The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-23
L0NDON'S WATER SUPPLY.
Parliament to Smite the Rock Of Official
lncapacity and StinginesS.
METERS A SUCCESS,
A Herald Correspondents Investigating Tour
Among the Sharpers
LONDON, Dec. IL, 1877.

sa6AsSt ~nu, ootus stIuuSeE III THESE parts, anu
ignorant OF English customs. no used to get up in
the warm mornings and take cold in the cstern.
The people in tho house noticed that the water
was littlo muddy, and thought that II was badly
Uttered No one thought OF the Indian chief Evil
IDENTITY the Metropolitan Board OF Works have found
very large Indian chief IN their cssern, for they
wish 10 abolisn the cistcrn supply altogether and
establish Instead thereof direct service from tho
MAINS using meters that shall account Tor every Drop
They have voted to buy the rights o! the water CON-
panies and TO 90 TO Parliament Tor power TO effect
purchase upon such terms may DO agreed upon or,
in default OF agreement, for such n sum as may pc
awarded by arbitration They will introduce another
bill 10 provide l6 600 900 gallons day OF pure spring
water for potable, culinary and fire extingushing
purposes by means OF wells borings in tue great
waterbearng strata in the country districts around
London, and. subsequently, bill TO remedy tho
anomalies exlsag respect OF the rating OF water
supply.
By vote of IL to &c this course was determined on
Tho three celebrated engineers, Sir Joseph Baza-
gete, Mr. Bramwell and Mr.. Easton, bad reported
favor Of such new water WORKS, and they estimated
that, by completing such works instead OF enlarg
the existing ones, which would otherwise be ncccs-
sary, there would be annual saving OF $50 Tho
question Of the compulsory purchase OF the London
water companies Is undoubtedly the most important
one that has ever been brought before the Mclropo
tan Board Works, involving does the sanitary
well being OF the population, well as the prospcc
tive addition OF at least $40 600 600 sterling to the
metropolitan debt
GIGANTIC SCHEMES.
Tho Metropolitan Board OF Works is composed of
forty-six members, and It's powers ana duties arc
may say that the principal work OF tho Board consists
In pulling down old London aud rebuilding IT anew
whilo the taxpayers foot the bills. As very prom-
nent official Of OF the great water companies has
just said to me. the members OF the Metropolitan
Board OF Works are elected not for their consumate
ability to manage the immense interests conaded to
their charge, but because they have tho gait OF talk
ana hnve auundant leisure II can hardly be expected
that vestry delegates from the different parishes
Of the metropolis, such as these men are, can
properly anu perfectly represent the intelligence Of
great CITY. rDuy are enterprlsng; they nave made
some grand improvements. They have opened up
beautiful streets where before there were horrd
hlums and rookcrIes, and IN the matter OF managing
the water supply OF London they doubtless believe IN
their own AFFINITY to assume the task and to give better
satisfaction 10 the people than the existing
IL Is yet to be seen whether Parliament the comm
session will look with any favor upon The scueme
The water supply of Metropolitan London, including
the city proper which Is that portion OF hc
under the immediate jurisdiction OF the Lord MAJ or
IS AZ present IN The hands Of eight companies. Will
give bret sketches oil these companies, beginning
with the oldest and most interesting.
TILE NEW RIVER COMPANY.
trading Companies IN the word, and stands alone In
respect to its wonderful prosperity aDd its so
present amt prospective wealth. When Lsnd was
dependent Tor water on wells ana lew conauits IN
different parts OF the town, from which tho water
conveyed oy carriers 70 the houses OF the citizens,
tho supply Was sometimes very acanty the
riers would nsht for the first place Ut tho wells IL Is
true tue city was not then very large. In JAIME tho
Scochman's time there was Ouiy population Of
about one nundred and nty thousand in Londou.
There were only 1900 houses to he supplied with
water In that day, but nevertheless tho people
suffered mucn Inconvenience, when they had
board oil works with courage to meet the difficulty
ana give them what they necdcd nosi-an abu dance
vi pure water, y private citizen and Wclshnan
sir Hugh Myddeltou. then goldsmith IN Baslnghal
street, stepped forward anu betrayed the expenses o
0pcnin an aqueduct from his own private means.
Inc New River was opened by him IN 1913 IL takes
its rise from springs In Armwsl ana ChadwelI, IN
Ware, . town immortaiized IN the history vi JODn
Gupin. ana about twenty mics IN u Straight line from
London. The river, originally thirty eight miles IN
iepgth, was carried along ut the bnse OF She hills
Very little, " any, tunnelinR Was attempted. rae
stream was conducted some places through wooden
troughs, lined with lead. Near Edm0n tou there was
once one oil these troughs 66O feet long ana near the
Nuw River head, at Ishngon, there was another AGO
ioat long II feet acep Inc length oi tho
now about twenty-eignt miles, as some OF tho WIND
iugs have been cut oil.
King james l., wncn Myddeton unable TO com
plelc The work without aiu 10 he III
sdcratIon oil an assignment to him anu to his heirs
forever OF noIety or oneha o. tho whole property.
The King advanced more than $4,000 he property
divlded into scventytwo equal parts OF when the
King had thrty-six, wnie Sir Hugh and has friends
retained thrty-s,x shares which were called 'lhe ad
vonturery moiety."
SLOW PROGRESS.
For many years there were no dividends, and II
there we're my profits they were spent IN tho pur-
chase oil lands and In expenses OF various kinds.
Charles l., whom pressed Tor money In 1886,
veTy glad to sell his thirty-slx shar
5000 rnls mortgage on The Kings shares
is still paid, and is known as tho .kng's
clogg," or charge. Gradually the prospects Of the
company improved with inc growth Of the city.
Thc old London Bridge Water Works were
denned, as they endanscroa the navigation OF tho
Thames, aLd tie New River Company IN 1872 pur-
chased the unexpired lease, winch has stu 700 years
TO run. az ecing to supply that district with wafer
ana pay the proprielors the dividend ,hcy were
receiving of 4. los. per annunI as an annuity
Tor the upcxpred term. very peculiar privilege
Is allowed 10 The nolder OF any pait Of II necnosd
share In the original property tnat yields ABOVE
~ year ncomc-namciy, That VI a vote for the
counties Of Hortiord aud MlddIcsex. fne company
owns more than llty acres IN the metropolis, and
there will he very large Increase from the rent Ut
the buildings thereon ABOUT twenty eight years.
when the present leases will expire. II also vast
properly houses and lana In counties Of Middle
sex and HcrtiorJ which, II the goes
ing In anything like the roporton in the future
as in tho past, Will realize u sum too great Tor our
powers ofcstmation. The following figures showing the
steady advance 10 the receipts OF The company de-
rived from tie best avaiiaoo sources vi iniormation
In 1862 tho receipts amounted f2U6 52l 5s 10d.,
aud the uivdcud Of au original share was Is9s. In
1866 the receipts were f24y us lis 3d., and dv
dcnd 81, 2ys U.s. Id, Win bonus OF fl,IO1 In 1874
the receipts were f3os,3 los 3d aud the divaond
fl 952 Us l0i., vita BONUS OF El00s. In 1876 the
rccelpts were G3s3,o29 Is 3D., and tho dividend
e. l13 3. I'd.
TOTAL VALUATION
AZ recent auction IN the cily few lots sold
and tho highest price realized was di tho rate of
cg7 200 pur share, which would make the whole
property ut present worth about f1,00U, 900, or
$50 100000 This probably under OF It's
value. mo company has a Governor, "A Deputy Gov
ernor and twenty-five directors, and employs about
three huadrcd men. Including ten orcmcn eighty
three tufncochs VINO I'VE III the districts where they
employed ana 90 about at certain hours 10
tho ncrnient supply Tor the houses that served
by cistcrns and not uircct from the main pipes
visit INQUIRY
l had some curiosity 10 VISIT tho headquarters Of
this highly prosperous company, and took walk
yesterday IRON Kings Cross, along The pentonv vile
road, toward lsliuglon VILE thIt intent Al the
reservoir on the hui Policeman, oi wuom inquired
tho way, ssid II was nasty" (meanIng a difficulty
place lnd. aud directed me 10 Cicrkenwcl through
a narrow, winding passage between brick walls. A
plan sign New River alter Company over the DOR
Of PLAN, aniquatcd building was visible at the end
OF Tue passage, and, Oh ringing tho DELL, was adj
mItted As the secretary was not In had inter-
view with the engineer, an elderly, unassum ng
ScotcbmaD, who very politely explained tho situation
Of the works from model Afterward he TOOK mo
iuto tho Board room, where was shown
fine portrait oil Sir Hugh Myddeiton
with mis- pointed gray beard and higu RULED
collar aud at the opposite end OF the a porr AT