The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-14 00:00:00

REACKPRIARS-BRIDGE-FIN AL REPORT

Mr. PRlog called the attention of the Committee to
the following most important Report relative to the
settlement of the accounts of the contractor for the
performance of work at Blackfriars-bridge. The
nature of the Report, he said, required the most
serious consideration of the members, who would,
also, most particularly attend to the appended Report
of the City Solicitor.
" We, whose names, &c., of your Committee to
whom, on the Ist of August,' 1833, it was referred to
carry into execution the Act for the permanent repair
of Blackfriars-bridge, and for raising a sum of money
for that purpose ; and to whom it was referred to
carry into execution certain extra works to be per-
formed, the more effectually to repair the upper parts
of the bridge, and to lower the roadway. over the
same ; and to carry into execution certain Works
to be performed ; to remove the nuisance arising
from the river Fleet, by the sewer at the
north end of the bridge, into the river Thames,
do certify : That having obtained the several sums
authorised by Parliament to be raised for the purpos:-t
of permanently and effectually repairing the said
bridge, 'we proceeded at the time and in the manner
detailed in our reports from time to time presented to
your Court to carry into execution the several works
committed to our care ; and we have the gratification
to report that we have succeeded in executing the
whole of the works directed under the orders of your
Court of the Ist of August, 1833, and the 24th of
Sept§mber, 1835, to be performed at a sum which
(notwithstanding a contemplated addition of 5,0001. to
the contractor's first bill, to which reference will pre-
sently be made) will amount to a gross sum of 51.
per cent. less than the original estimates of the en •
gineers, and will keep the whole amount of charge
upon the fund, including contractor's and engineer's
bills, and all incidental expenses, within the sum
voted by Parliament for the execution of the works.
"Your Committee think it due to their engineer,
James Walker, Esq., to express their admiration of
the zeal, ability, and judgment, displayed by him in
designing and superintending the works, and their
entire approbation of the manner in which Mr.
M`lntosh, the contractor, has carried Mr. 'Walker's
designs into execution ; by these united efforts the
stability and beauty of the original structure have
been greatly increased, the approaches to the bridge
have been considerably enlarged and improved, and
the dangerous acclivities of the road on each side,
which had been the subject of continued complaint,
have been most materially reduced ; and by the ex-
cellent arrangements entered into for promoting the
public convenience, these important objects have been
accomplished without interrupting the traffic (except
while the bridge was being re-paved), either by land
or by water, for a single day.
" It would have afforded the Committee the high-
est degree of satisfaction if they could have here
closed their labours, referring to the foregoing facts
as the best record of the manner in which they have
endeavoured to discharge the important duties con-
fided to their care. They deem it, however, their
duty to your Honourable Court to regret certain
other Circumstances that have occurred during the
last few months to create in their mind a consider-
able degree of anxiety, but which they hope they are
now about to bring to a happy termination.
"In the month of February, 1841, the repairs of
the bridge having. been. completed, and the works
being finished, with the exception of the removal of a
number of piles frOm the bed of the River, which re-
teooanctraccomh, the clerks of
tor
accomplish,
tqhuei re-
quired
worksac oonns i d e r a
behalfbl eatimmee
and the Corpo-
ration, adjusted the whole of the accounts up to. that
period; and the amount of charges ,in respect of
the two contracts, and of additional works authorised
by the engineer, was approved by him at the sum of
90,6321. 13s. 9d., includingthe sum of 2,5551. 14s. lid.
charged for the construction of the new -sewer on the
northern side of the bridge- While these bills were
under consideration, preparatory to the winding-up of
the accounts, the Committee received an intimation
that the contractor had further claims upon.the Cor-
poration in respect of the works executed by him; and
in the following November a further bill was deli-
vered, with an additional demand of 46,852/. 15s. 6d.,
exclusive of his claim for the removal of the piles,
which was not then completed. •
" Your Committee having taken the precaution to
obtain from the engineer monthly reports of the state
of the works in progress, and having themselves care-
fully abstained from interfering in any manner with
the contractor, were convinced either that he laboured
under some strange misapprehension as to the terms
and conditions of the several contracts into which he
had entered, or that deviations to an alarming extent
had been made without their knowledge or consent.
In this state of circumstances your Committee in-
structed the City Solicitor to institute a searching in-
vestigation into all the facts of the case; to compare
the monthly reports of the engineer with the items in
the contractor's accounts; to, examine the whole in
reference to the stipulations -of the several contracts,
and report to your Committee as to the liability of the
Corporation to allow any of the charges in his further
bill .

carried out thisinquiry, cer-
tified T
to us
opinion, the contract lied not
i)e Solicitor having
his
been broken, and the chum of Mr. IiInt"11 for pay-