The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-05 00:00:00

CHESTER AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY.

Last evening, a numerous meeting of the rate-payers of
Birkenhead, was held in the Town Hall, for the purl cse of
taking into consideration the propriety of consenting ti
communication proposed to be made by the proprietors of
the Chester and Birkenhead Railway Company, by a tram-
road, to be worked by coaches and horses, between the
terminus of Grange-lane and the Monk's Ferry, in order to
prevent the confusion attendant on numerous omnibuses.
Mr. Wm. Fry was called to the chair.

The CUAIRMAN having mentioned the objects of the
meeting,

Mr. MALL/till, clerk to the Birkenhead Company, said that
he appeared on behalf of that body, to give any explanation
which might be required by the late-payers as tottie train-
road which they were desirous of constructing between Grange-
lane and Monks' Ferry. Great misrepresentations had been cir-
culated with referenc3 to this proposed roil', but the Coin-
pany wished that all should be enabled to exercise an un-
biassed judgment upon the question. Plans had been dis-
tributed through the township with the view of cor-
recting the error that seemed to prevail, and a plan,
on an enlarged scale, was exhibited at the head of the
room, showing the relative breadths of the foot-ways,
the roadways, and the tramway; and there was an ad-
ditional section showing the relative widths of the vehicles
upon the road, supposing them to be running abreast upon
the road. There were two footways, one on each side, of six
feet each, two gutters of nearly five feet, a roadway of 18
feet wide, leaving five feet for the tram-road. lie would ask
whether it would not be better for the township to have the.
immense traffic of the railway drawn quietly and noiselessly
upon a tram-road than upon a common road, on which there
would necessarily be the noise and danger of numerous om-
nibuses? Mr. Mallaby next proceeded to reply to the state-
ments contained in a handbill, signed "A Ratepayer;" and
In conclusion he called upon the ratepnyers to decide for
themselves according to their own opinions, without. subject-
ing their judgment to the imperious dictation or to the over-
nearing tyrataty of any party whatever. (Cheers.)
Mr. APPLETON opposed the proposition in a very long and
effective speech. He- said he had measured the street, and
found it 36 feet 6 inches, or 12 yards 6 inches wide. Now
the law of Birkenhead was, that one-third of the whole
should go to the parapet, which was 12 feet 2 inches. He
had also measured a load of hay, and found it to be 9 feet;
anti a good load would be 11 feet, and lie could produce wit-
nesses who had measured railway vehicles of 8 feet 11 inches.
The company therefore could not accomplish what they pro-
mised. r. Appleton proceeded to contend that the tram-
road would injure the interests of Birkenhead, and that if
leave to make it were granted to one public company, others,
such as the Liverpool Corporation and the Woodside Ferry
Company might ask for the same privi:ege, and they could
not be refused. He strongly opposed the motion on these
and a number of other grounds, and he should move that
that the propositions be dismissed.
Mr. RICHARD FRY opposed it also, and pointed out many
ways in which the proposed line would be productive of
danger to the community, and damage to the interests of the
township.
Mr. HILLIAR supported the proposition.
Mr. BENTHAM said he was convinced that the proposed
tram-road would be the means of improving the value of pro-
perty.
Mr. HORRIDGE contended that the sending away of pas.
proceeeings of the
sengers to Liverpool by means of the company's tram-road,
could not be productive of prosperity to Birkenhead.
ndsheifpdn‘dvoeduldthle)e in a company, and worn; d* con di. if it refused to consent to the tram road, than it was.
Mr. WILLIA:afi,I
JACKSONthetO
Ks. informed the meeting, that the special board of
surveyors, in July, 1835, permitted the Liverpool and Man-
chester Railway company to make a train road, in Wapritse.,
under certain conditions, and said, that hitherto there '11:d
been no bad consequences resulting.
Mr. SMITH opposed the designs of the company, and made
some strong remarks on the conduct of their clerk in various
matters connected with the township politics of Birkenhead.
Mr. BRODENT suggested an adjournment of the debate.
Mr. MALLABY having replied to Mr. Smith with much
energy, and also to the arguments urged against the proposed
road,

A short discussion followed, at the end of which it wag
unanimously determined that the consideration of the ques-
tion should be adjourned six weeks.

MANCHESTER, BOLTON, AND BURY RAILWAY_

A special meeting of shareholders of this railway was held
last night, at the Clarendon-rooms. There were about 201
gentlemen present.
Mr. JOHN ROBINSON, on heir,: called to the chair, said
that the meeting had been called with a view to devise some
means by which to reduce the expenditure in salaries and
wages on the line, which were so great as to be seriously in-
jurious to the interests of the shareholders. He should be
glad to hear any proposition on the subject.
Mr. RATCLIVFB said he had taken some pains to. obtain
information on the subject, and found• that -oaf of a half-
yearly income of £18,780, the salaries and wages paid acre
no less than £3,091, without engines ; or, in other words,
15 per cent. upon the whole. This linowonld be proseerous
if it were economically managed, and he should propose that.
a sub-committee should be appointed to inquive into every
department of the management, and afterwards•to call toge—
ther those now assembled, and communicate to them the.
result. He instanced the excellent effect such a step had•
with regard to the St. Helens railway, and concluded with a,
motion that the sub-committee be appointed as suggested.
Mr. Rigg said he did not think such a step would result in,
benefit, and suggested that steps should •be taken tnbring
about an amalgamation with the Manchester railway com—
pany, as the Crewe company did with the Grand Je.tiotion..
This proposition was not relished by any of those ziresent,,
and the motion being put was carried unanimously.
The names of seven gentlemen were then severally named'
and seconded to be of the committee, with an understanding!
that when they had obtained the requisite inforniation they
should call together the shareholders then present. Thc•
meeting then dispersed.

The foreign trade of Belfeet now surpavw trlt of thla
Potts, ip Ireleuct