The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-04-14 00:00:00

SUPPLY OF WATER TO THE TOWN.—IMPOR- public from the mode of management. But this was
J TANT PUBLIC MEETING. within every person's observation and he would not dwell
upon it. (Hear.) The next part of the resolution to which
he would direct attention was a strong recommendation,
Yesterday, at twelve o'clock, a public meeting of the.
I bill, and for taking any other measures requisite to pro-
as- from that meeting, to unite in opposing the present
Nisiburgesses
Prins
and
Court in h inhabitants ttahnet s
Sessions
siu u s Liverpool
House, was i
uhceul dm
compliance
a theu ee
vide an ample supply of water. (Hear.) He wished the
with a most respectable requisition addressed to the I meeting particularly to notice this suggestion, because
Mayor, for the purpose of " taking into consideration the what was most wanted in this matter was a desire for
but that we must appeal to London upon matters which
bill of the Liverpool and Harrington Water Works union. It was a common reproach against us that we
Company brought now before parliament." The Mayor were not able to settle our differences among ourselves,
presided, near whom we observed a considerable body of
the most influential merchants and inhabitants of the ought to have been arranged in Liverpool. The grand
town and neighbourhood. panacea for all our differences invariably was, " Send a
The MAYOR, on assuming the chair, opened the pro- deputation up to London." (A laugh.) He was very much
ceedings by stating that he had convened the meeting in of opinion that a deputation to London was rather the end.
consequence of a requisition, numerously signed. The than the means. (Hear, hear.) In fact there was no
requisition, his worship added, would explain the pur- more jollier life than that of a deputation man in London.
pose
several and objlemenect of
present were the meeting, an
d he understood that (A laugh.) He had certainly some arduous duties to per-
gent who would explain their form. For instance, he must have his back whitewashed
particular views, and also submit resolutions. He had in the committee-rooms of the House of Commons; he
no :doubt the meeting would receive both their reeolu- must submit to the hot and cold draughts of Dr. Reid's
tions and their remarks in the spirit in whiclo he was sure, ventilators—which were no joke ;he must fish for stray
they would be offered, namely, that of improving the po- members of Parliament, who, like Thames trout, were
sition of the town with regard to the supply of water. very scarce, and also watch with wishful glances the de.
The TOWN-CLERK read the requisition ; stating that parting robe of Mr. Austin, when the Speaker was am.
730 signatures were attached to it. pounced at prayers. He must write home that one
Mr. Was. BROWN moved the first resolution. He said member had worked like a regular brick, and that another
that owing to the position in which Liverpool stood, as had supported him ; and then he must adjourn to the
notoriously the most unhealthy town in the kingdom, a I deputations' dinner. What were we doing in the mean-
character which was sustained by evidence that could not time e (Hear.) Were we thinking of the purity of Vaug-
be doubted—the visitations made through it, in the first hall-road and New Bird street, that the annual flight
instance, by Dr. Duncan, subsequently by the Sanatory of deputation men must go on upon the wings of the ex-
Commissioners, and again by testimony given before the press train ? Was fever to hold its fell revels about
Veatch Committee by -Mr. Walthew and others —there Crosbiesstreet, in order that the Diddiesex Junction
could be no doubt it was necessary to do something to might be invited to dinner at the Burlington ? These
secure the introduction of a more abundant supply of , were matters which he trusted would be settled at home,
water, particularly as the want of it was one of the pri- without the constantly recurring evil of sending deputa-
mary causes of unhealthiness. (Hear.) This subject tions to London. (Hear.) Having said this touch, he
deeply affected all classes of the inhabitants ; and they
I would leave the resolution in the hands of the Mayor, in
had very properly called upon the Mayor to preside at the firm conviction that it would be confirmed b y the
thus take the first
this meeting, in order that their views might be known meeting ; and that the meeting would upon a subject so important to all. (Hear.) To do so
great step towards securing an ample supply of water
was a duty we owed to ourselves—(hear),—we owed it to for this great and flourishing town. (Cheers.) the town in which we lived ; but more particularly was it The MAYOR then put the resolution, and it was mia-
owing to the humbler classes of our townsmen, many of nimously carried.
whom bad not, on many occasions, the means of washing Mr. BLACKBURN rose to move the nextresolution, and
their hands and faces. (Hear, hear.) It must be obvi- . commenced by expressing extreme regret at the absence
ous to every gentleman who had taken the trouble to of a gentleman who had greatly distinguished himself up.
visit the courts, alleys, streets, and cads desac, mentioned on this subject, and whose proceedings in relation to it
in the evidence he had referred to, that it was utterly had entitled him to the gratitude and confidence of the
impossible for the poor either to wash their clothes, to public. He referred to Mr. Samuel Holme. (Cheers.)
keep their persons clean, or to make their dwellings so tidy There were two points, both of which had been referred
and comfortable, as that husbands should be disposed to by preceding speakers, which must be taken for granted
to remain at home with their families in the evening, in the in all the proceedings and discussions upon this subject.
filth and dirt that surrounded them. The natural conse-
One was, that a very abundant supply of water was abso-
quence of such a state of things was, that the poor men,
lately essential to the health, comfort, and morals of
when they went home after a hard day's work, did not find
necessary comforts in their dwellings, and they naturally large towns, Liverpool among the rest; and the next,
resorted to the pothouse, where they found the well sanded that in this towp there was a most lamentable deficiency_
floor, a comfortable fire and a pot of beer. The habits so in the supply. Supposing it to be granted for the sake of
argument, that the existing companies were able to far
induced were well known to lead to great demoralisation, wish
a sufficient supply to all who were able or-
so that not only the health but the morals of the town willing to pay for it, still the question arose how
suffered from the want of water. (Hear.) Much had was it with regard to the supply to the humbler
been said about the difficulty of procuring a sufficient sup- classes ? (Hear, hear.) How with regard to the sup-
ply for Liverpool. He apprehended there was nothing ply for the extinguishing of fires? (Hear.) How with
regard to the cleansing of the streets (Hear.) How
in this objection. It was very probable that within the
range of the borough a sufficient supply could not be ob- with regard to the flooding of the sewers ? ( Hear, hear.)
tained ; but that a sufficient supply could be had by going
to a short distance for it could not be doubted ;and surely To all these questions he thought an unfavourable answer
must be given. It must be admitted that as related to
the expense ought not to be matter for question when these points we were badly situated—so that even if the
water was literally as necessary to our existence as food. wealthy inhabitants of the town could command a sufficient
(Hear, hear.) At this moment there were four bills be- supply—which he frankly confessed was within his own
fore parliament, each seeking, one more than another, to experience—there were a great variety of points of essen-
obtain for us a greater supply of water. First, there tial importance which the present companies were unable
was Lord Lincoln's bill, which had, as it appeared to to meet. The town, therefore, was called upon to ob-
him, a great deal of unnecessary machinery, and the tain a better supply than was at present possessed by
purposes of which could be supplied in Liverpool with. it (hear). The resolution he should have the honour
out having an additional corporate body, either through to propose went to this very point. Before he read
the medium of the Town Council or that of the High- the resolution he must be allowed to say that he
way Board. The resolutions to be brought before the trusted he might regard the present meeting as the
meeting cautiously abstained from saying what par- commencement of a series of exertions on the part of
ties ought to introduce the water ; but at the same the inhabitants which would insure the triumph of the
time they were equally strong in the expression of a be. object in view. In embarking upon any enterprise, we
lief that the subject should be taken up by the town, and ought to have distinctly before us the object aimediae,
at, be
that there ought to be an ample supply of water at any purpose to which we directed our exertions, and the point
cost. (Applause.) It was understood the Harrington at which we would be satisfied, and without which we
Water Works Company had been desirous of negociating would not be satisfied. He thought it desirable, then,
with the Corporation for the purchase:of their property ; to lay it down as a general principle, that the wealthy
hut, having failed, they were now in negociation with the and the poor inhabitants ought never to be satisfied upon
Highway Board. He hoped and trusted the means would this subject until they had secured a supply of water,
be found for making ample compensation to the private limited only by the demands of the people.—(Cheers.)
interests of every man for what be bad expended in that More than that—they ought never to be satisfied until
company, or for any prospective advantages that might be the distribution throughout the whole town had been
expected; but private interest must on all occasions give made in the best possible manner.—(Elear, hear.) Upon
way to the public good—a principle which had long been a subject of this sort, we were bound never to stop short
admitted. When he looked at the supply that the existing of the nearest approach to absolute perfection.—( Loud
companies were furnishing, and compared it with that of cheering.) Mr. Blackburn here read the resolution,
some of the cities across the Atlantic, at a very moderate and in continuation expressed a hope that the audi-
cost, and in most ample quantities, he must suppose that a ence would bear with him if he ventured to make
similar feeling of good will towards an indigent and a few observations upon the distinct parts of it. The first
labouring fellow-townsmen, would 'actuate the people point referred to, which claimed attention, was the ap-
of Liverpool. (Hear, (hear.) He knew from personal
pointment of a public body, to supply water to the public,
inspection that Baltimore had a constant supply of water, in opposition to the principle of competition by different
and that the poor might, at all times, resort to the companies, or the establishment of any one company,
hydrants in the streets, when they required it, if they having in view a profit from the capital invested. He did
did not think fit to have the water in the interior not hesitate to avow himself a strenuous advocate, in the
of their houses. (Hear, hear). Philadelphia had an great majority of cases, for competition. He believed
equally constant supply both for the poor, for extinguish- that, in the vast majority of cases, by the force of corn pe-
ing fires, and for all necessary purposes. The city of tition the cheapest supply of any given article ccu!d be New York had gone to very great expence with the same ' obtained and in the best posslele way, and th it mi
object. It had cost the city of New York nearly two safely be, left to society to regulate the supply andat demangdht millions sterling to bring the water of the Croton river but there were cases which furnished exceptions to the
into the town, and £700,000 additional to distribute it rule. It was not very difficult to prove, or at least to ad.
through the streets (hear). In order to endeavour to duce reasons to show, that the supply of water was one of
Procure a similar supply in Liverpool, the present meeting these exceptions. We must never push any principle to
Liv
had
erpool an been called to
ngtooppose
ater the bi
or ll intro
Company, duced bywhic the its utmost possible extent, because there were exceptions
d Harrin W Wks h to every principle, however general its application
appeared to him intended to entail upon this town a mode
When we considered the very large amount of capi.
-
of supplying it exceedingly inexpedient. It was natural
to expect that when a company was framed for a given sal which must be expended in procuring water, and in
tlphyrieon
constituteg di iun gt
shareholders
eh. w
company,ay; rkuwsf fueonhr
taswini tudes i
nt
reflectedhiestalennb guattehi
tof
onuofr,ift
thtpi
mhearerel di
uponta hffima tecnumtl
the
ost
purpose, they would endeavour to make it profitable, and to
great
necessarilyreat adv an
teal
ga
ep
ss et
that
Be
tf oat e p
raen any
existing dividend
company could be
necessarilym ade to
obtain remuneration for the capital employed upon the un-
dertaking. They could not be blamed for that. But if the
object in view were entrusted to a public body, where
there was no private interest involved, we viewed it with
--ffirhieeotthroeuag;gots thefor
very different feelings, as their object was to supply the
town in the greatest quantity at the least possible cost. possessed in opposition ; and when we considered the ten-
dency, of which we were not quite destitute of proof in
The requisitionists who had met to concoct the resolutions Liverpool, where two or mare companies existed, to
to be presented to the meeting, suggested that the bill of the coalesce, to play into each other's hands, and to make
against the public for the promotion of
in toto. He trust vo
ice meeting would concur in that
common cause
their
meeting o% 0
ul
would
interestssy these and
wereem o I u
verym emolument,—he nstu,
Harrington Water Company should be opposed
sentiment, and adopt the resolutions that would be sub-
mitted. (Hear.) He understood there were some differ- preferring to be supplied by a public body, rather than by
ences of opinion between the Corporation and the High- private enterpriZe. (Cheers.) When it was considered
way Board, as to which body should apply to Parliament that water was an article of indispensable necessity, that
for powers to supply the town with water ; but, as be had
it was important it should be accessible for public pur_
already stated, the resolutions cautiously abstained from poses as well as for private use, and for many purposes
saying where such a power or right should rest. for which payment could not be demanded, he thought M
As r. Hume had obtained the appointment of a
the meeting would concur in the resolution that it was
committee to investigate these matters, and to endea- the duty of the public, in their corporate capacity, to
your to consolidate the introduction of water with the provide themselves—(hear)—to distribute it, not for the
sewerage, paving, and improvement of towns, pro- purposes of emolument or profit, but for the use of
bably Parliament might, without the interference of that the community, at the lowest possible charge, (Hear.)
meeting, say who were the proper parties to introduce it. A question might naturally arise, whether it was possible
He would not trouble the meeting with any further remarks to
obtain a larger quantity of water than was already dis-
upon this resolution. because he knew that Mr. Moore, tributed in Liverpool for the use of the inhabitants, be-
Mr. Reay, and other gentlemen conversant with the whole cause if no more could be obtained than was already ob-
machinery, and who were better able to enter more into tained, no beneficial purpose could be served. The
details, and to give better information than he possibly
means of an abundant supply was the first essential ele-
could be, would address them. He had attended merely as
ment towards the improvement of our condition in this
a make-weight to shew his entire approbation of and great
respect. This question was exceedingly important, and
anxiety for Liverpool having as ample a supply of water,
one which, from the evidence before us, it was not ditfi-
and as cheap as it was possible. Mr. Brown here read
cult to answer in the affirmative. It was very easy to
the first resolution, which will be found in our advertising
show, and he should for this purpose avail himself of the
columns, and added, that in opposing the present bill,
information afforded in the second volume of the Health
there was another evil to be referred to of a very impor-
of Towns' Commission Reports [Evidence on the supply
tant character. Many persons had private wells and
of Water]. There could be no great difficulty in obtain-
founts upon their own premises. If the bill were suffered
to go on, and the company were allowed to sink their inga sufficient quantity for all the purposes of Liverpool,
wells deeper, all the private wells and founts would be however large the town might eventually become. Mr.
Thom, in his evidence, pointed out three sources whence
drained, and the owners robbed of that water which they a supply might be obtained. The first was the drainage
now enjoyed without price, with the further damage of
of surface water, collecting it in reservoirs and large
being compelled to pay a large price for its substitute, tanks, properly filtering it; second, rivers, where they are
(Hear.) Mr. Brown concluded amidst much applause by within reach of the town ; and third, deep sunk wells. It
reading the resolution,
had been affirmed by Mr. Thom upon the authority of well
Mr. GEORGE GREEN said that in the resolution which
ascertained facts that three feet of water annually fell
had just been read, and which he had the honour to se-
throughout Great Britain, and that in many parts the
coed, he found two distinct propositions assumed; first,
quantity was much larger. so that a comparatively small
that the supply of water was deficient ; and next, that
surface, if judiciously drained, and the water collected in
the mode of its distribution was imperfect. Of the defi-
reservoirs, would afford an immense supply. With regard
ciency of supply, we might be better able to judge when
to rivers, Nottingham was supplied from a river in the
we learned what competent authorities said was an ads- immediate neigbourhood : and the water from rivers
quite supply, such as Mr. Thom or Mr. Hawkesley.
could be brought at a very small expense from considers-
Mr. Hawkesley laid it down, that as a minimum supply,
ble distances. Mr. Thom stated that one town (Green-
each family ought to have twenty gallons daily. Liverpool
ock) was supplied with water through a conduit or passe e,
was supplied by two companies—the Bootle Waterworks g
which cost £4OO per mi e, which passage, he said, would
Company, and the Liverpool and Harrington Company.
be ample for the supply of a town containing 500,000 inha-
These companies trading in water, of course, were not very
bitants. He (Mr. Thom) said. •• At Greenock, where
anxious to communicate any information as to the quan- the
aqueduct passes through rugged and impracticable
toy supplied by them, their object naturally being to
ground, and was a work of no ordinary difficulty, the.
make a little go as far as possible, and to receive as much l
cost of it was only £4OO per mile exclusive of the
land, and it is capable of passing a full supply for a city
of 500,000 inhabitants." (Hear.) We in Liverpool
were not destitute of rivers within a moderate distance
from which an abundant supply-could be obtained. Taking
this circumstance in connexion with the quantity which
might be obtained from surface draining, and what would
continue to be obtained from the wells already sunk, and
others about to be sunk, he thought a most ample supply
might he obtained, without incurring enormous cost, such
as would put it within reach of the poor, and be abundant
for the extinction of tires, the cleansing of the streets, and
the sewers. Another point adverted to in the resolution
was the constancy of supply which was so essential to
cleanliness and the facility for extinguishing fires. There
might be some gentlemen present who had not given much
attention to the subject and who did not know exactly
what was meant by the system of constant supply. He
would illustrate what he meant by reminding them that if
they possessed in the highest part of their house a tank
containing a sufficient quantity connected by means of
pipes with every room in the house, and you had only toturn
the tap, then you bad a constant supply. i Ths system.
was in application at Nottingham, upon the satne princi-
ple ; and
it was applicable just as well to the whole town
as a single house. As to the possibility of t ffecting it
here,ot the question should rather be, why should it not be?
(Hear.) If the principle was applicable upon a large
scale, why not upon a small scale? if you supplied one
house, why not supply ten or ten thousand ? He did not
see the slightest difficulty in it. Provided there was an

for it as they could. The quantity of water supplied by
the Bootle Company might be told from the capacity of
the tanks and the pipes, and the power of the en-
gines ; but he was unwilling to trespass on this sub-
ject, as Mr. Thomas Moore, who had devoted 14 years
attention to the subject could afford much better informa-
tion. Mr. Moore estimated the possible supply of water
by the Bootle Company at one million gallons in 24
hours. He (Mr. G. Green) found, in an old memoran-
dum book, dated 1798, August 30, that at the request of
Mr. Bryers, from London, Mr. Holt, from Walton, with
Mr. Yates, surveyor, and six or eight other gentlemen,
went to Bootle to examine the quantity of water produced
by three springs at a near distance from each other. The
result of all three was, that 278,280 wine gallons were
produced in 24 hours. There were present the Rev. Mr.
Houseman ; Mr. Wyatt, attorney ; Mr. Harper, Lark-
hall ; Mr. George Green, sen. ; Mr. William Kerr, &c.
&c. Tlielgoemorandum went into the details of measure-
ment, but the result, as he had stated, was that these
springs yielded 278,280 wine gallons in 24 hours, being one-
fourth of the amount it was now stated at. What their
improved works, excavations, and overflowings of the canal
might add he did ❑ot know ; but if the supply were calcu-
lated at one million gallons, he feared it had been taken at
far beyond the fact. The next company that furnished a
supply was the Liverpool and Harrington. These two
supplied the whole town. Of the nature and quantity of
the supply furnished by the Harrington company he had
no reason to speak, because they admitted they had never
been able to furnish sufficient water to the town. They

merely took water which was available to the inhabitants,
and charged them for it. (Hear.) The nature of thesup-
ply fornit•hed by this company was well known; but it
did appe.,r that at a certain depth below low water, in the
red sandstone, water was to be drawn. The wells which
this company proposed to sink would be in this rock, and
thus the private wells would be drained. Thewells in Green-
lane had drained all the surrounding wells for a circuit of
three miles ; and he therefore perfectly agreed with Mr.
Brown that it was utterly hopeless to expect a competent
supply from any works managed in the same manner.
(Hear, hear.) As to the node of distribution all the
meeting were aware of it. (Hear.) The water was on so
many days in the week ; sometimes the turncocks were
not in attendance at all to turn on the water, and thus
there was much inconvenience and loss of time to the

ample DU ppty va nut," [WU Me,: were proper means for
its distribution, it was as easy to accomplish it upon a
large scale as it was in a single house. There was not
only sound theory in it, but the plan was in actual opera-
tion, not only in the cities of New York, Philadelphia,
and Baltimore, but in Nottingham. (Hear.)
Mr. TINNE.—And in Preston.
Mr. BLACKBURN—And in Preston a'so. As to Not-
tingham, he need only refer to the evidence of Mr.
Hawkesley, from which he would read one or two extracts
which would prove, from actual facts, that the distribution
of water according to the system of constant supply was
not difficult, that it was attended with more convenience,
that there was no waste whatever, but rather the contrary,
and that it lessened the expense of turn.cocks and other
persons employed ukooantitnhueewd In works, so
ti
thiat in every respect