The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-09-27 00:00:00

POOI

the proce

I dation to apply t

hie-h 1

alteration in Shaw's-brow a
west end of Hardman-street
ment at the west end of Wa

IE TOWN

SYOR said : Gentlemen, 1
)vement Committee mov

before U

resolution on t
sed this Council to be especia

summoned, I have a comrr.

think ought to take precedence of the regular business;
and I think that the communication will afford to this
Council, and I am sure to the public at large, as much
gratification as it afforded to me, when I had the honour

Your public library and museum have
nuch promoted, and so many respectable and

well-conducted young men attend it, notwithstanding its
somewhat remote situation, that it has become painfully
evident that the accommodation afforded is utterly in-
adequate to the wants of the community. We have long
contemplated the erection of an edifice in connexion with

sy will sanction and enable us to carry
s far as the well-digested plans of the committee
and the state of the Corporation funds will permit us.
But I believe the cost of a building suitable for con-
taining the Free Public Library and Museum has hitherto
prevented the committee from bringing the matter before
the Council until some of those general improvements
have been effected which the wants of the inhabitants so
.0 -L.

this Counci

much require
townsmen ha

come to our aid ; and I cannot ao
better than simply detail to the Council the circumstances

gentleman, known and honoured by all, whose life has
displayed the activity and commercial industry which
leads to success, Who has been the architect of his own
fortune, and whose name is familiar here, and is, indeed,
everywhere a household term, came into my room to tell
me he was deeply impressed with the inadequacy of the
present Reading-room and Library in Duke-street ; and he
expressed a very strong wish that every means should be
afforded to the young men in this town to enable them to

1 to
of societl

cultivate their minds, and acquire a
which would make them useful memb
which would tend to elevate them in th
Then, alluding to the contemplated improve

knowlec

much needed, he hoped we should have no difficulty in
finding a site for a more spacious edifice in a central
situation, and near St. George's-hall. He feelingly added,
that Providence had blessed his exertions, and he
acknowledged the debt he owed to Liverpool; and then
communicated his intention of presenting the munificent

be open to all classes of this great community, if the (

poration would provide a suitable site. On my p
out the north side of Shaw's-brow, when the conten
plated improvement was adopted, he thought that would
be a suitable situation, and stated that it would have his
perfect concurrence, if this Council thought fit to carry
out that improvement. The visit made a deep impression
on my mind. It now only remains for me to disclose
this Council, and through it to the communit

the name
It

of the gentleman who has made this munificent offer
is Mr. William Brown, one of the members for South
Lancashire. I haire no doubt, in making this communi-
cation, that the Council will pass a resolution, such as I
think it ousrht, in acknowledgment of so handsome and so
gift. (Applause.)

generous

Mr. CHALES TURNER said he was sure that all the
members of the Council had heard the Mayor's announce-
ment with deep gratitude to Mr. Brown, and with great
satisfaction that they had among them a merchant of his
worth and high abilities, who had justly earned, during a
long life in this town, the esteem and approbation of his
fellow-townsmen, and who had always been ready to come
forward to advance the interests of the inhabitants of
Liverpool. Until a few minutes before he entered the
•

Council-chamber, he had not the slightest idea that this
announcement was to be made to this Council, and he was,
therefore, not prepared to express his feelings adequately
upon the occasion. He was, however, sure that the
Council would not allow the announeement of this gift to

pass over without adopting some such resolution as that
to which the Mayor had alluded. In conclusion, he pro-
posed a resolution to the effect, " That the thanks of the
meeting be conveyed to Mr. Brown, for his munificent
offer of £6,000 towards the erection of a Free Public
Library at the north end of Shaw's-brow, when the con-
templated high-level bridge has been constructed."
Sir JOHN BENT bad great pleasure in seconding Mr.
Turner's motion ; but, after the well-deserved eulogiums
which the Mayor and Mr. Turner had paid to Mr. Brown
for his munificent gift, no words of his were necessary to
add to its importance. He should, therefore, content him-
self by observing, that, as an inhabitant of this town, he
appreciated very highly the value of the establishment of
a Free Public Library of this kind in Liverpool; and he
was as grateful to him as, he was sure, the inhabitants of
the town would equally be. . . .

Mr. GREGSON :Are we to understand that the offer is
made on the consideration that the site of the building
shall be Shaw's-brow ? because I think it is possible that
a better site may be found.

The MAYOR : I pointed out to Mr. Brown the improve-
ments that were contemplated on Shaw's-brow, and he
said that if the Council thought fit to make that improve-
ment, that site would meet with his concurrence, as being
nearly the centre of Liverpool, and accessible to all classes,

. .
particularly to those for whose peculiar benefit the institu:
tion would be formed. •
Mr. Alderman PROCTOR thought it would be better not
to discuss the question of situation at present.

- .
Mr. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE was of opinion that the
best plan to adopt would be to move a vote of thanks to
Mr. Brown, and to keep the question of situation entirely
separate and distinct. He was very sorry that the two
had been mixed up together, and that the question of
thanks should have come before the Council in the shape
of a cut and dried resolution. The question of a high
level bridge was involved with difficulties, and ought not
to have been introduced along with that of a vote of
thanks to Mr. Brown. He suggested that a vote of
thanks should be moved to Mr. Brown distinct from the
question of situation. Let them do justice to the muni-
ficent offer, and afterwards to the other subject. •
. _

Mr. STEWART thought Mr. Gladstone was right. There
could only be one feeling of gratitude to Mr. Brown ;
and they should confine themselves, in the first instance,
to an expression of the warmest thanks to him for his offer.
Mr. Tllorasoix in the name of a large party out of doors
—the mechanical apprentices, tendered Mr. Brown his
warmest thanks.

Mr. BENNETT.—As Mr. Brown has expressed a wish as
to the site, I think the two resolutions should go together.
Mr. J. H. TURNER. —He does express a decided wish
on the subject, I think.
The MAYOR.—Mr. Brown said the Council would no
doubt select a suitable site. I mentioned the north end of
St. George's Hall, and he thought it a very convenient
spot.
Mr. BIGHAM wished the Council to be informed clearly
under what circumstances the offer was made. Was it
simply on the condition that they should provide a suit-
able site?
The MAYOR repeated that Mr. Brown had offered the
sum of £6,000 for the erection of a free library and mu-
seum, on condition that the Council should privide a suit-
able situation. Mr. Brown did not mention any particular
site ; but he (the Mayor) pointed out a site which he
thought was obtainable, and Mr. Brown expressed his con-
currence, and stated that he thought the situation a very
central, and, therefore, a very suitable one.
It was agreed that the consideration of the subject
should be deferred until a later period of the proceedings,
in order that the Town-clerk might divide the two ques-
tions of "vote of thanks" and "situation" into two sepa-
rate resolutions.
This was subsequently done, and the amended motion,
conveying a vote of thanks to Mr. Brown, was unani-
mously, adopted. It was in the following terms :
" That the Mayor be requested to convey to Mr. Brown
the full appreciation, by this Council, of the noble senti-
ments which have actuated, and of the generosity which
has prompted this most munificent proposal, and to inform
him that the Council readily avail themselves of an offer
which will secure to the inhabitants a suitable building
for the Free Public Library. And this Council desires,
also, to tender to Mr. Brown their warmest thanks for a
gift which, they.feel assured, will be fully appreciated by
all classes of the community."
PROPOSED TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.
Mr. Alderman BENNETT, in the absence of the chair-
man of the Museum Committee, (Mr. Picton,) moved the
confirmation of the minutes of the Improvement Com-
mittee, which recommended the widening of Hatton-
garden to a width of 20 yards at the cost of L 15,150; the
construction of a " street from the bottom of Shaw's-
brow to the top of Manchester-street, including improve-
ments in Shaw's-brow, and the works connected
therewith," at an expense of £90,600 ; the purchase of
a small portion of land in Hardman-street to enable them
to make it the same width from top to bottom, at an
expense of ELKO ; and lastly, the widening of Water-
street, by carrying it down past the iron warehouse, at
the same width as it is opposite to the office of the City
of Dublin Company, at a cost of £7,250 ; making a total
of £114,600. The Town-clerk, in offering a financial
statement, thought they would be justified in expending
this sum of money, which, calculated at an interest of 6
per cent. would be something like an expenditure of
£6,800 a-year ; and the Corporation Estate was sufficiently
flourishing to justify this. These were all steps which
the committee considered were in the right direction, as
forming part of a grand scheme of improvement, which
he hoped they should be able to bring before the Council.
He might say that the whole of the recommendations
would be passed unanimously by the committee ; and the
Town Committee, appointed at the public meeting at
which the Mayor presided, were also unanijnous in wish-
ing these improproceedivementnsgstoofbethcae
irrniledproosu,etm.
enlitecobeniggniledttethe
move that the
be confirmed.
A discussion of some length ensued, in the course of
which Mr. Bran.km said—The recommendation to erect
a high-level bridge was the result of a committee's deli-
beration out of doors, and the considerations which caused
them to adopt the suggestions were quite secret. Would
mit
intteeot beth perovper e
thfoer somamfeewpersons
reasons
whyrepresentingthatthisreoin m coendrna:
,mifadpe:26tosibleen?ablTe
aktliniemg a two
mazrrioxne
seantsethlswamoef
cluswasion
e
con,
the question, he should say that a high-level bridge was
likely to do serious injury to property in and about
Shaw's-brow ; and that the compensation to which parties
would be entitled would be a very large sum indeed.
With the present high rate of interest, and a probability
of an increase, combined with the possibility of a check

in their trade, which would be likely to continue for some
time, would it be wise and prudent to enter upon a scheme
involving a certain expenditure of £ll4,soo,—and it might
resolve itself into an outlay .of £250,000, a quarter of a
million; and he dared say he had as much ground for
thinking it would be £250,000, as Mr, Bennett had for

dertake t—___ _ =Cuts r. tie thougnt tne sunject
ought to receive the careful deliberation of the whole
Council, in order that they might condense the whole of
the facts, and then consider what measures they should
adopt. He should therefore, move that the subject be
referred back to the committee,—Mr. HENDEUSON se-
conded the amendment. '