The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-07-11 00:00:00

THE WATER QUESTION

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

I have been asked whether the newspaper reports of
what I have said in public on the water question are
correct, and this inquiry was made with the avowed in-
tention of replying to my statements, on the first oppor-
tunity, in the Council. My answer is, that these reports
are not incorrect, but at the same time, from their neces-
sary brevity, they give a very faint idea of what I really
mean to convey to the public. I therefore propose to
continue the subject, tiresome as I fear it has become to
many, in a few letters.

ICI have thought it right to allude in public to the
proceedings in the Council, and have retorted on some of
it 3 members for what they have said, I believe it will be
admitted that such rebukes are not wholly uncalled for.
In particular, I allude to the remarks of Mr. Earle ; and
though I can laugh with others at his drollery, yet there
are limits beyond which such remarks as he indulges in
should not be allowed, and which are wholly inconsistent
with the dignity of the Council-chamber. There are
others who express anger because persons out of doors
venture to express opinions differing from their own, but
who, on their part, think they have a fair claim to make
their opinions known, more especially when they are to
be the paymasters.
Again, I have alluded to Mr. Hawksley. I ask, who
called forth these remarks, but Mr. H.'s own most in-
discreet friends—Mr. Earle, and others that might be
named—who, in their attempts to exalt him, have dis-
paraged their own neighbours ? " Egregious coxcombs,"
" itinerant quacks," and other elegant expressions, ap-
pear in Mr. Earle's speeches, when speaking of Liverpool
engineers. In one respect fortunately these expressions
cannot apply to me, seeing I have been nearly 20 years a
resident in Liverpool, during the greater part of which
time I was frequently engaged with the machinery of one
of our local waterworks.

From my own personal knowledge of Mr. Hawksley, I
entertain no other feeling than that of respect.
I have also to remind Mr. Earle of his complimentary
speeches respecting the Polytechnic Society—where, by-
the-bye, he was only a visitor ! If Mr. Earle does not
acknowledge, I think our townsmen will, that they are
indebted to the proceedings at this useful society for
much important information and fresh light on the Ri-
vington scheme. And, moreover,' I tell Mr. Earle that
while other associations are closely watching the financial
concerns of the town, if I have any influence at the Poly-
technic Society, we will there keep a sharp eye on the
amateur engineering in the Town-hall.
With these few remarks I will proceed to the discussion
of the great question we have in hand, and I trust we may
pursue the controversy in future with the feeling that all
parties have much to learn, and that we should therefore
review each other's remarks with forbearance, both par-
ties, I believe, having one object in view, viz., the welfare
of the town at large.
It is of great importance that all parties should exactly
understand their position, and have a clear view of some
of the leading features of the controversy, and not have
their attention diverted by minor points, which points
have frequently been unduly magnified, and employed to
ward off the blows that were aimed ai the really vital
questions, reminding one of the manoeuvre said to have
been practised by the French insurgents, who carried
little children before them as a protection against the fire
of the National Guards. _

First, then,—ln what position are the Town Council
now placed with respect to the people of the town ? A
small majority (if majority at all, for I feel that if each
member had been solely guided by his own opinion on
the question, a different result would have been seen)
are in favour of the Rivington scheme, while nineteen-
twentieths at least of their constituents are against it. It
may be argued that those who supported it had the ad-
vantage of being better informed upon its merits than the
public at large. This is not the result of my own obser-
vation, for having bad opportunities of conversing with
numerous parties both in and out of the Council, I have
generally found a most marvellous ignorance on the sub-
ject, and this even extending to men in the Water Com-
mittee itself. Since, however, the Polytechnic Society
took up the subject, a great light has been thrown on it,
and all parties have suddenly become very learned upon it.
The question of the water supply was originally brought
before the public in a bad spirit. It was found that the
town was in a most unhealthy state, and that the poor
were badly supplied with water. This was an excellent
handle, and the whole onus was thrown on the water
companies; who doubtless had not done all that was in
their power, but to throw the whole blame on them was
a mistake, as may now easily be shown. I will return to
this elsewhere. The Corporation were principally in fault,
and are now making noble efforts to atone for their for-
mer deficiencies.

Bat in the water question their zeal carried them too
far, and they overlooked many important considerations.
The active movers in the question began by degrees to
look only to one side, and then the whole of their pro-
ceedings leaned to that side, till they no doubt argued
themselves into a belief of the correctness of their own
views.

The world are loud in their accusations of jobbing, and
in attributing unworthy motives; I cannot join in this,
as I see in the Water Committee men of high integrity
and independent philanthropy.
The unfortunate bias thus received may be traced in a
variety of circumstances ; I drew attention to one that
may be consulted by those interested, viz., the evidence
before the local commissioners. In this will be seen a
host of witnesses all brought forward to speak against the
water companies, but in the cross-examination it was
almost always reluctantly admitted, that the water would
have been forthcoming, had the house owners provided
proper means on their part ; but, notwithstanding all these
efforts, the commissioners wound up their proceedings by
stating their full conviction that an abundant supply might
be obtained from the neighbourhood. The following is
an extract from their report :
" That on the question of quantity we see no reason to doubt
that an abundant supply, for the wants of the present and
future population, may be derived from the new red sandstone
formation, whence the supply is at present derived."
But the bias still remained, and although unexpected
demands arose, the Council argued themselves into the
conviction thai these must not hinder them. It was not
at first the intention to purchase the interest in the water
companies, but in this they were over-ruled ; thus before
a sod was turned or a pipe cast for thb Rivington works,
the water account has a debt of some £700,000, nearly
the whole of which is for objects that will be useless the
moment the Pike water is let on : provided always, the
people will drink it when it does come ! And where have
we any guarantee that no other unlooked-for outlay will
be demanded.
But as these things are done and cannot be undon%
what shall we do next to avoid further loss. The example
is before us,—let us read a lesson in the proceedings at
New York.

The people there were clamorous for water, but in one
respect their case was different from ours, they really had
very little water, and that little was very bad, some parts
of the town were supplied by water carts. The authori-
ties were obliged to do something, they consequently took
the best advice they could, and then submitted the whole
question to the people ; this was done by a ballot in the
several wards, the result of which was 17.330 in favour,
and 5,963 against the prosecution of the celebrated Croton
Water Works.

What must now be the satisfaction of those who were
then in power, and who can look back on the course they
then pursued. Now where is it found that the cost,
instead of 4,500,000 dollars, (the mean of the two esti-
mates for the Croton works,) has become 12,000,000, and
that the water is found occasionally to be most unwhole-
some ' • while all must regret the loss, yet all must share
the blame. . _

I must not be understood as recommending " vote by
ballot," or constant " appeals to the:people,"—discrimin-
ation is necessary. But here is a question in which no
fundamental principle is involved, where a man must feel
that his conscience alone must be his guide ; this is a
simple question of the social condition and domestic com-
fort of a community, in which each individual has daily
experience to guide his opinion.
Let this opinion be fairly expressed, and let us be guided
by the result. If, as Mr. Holme says, the opposition is
only the " cry of the few," the Rivington scheme will go
on, and the Corporation will be free from responsibility.
If, on the other hand, it is the cry of the many, that cry
will soon be heard, for November is near at hand ; but how
gladly would every friend to peace and good order decide
the question in a less hostile manner. It may be said that
the sense of the people was originally taken, this I think
may be easily refuted, as I shall attempt to slow at
another time.
But as this letter is already too long, I must reserve
till my next other arguments on this branch of the subject.
JOHN GRANTHAM.

P.S.—I am reported to have said, at the Music-hall,
that Mr. M`Donald was the only practical man at the
Corporation waterworks." Ido net think I said so, as

I certainly did not mean it, as is evident from what fol-
lows. I think I said that he was the only man that had
ventured to speak out on the subject now in dispute.

THE SAFETY OF ST. SIMON'S CHURCH

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

- -
SIR,-Mr. Woodruff, the excellent member of Scot-
land Ward, having in his place in Council, on Wednes-
day last, made some remarks which may lead the public
to believe that the fabric of St. Simon's Church has been
injured, or is in danger through the improvements now
making by the London and North Western Railway Com:
pany, T trust that you will allow the following letters to
appear in your columns to satisfy the public mind on the
subject, and oblige your obedient servant,
JOHN WALKER,
Churchwarden of St. Simon's.
July 81h,1818.

Office, Lime-street Station, Liverpool
14th Tune, 1848.

GENTLEMEN,—Understanding that some of the con-
gregation of Saint Simon's Church are apprehensive that
the railway tunnel and works have made the foundations
of the church insecure, I am happy (as engineer of the
railway works) to inform you that the foundations of the
church are quite secure; and I may remark, that whilst
carrying on the railway works, I have discovered that the
foundations of the church are upon hard rock, and more
secure than public buildings frequently are.
I am very sorry for the annoyance which our operations
have occasionally been to the congregation of St. Simon's,
but they will now be speedily completed.—l am, Gentle-
men, your very obedient servant,
EDWARD WOODS.
MES3RS. THE CHURCHWARDENS OF
ST. SIMON'S CHURCH.

[COPY.]

Liverpool and North Western Railway Offices,
Lime-street Station, Liverpool, June 29, 1848.

DEAR SIR, --4 think if your architect, or any other gen-
tleman taking a prominent interest in St. §imon'a Church