to all parties.—
(Hear, hear.) Knowing that it would be of incalculable
advantage to the public if termini to the great railroads from
the northern parts of England were established in larritig-
don-street, the petitioners applied for facilities to the Corpo-
ration. The gentlemen whose names were attached to the
petition in favour of the project were too much interested in
the establishment of free-trade principles to advocate any-
thing of an exclusive tendency, or calculated to lead to a
monopoly.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BEDFORD said that some persons who were exclu-
sively engaged in the sale of vegetables and fruit in Farming
don market, had spoken to him on the subject of the losses
they must be subjected to, if the market was converted into
a railway terminus. They hoped that before the alterations
were commenced, a fair hearing would be given to them, in
order that they might show the extent of the evil to which
they would be subjected.—(Hear.)
Mr. ANDERTON said that. if the people of the market were
receiving great profits, it would be no more than fair that
they should pay their rents a little more punctually.
He assured the Court the collecter of the rents had no very
agreeable task. He looked with great confidence to the re-
sult of establishing termini in Farringdon-street. If such
measures were not adopted, away the trade of the City
would inevitably go where the rapid facilities of intercourse
was encouraged. He could see, in his imagination, towns
improving and rising up by the extraordinary powers so in-
geniously suited to augment the traffic of the country, and
the City with of London must, if she meant to keep pace the
generalimpulse, avail herself of the opportunities which now
presented themselves. He admitted that, some time ago,
he was diametrically opposed to the introduction of railroads
into the City; but he had corrected that error—(Cheers)—
and he now was as much for as he had been formerly against
the project. He did not know whether the exact sites pro-
posed were the most eligible. If, upon strict inquiry, any
other were found preferable, the Court could easily make its
elect ion.

Mr. R. TAYLOR said the kppeal of the people of Farriug-
don-market deserved attention. They were the tenants of
the Corporation, and it would be only a fair measure of jus-
tice to them to refer their case to the Market Committee, and
obtain a report of the extent of the injury likely to be
in-
flicted. He held in his hand a petition from Mr. Jolley, a
respectable fruiterer, but as no notice had been given in the
business paper, he could not use it as a petition, but would
adopt it as part of his speech. Mr. Jolley declared that his
trade, and the trade of the whole of the fruit-salesmen, and
market gardeners of Farringdon-market,,depended on the
continuance of the market, or upon the formation of some
market near the spot ; and he respectfully prayed that in
any steps to be taken by the Corporation, due regard should
be paid to the interest of the tenantry of the Corporation,
and to the securing to the inhabitants of the City a supply of
fresh fruit and vegetables such as they at present enjoyed.
The claims of the tenants were respecttully described and
admitted by the Court.
Mr. KING said they must take very good care, that in the
progress of the extensive changes which were about to take
place, the demon of stock-jobbing would:not be allowed to in-
terfere with the purity of their actions, but that the general
Le xl would influence the whole of their proceedings.
Aire WALITO declared that he had no doubt of the bene-