Huddersfield Chronicle (04/May/1850) - page 7
The following is an uncorrected OCR conversion of a newspaper page and will contain numerous errors. The text is in the Public Domain.
1:
- TOCAL CHRONICLE.2:
HUDDERSFIELD, MAY 4, 1850.3:
-f-4:
lighting; 75:
ovement of the town, and whose rates for £hose6:
would be considerably lessened were the net pro-7:
nar from the supply of gas applied in aid of those8:
en present the case in Manchester (and in other9:
ne shall shortly allude to), renders any apology froma10:
ngesary for again recurring to its discussion. We11:
Q the question as one of the greatest nitesent to12:
on nerally ; one that involves important conse-13:
bic £0 jution. It is in fact a question as to whe-14:
= jn zs solu ' 615:
"ate body of speculators, without legal standing-16:
' ' authority to break up and occupy our streets17:
vehe power to move a paving stone, or ge down to18:
ut jipes When once laid: we say it is a questidn19:
their Pijederation of private individuals are still to20:
-juted to have the use and occupancy of our streets,21:
- grose profits which ought to go,-on every22:
Je of justice and sound policy,-in aid of the23:
) a fam the péslic for public improvements: or24:
i" the present favourable opportunity shall not be25:
advantage of to secure for the public, ina just and26:
ple manner, 3 good source of public income, which27:
nder the visits of the local tax-collector less frequent,28:
e demands on the pockets 'of the ratepayers less29:
These are the real points at issue in the present30:
ent concerning the supply of gas: and as to the31:
rin which the question ought to be decided there is32:
a venture to say, two opinions, as far as the public33:
cerned, excepting the shareholders in the exieting34:
vand s pertion of their immediate friends.35:
parties may,-and naturally,-hesitate, and linger,36:
sore, at the idea even of having to give up what has37:
a PROFITABLE MONOPOLY to them-a monopoly,38:
'er, to which they have no legal right, nor even moral39:
ant longer than the public choose to permit them to40:
it. Thus it has ever been whenever a proposal to41:
the gains of a monopvlising company or class has42:
ade: but the just principle that "public good must43:
sacrificed to private gain," has always operated to44:
tting aside of monopoly, whenever the twe have come45:
pen conflict. And so it will be again.46:
+ week we showed how beneficially the printipie of47:
ilic supplying its own gas had worked in the borough48:
Lnchester ; how from the year 1817 to 1843 the sum49:
70,400, (NET PROFITS from the supply ef gas) had50:
xpended in the improvement of the streets, squares,51:
and Janes of the town, and rates to that amount52:
in the pockets of the rate-payers ; and how at the53:
nt time, with gas supplied to the private consumer at54:
varying from 4s. to 5s. per thousand cubic feet, the55:
PROFITS smount to nearly £40,000 per annum,56:
Liic as above indicated. Had "a company" existed57:
nchester during all this period, to whom the supply58:
had been quiescently conceded, as ia Huddersfield,59:
esaid company as ¢uiescently permitted to break60:
and occupy the publie streets, the publie of Man-61:
b would have had to pay far more as gas-tax than62:
eve hitherto paid: for Manchester has almost taken63:
din reducing the price of gas to the consumer, and64:
ying that at alow price consistent with the cost of65:
ion, the increased consumption will result in a far66:
b axcregate of profits: and not only would the gas67:
es in the case we have supposed have had to pay68:
pr price for the article supplied, but they would have69:
tes to pay also fer the improvement of the town to70:
pout of the net profits realised from the supply of71:
At the end of 1842 those net profits were in the72:
Faic, as we have before seen, £370,000. Taking the73:
from 1843 to 1847 at £20,000 per annum, and74:
§4$ to the present time at £30,000 per annum,-75:
'¢ know we are under the mark,-the aggresate76:
nt of profits expended in public improvement will be77:
00, or more than half a million of money! This78:
nse sum, on the system we have amongst us at Hud-79:
ld, would have gone inte the pockets of a score or80:
ivate individuals, and the rate-payers of Manchester81:
have had to pay the amount in rates! Surely public82:
tates a far different course for us in Huddersfield,83:
ion to gas supply, to that allowed to obtain in the84:
mpan85:
Manchester is not the only example of the86:
ul working of the principle of the publie sup87:
gas that can be adduced. There is its next door88:
as it were, the Borough of Salford, were the89:
elong te the Town Council. This is a case pre-90:
npwint with that of ourown town. The works were91:
hy erected im the year 1819, by 2 number of private92:
s. who hag permission given to lay their pipes through93:
hiesireets. In 183] tae works were purchased by the94:
Commissioners of Salford; and since that peried95:
cen transferred with the powers and authorities of96:
lice Commissioners, to the Town Council of that97:
gh. From 1831 to 1835 the amount of fixed capital98:
works was £6,000 ; in 1846 it was £36,518 ; and of99:
¢ sum, when compared with the original amount100:
only £16,000 was mortgage debt-the rest101:
bec paid out of the NET PROFITS. From 1831 to102:
hose net profits amounted to £34,841; and which,103:
1 the extension of tke works themselves as abore104:
pi out, were expended, te usé the words of the105:
lessening the rates." It ought also to be stated106:
39 a loss of £1,016 was sustained by an accident107:
yas-holder ; and that the sum above given is what108:
od after the said loss had been made good. Here109:
pe consumer has been well-off in regard to price, from110:
syolied by a public body. From 1842 to 1837 gas111:
by the Saltord authorities at rates ranging from112:
. per thousand cubic feet ; and the net profits during113:
4 average] £3,567 per annum. Since 1847 the114:
cen reduced to rates varying from 4s, to 5s. per115:
nnd cubic feet; and the NET PROFITS xow average116:
ran £6,000 per annum.117:
seven] example we adduce bears out our argament118:
s-works belonging to a town, quite as fully119:
cxutapic of Manchester, taking into account the120:
2 size and wealth of the two beroughs. In both121:
te ptiiciple has been signally successful ; and it122:
Ro less so in Huddersfield, when once applied, and123:
the Improvement Commissioners follow the example se124:
"them in the towns we hare named, as it respects125:
anecement of their works,126:
= examples of the successful working of the prin-127:
an aso be adduced; but we shall on the present128:
po content ourselves with one more,-that of Roch-129:
: 2 1824, 2 company fur supplying the town of Roch-130:
s incorporated by Act of parliament ; and131:
orks wer purchased by the Rochdale Im-132:
: nt Commissioners for the sum of £26,500. This133:
" tnore than the works were worth-lecausé the134:
: W had a legal standing in the town ; had a right to135:
the Streets where and when they liked, to lay down136:
: "S, and occupy the ground. They had a moropoly137:
ty them by Act of parliament ; and therefore hed138:
wee of There were here "vested interests"139:
g + to Le purchased, In Ew ldersfield there are140:
the141:
Sees Go eye OO EE142:
'had the143:
ing. Since the works were purchased, £7,000 more hae144:
'been 'expended in their extensixh. The debt upon them.145:
THE HUDDERSFIELD CHRONICLE, SATURD146:
none of these; and therefore chat147:
the present gas148:
ing up and149:
profits from150:
having had151:
expense Will be saved :152:
ctmptny having tnd 'the benettt of break-153:
cocupymg our strects, and of putting the net154:
the gas supply into their own pockets, withett155:
to incur the expense of an Act of parliament.156:
company been obliged in 1819, when their works157:
Were erected, to procure an Act authorising such erection,158:
the outlay for such Act with interest up to the present time159:
would have amounted to a very cbnsidétable sum. As the160:
company had not such expense to incur, and as 'they are161:
not in possession of those " vested interests" which would162:
now have been worth to them 'thrice the sum they would163:
have had to expend to obtain, it follows as a matter164:
of course there are none to pay for. In Rochdale,165:
however, it was different. There the company had "vested166:
rights ;" and there the tewn had to payfor them before the167:
power to supply the town 'with gas was transferred to the168:
Improvement Commissioners. The purchase money for169:
the works was, as we before stated, £26,500, including a170:
large sum for the "' vested rights " we have been describ-171:
including Parliamentary expenses, was in 1849, £29,000,172:
From the proceeds of the gas during the year ending173:
March 3lst, 1850, have been paid the interest on that debt;174:
the cost of production and mandgement ; the necessary175:
repairs; a sum of £892 10s. 8d. to a depreciation fund ;176:
and there is leit after all as NET PROFITS, a sum of177:
from £1,800 to £1,900 to be expended in "impreving the178:
town, and lessening the rates." When the debt upon the179:
works has been discharged,-and in process of time it will180:
be,-the income from this source will be a very tidy one181:
for the Improvement Commissioners of Rochdale. In182:
Huddersfield it will also be so, if our Improvement Com-183:
missioners are as alive as we believe them to be to the184:
interests of the inhabitanta,185:
This exampie also bears out the argument of the benefits186:
to be derived from the supply of gas by a public body of187:
authority, and such examples could be easily multiplied.188:
Enough for the present, however, has been adduced. The189:
particulars of the other examples we are in possession of,190:
as well as those concerning which we are seeking for in-191:
formation, eball be given at eome future opportunity. The192:
fact is that the eminent suddess of the principle at Man-193:
chester-the palpable and manifold benefits thus secured194:
to the rate-paying inhabitants of that borough-has had the195:
effect of inducing most of the authorities of the Lancashire196:
large towns to apply the principle-to seck for pewer to197:
parchase up the gas works where the supply has been198:
beforetime committed by the legislature te private eom-199:
panies. The Borough of Ashton-under-Lyne had a bill200:
before parliament last year to effect this object ; and we201:
believe that Stockport kat obtained asimilar power. How202:
the new arrangements may have worked in the two towns203:
just named, we have not at present the means of informa-204:
tion ; but when this is obtained it shall be given. Meantime205:
we may state that in Ashton, on a fixed capital, ranging206:
from £39,000 to £42,000, during the years from 1843 to207:
1847 a dividend of £13 4s. per cent. per annum was paid !208:
and that at Stockport, on a fixed capital of £34,000, with209:
gas at a price varying from 7s. to 5s. 3d. per thousand210:
cubic feet,-in 1845 a dividend of £8 10s. was paid.211:
The public will be glad to learn that in Yorkshire212:
there are also some most successful examples of the work-213:
ing of the same principle-gas supplied by public authori-214:
ties: one within a very short distance of our own town.215:
The particulars of these examples we shall however pass216:
over for the present.217:
We haye been casting abeut to see, if possible, what218:
kind of objections can be urged against Mr. COMMISSIOKER 4219:
MOORE'S proposal either to erect gas-torks for the town,220:
or to purchase the existing works at a fair and fall valuation. ;221:
We confess we cannot see any that ought to be listened to222:
fora moment. We cannot see one at all, unless it be that223:
as the present company have now for nearly thirty years224:
had posession of the ground, and put the entire of the225:
profits of gaze consumption into their own pockets, without226:
giving the public any equivalent share of them, they227:
should still be permitted so to occupy it; and that228:
therefore the power conferred by the legislature on the229:
Improvement Commissioners to provide or purchase gas-230:
works for the town ought to be nugatory and of no231:
avail. We take on ourselves te assert that any man who232:
should venture en such a line of argument as this, would233:
be the last to act on it, if the position of the public ia234:
velatien to the gas question were his own. Jpreackment and235:
practice would under such circumstances be wholly difterent:236:
and for ourselves we cannet conceive of one commercial law237:
justly applicable to man in his individual eapacity that is238:
not also properly applicable in the social or aggregate239:
capacity. The feeling that the public purse is a sort of240:
sack into which every individual who can manage it, is241:
justified in getting his hand and "having a pull," is a dis-242:
honest and a dishonourable feeling ; and the sooner that243:
such views, whether manifested in relation to the gas or to244:
any other public question, give place to a more just appre-245:
ciation of muem and tuum as far as the public are con-246:
cerned, the better for all parties concerned. Public income247:
is as sacred as private income; and ought to L@ as sacredly248:
guarded,-nay more so,-by the guardians the public249:
have placed over it.250:
It may be urged, that the gas-company came forward at251:
a time when no one else offered to supply a great public252:
want; and that the public have had the benefit of such253:
supply during all the period the gas company has been in254:
existence. In answer we urge, that admitting for the mo-255:
ment this statement of the case to be true, the proprietors256:
ef the gas company have been well paid for their public257:
spirit. It is well known that the profits of the concern258:
have been uzknown to the general publie ; and that the259:
gas proprietors have not cared to make them knéwn. It260:
is stated that in addition to heavy dividends, heavy261:
bonuses have been paid; and that for the purpose of262:
mystifying the rate of dividend, the actual amount of share263:
paid-up has been nominally doubled ; i, e, -a £20 paid-up264:
share has been nominally raised to £40 ; and that therefore265:
a 73 per cent. dividend on the nominal share,-which is all266:
the gas proprietors say they receive,-is 15 per cent. on the267:
actual share, We know not that this is actually so, but the268:
statement has been publicly made and never contradicted269:
that we know of. Ifit be true,when any one talks of the270:
" pub-lic spirit" of the gas company, we ean point to the 15271:
per cent., and theheavy bonuses--and say wecould get plenty272:
of " public spirit" at the same price / On that ground we are273:
sure every impartial person called in to adjudicate on any274:
¢laim for continuance on the ground above supposed, would275:
decide that in this particular at least the gas company and276:
the public are quits. The latter has had the benefit of the277:
gas supply-and the former has had the monopoly and the278:
profit. . .279:
We deny, horever, that the gas company came forward280:
to supply a great public want, at a time when nobody else281:
would have done so, At the time the Huddersfield gts282:
works were erected, the town was supplied (in a manner)283:
with water forced. through wooden pipes from Engine284:
Bridge : and though these works belonged to a Bart. pro-285:
prietor, who did not evince the most ardent desire to286:
benefit the town at the expense of his own fiocket, and287:
whose consent to add to the value of his own property had288:
to be purchased, yet these difficulties did not hinder a read289:
public spirited effort from being made to supply a :eal290:
public want-better water and plenty of it. The diffieu ties291:
were fairly grappled with, and the object accomplisl ed. '292:
Bvt the manner of its accomplishment-the principle293:
which the real pubkowplrited promoters of the water294:
'works Act embodied in thelr measure, will remain as an ,295:
waduring monument to their patrietiam and disintereated-296:
ness, and in striking eentrast to the ' public spirit" of the297:
originators.and proprieters of the gas-works, It was no long.298:
ing after or expectation ef receiving large dividends299:
and heavy bonuses that urged en the promoters of the300:
Huddersficld water works Act; for they took care, in the301:
framing of the measure, that neither themscives nor any302:
one else should receive enormous pay for patriotism :303:
but they secured, after common interest had been paid on304:
the capital borrowed for the erection of the works, that305:
tht efitire benefit should go to the public ; and that when306:
the capital debts were paid off, the entire works should307:
belong to the public, and not to a private body of in-308:
dividuals, It is no small matter of pride for Huddersfield309:
that in the reports of the Health of Towns Commissioners,310:
théir town stands alone as having, twenty-three years ago,311:
introduced and acted on thé cotrect principle of water312:
supply ; the principle now about to be enforced in the313:
metropolis, and afterwards throughout the country: and314:
we say that the men of Huddersfield who acted so public-315:
spiritedly in 1827, when their neighbours were acting on316:
the tadividual system, ought to be held in great honour.317:
The example they then set is now about to be generally318:
enforced as the wisest and the best fer public advantage319:
that experience has made manifest.320:
The reader will please bear in mind that in these en-321:
comiums on the water works Act, we confine ourselves322:
strictly to the principle on which the water supply was323:
undertaken. We say nothing zow as to the constitution324:
of the governing power, except that it is one of whith no325:
friend to representation can apprere; but for which we326:
believe the promoters of the eriginal act are not so much327:
to blame as the parliament itself At that time, 1827, it328:
was a fixed principle with parliament to make local329:
bodies, under local acts, self-elective. The represen-330:
tatives of Gatton, Old Sarum, and the other memo-331:
rables of "schedule A," could not brook the idea,332:
much less establish in practice, popular elections333:
and responsible representation. But there is no valid334:
reason, nor even excuse, why the constitution of the go-335:
verning body of the water works was not amended in 1842,336:
when the water works amendment Act was obtained.337:
A setting aside at that time of the hateful self-destroying338:
principle of office for fife and of self-election, and the pro-339:
vision for a regular infusion of new and young blood into340:
the water works management, would have made the Hud-341:
dersfield water works arrangements the first in the342:
country in every respect. This was not done, however;343:
and a great blot and objection remains to be got rid of at344:
some opportunity or other.345:
We hold then that had not the present private gas-com-346:
pany come into the field, the public want would have been347:
supplied ; and judging from the example set in the esta-348:
blishment of the water works, supplied on the correct349:
principle : a principle which has now to be applied, and350:
which had it been applied then, would have secured to the351:
town all the net profits pocketed by the " public spirited"352:
gas proprietors. However, as the old adage has it-" bet-353:
ter late than never."354:
Since writing the above Wé have learned that in conse-355:
quence of the absence from town of JOSEPH Brook, Esq.,356:
the Chairman of the Improvement Commissioners, and357:
from other causes, Mr. Moore's motion respecting the gas358:
works would notcome on on Friday (yesterday) evening; but359:
that a special mesting for the special consideration of the360:
question wil probably be held duringthis month. This delay361:
will do no harm-for it will enable thé public to discuss the362:
matter in the meantime, and get to the "rights and the363:
wrongs" of it. In all probability we shall have something364:
more to say on the question.365:
The following was the notice of Mr. MOORE'S motion en-366:
tered on the circulars calling the Commissioners together367:
last night :-368:
To consider the propriety of entering into negotiations with369:
the Huddersfield Gas Company for the purchase of the Hudders-370:
fleld Gas Works &c., gaspipes, gasometers, and other works and371:
apparatus connected therewith; or the erecting other Gas Works372:
&c., by the Commissioners, or of taking such other steps with373:
reference thereto as may be thought proper and advisable.374:
No doubt the notice will be repeated.375:
ru376:
' WHO Is TO BE POET-LAUREATE?-The Atheneum and377:
Times are opposed to the continuance of this office, the378:
duties of which, the former remarks, belong to the time of379:
court jesters. . It has been thought, hewever, that the office380:
will be conferred on Alfred Tennysen, but this is also ob-381:
jected to, on the ground that he has already been rewardid382:
by a pension of £300 a year, and the accumulation in ore383:
person of the few pecuniary provisions which the country384:
sets apart for her literary men would be a great wrong to385:
Mr. Tennyson's brethren, not justified by the pre-eminence386:
of his desert. Thus the matter stands for the present, but387:
no other name has been suggested for the vacant post,388:
which will certainly now be filled up.389:
REPORTED SAFETY OF Sin JOHN FRANKLIN. - The390:
number of rumours in reference to Sir John Franklin and391:
his gallant companions is so great, and the improbability392:
so glaring, that very few persons now take the trouble to393:
investigate the chances of their correctness. The last394:
"latest intelligence" on this head, comes in the shape cf395:
a letter from Hong Kong, asserting that Sir John and his396:
party had not only snéceeded in effecting the north-west397:
passage, but had actually reached the Sandwich Islands in398:
safety. The author of this is a master's assistant on399:
board of her majesty's ship Hastings, who writes under400:
cover to his fathcr at Devenport, stating that the news was401:
received at Hong Kong on the 27th of February by means402:
of an American whaler. On the same authority, we learn403:
that Sir John Franklin directly on arriving at the Sand-404:
wich Islands dispatched the first lieutenant over the405:
Isthmus of Panama en route for England. We have reason406:
to believe the above report destitute of trutiy, and cannot407:
but regret that such rumours should be weekly circulated,408:
to the great grief, as they must be, of the friends of the409:
missing voyagers.410:
' PEDESTRIANISM EXTRAORDINARY. - A marine named411:
Thomson :last week performed the extraordinary feat of412:
walking from the Marine barracks, Chatham, to London-413:
bridge and back in 12 hours and a quarter. He was habit-414:
ed in heavy marching order-that is, with great coat,415:
knapsack, musket, bayonct, belts, cartouélic-box, and 60416:
rounds of ball cartridge. He accomplished the first 12417:
mniles in less than two hours.418:
- A Desperate Lover. - A novel and somewhat ro-419:
mantic scene occurred at the York railway station on420:
Thursday morning. A detachment of the 8lst Regiment of421:
Foot has been stationed for some time at Scarborough, and422:
orders having been received from the War-office for their423:
removal to Berwick, the light company left Scarborough424:
by an early train yesterday week, and arrived at York be-425:
tween 10 and 11 o'clock. A young girl, 17 years of age,426:
whose heart had been stolen by the charms of one of the427:
soldiers, Was a passenger in the. trin,.she having taken428:
her fare at Scarborough with the determination of foillow-429:
ing the devoted object of her affections wherescever he430:
should go. By some means or other the designs of our he-431:
roine became known, and she was consequently introduced432:
to a police-officer, who informed her that she could not pro-433:
ceed any further, but must forthwith return, to Scarborough434:
to her triends.. The uawelcome intelligence threw the poor435:
deluded girl into a paroxysm of grief, and she screamed ar.d436:
sbrieked most loudly. Kecovering a little from the excite-437:
ment of the moment, the infatuated girl declared in an em-438:
phatic manner her determination to accompany her lover439:
to Berwick, and used all her energies to effect that object.440:
Seeing that the girl was desperate, " physical force" was441:
brought into requisition,. and she was placed. in another442:
train, which was: tiicn about to proceed to Scarborough.443:
She screamed and shrieked louder than before, exclaimir ¢444:
that as soon as, the carriages attained their full speed sl-c445:
would jump dut-of the window, and thus destroy hergel%446:
It was therefore deemed expedient for the girl that some447:
one should take charge of-her, and one of the railyay por-448:
tors went in the same.earriage-with her., On the road the449:
porter's tasit was rather unpleasant, and he had often for-450:
cibly to hold his charge upon her seat. - Doneaster Gazette.451:
AY, MAY 4, 1850.452:
Her Majesty has453:
. wpen which the conviction took was alto-454:
gether tzatisfactory and noormlhe Oboe455:
New County Maatstrates. - Robertson Gladstone,456:
y of 1, qualified as o magistrate for the county,457:
seasons held at Kitkoler ee Wa eta eer458:
eld on y, Zachariah Sillar459:
Esq., of Rainférd Hail, and Davia 'bramilow, Esq., of460:
Haresfinch Howse, near St. Helens, teok 'the usual onths461:
and qualified as magistrates for the county. - Manchester462:
Guardian.463:
WESLEYAN Proceepincs at YORK. - The Rev, Alex-464:
ander Bell, Superintendent of the York Circuit, has sig-465:
nified to Mtsars. Taylor, Coultas, and Hustwood, the deci-466:
sions of the court respecting the recent conduct of those467:
gentlemen in going up to London as delegates to the468:
form Conference. e delegates are deprived of their469:
offices as leaders and local preachers, but are permitted to470:
remain as members. .471:
CORRESPONDENCE.472:
All letters intended for insertion ia the CHRONICLE must473:
contain the real name of the writer, not with the view to474:
publication, but as an assurance that the statements ad-475:
vanced are correct.476:
HONLEY TOLL-BAR. Mae EVASION OF477:
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HUDDERSFIELD CHRONICLE,478:
Srr,-I beg to call your attention to a report of a case in479:
your last week's paper, heard before the Huddersfield480:
istrates, headed " Evasion of Toll."481:
his was an information laid by the toll-bar keeper at482:
Hontley bar, by the directions of the toll contractors, against483:
Benjamin Hallas, a servant of Mr. John Robinson, of484:
Smithy Place, Honiley, dyer, fer driving one of his master's485:
carts along a private read, commenemg at Steps Mill and486:
running through property held by Messrs. Vickerman and487:
Beaumont, under the Earl ef Dartmouth, with intent to488:
evade the toll at Honley bar. In your report you state489:
"the magistrates very properly dismissed the case.490:
From what we could glean from several parties in the491:
hall, a pete pique appeared to have been the real bone492:
of discerd.493:
I eouducted the case on behalf of the toll contractor,494:
and I beg to state that the matter did not originate in any495:
private yique, but that it was my intention merely to496:
obtain a conviction for what the contractors then thought,497:
and what they still think, was an unwarrantable evasien of498:
toll. As to your remark about the magistrates very pro-499:
perly dismissing the case, that needs no comment,500:
I am, Sir, your very obedient servant.501:
J. B,. HELLA WELL.502:
Huddersfield, May 2nd, 1850.503:
Se oy504:
THE DEFENDER OF NEWTOWN FILTH.505:
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HUDDERSFIELD CHRONICLE.506:
Si1z,-So it appears that my letter in your journal of the507:
20th ult., intended to stir up cither the Improvement Com-508:
missioners or the trustees of Sir J. W. Rameden, or both509:
of these parties, te eome and lock at our forlorn and filthy510:
state, and to take steps to amend our sanitary condition,511:
has had the effect of stirring up one ef my neighbours, who512:
has come out in the character of a defender of filth !513:
Sir, there is no aceounting for taste, as Dolly said when514:
she kissed the cow. It is a common notion that swine like515:
to wallow in mire. Den't you think there are two-legged516:
swine, whose brought-ing-ap-ment has created in them a517:
similer foereamty g518:
Enoch Sykes, whose ire at the idea ef our surrounding519:
filth being disturbed and got rid of, has induced him to call520:
my former communication in question, designates the521:
statements in that ¢ommunication as " exaggerated 3" and522:
how does he establish his charge? By proving my case!523:
By showing that our drainage is defective,-and that in524:
Jront of our " front-row," the privies, pig-cotes, dung-525:
heaps, and other filth are placed !526:
But then Enoch has a powerful reason why these agglo-527:
morations of filth in such a situation are not ' deleterious,"528:
-yes, that his word. First, "there is a capacious high-529:
way" between the row and the filth; and next, the space on530:
which the filth abounds contains several thousand square531:
yards! That is, there are several thousand square532:
yards covered with filth ; and therefore it is not " delete533:
rious !"534:
Enoch trusts that I " have written witheut having given535:
the sybject a mature consideration." I am sure that he536:
has done so, or he would not talk of ' highways" in537:
connection with the present Newtown. There is not such538:
a thing in the whole place. It has long been a crying539:
grievance that rates have been collected at Newtown for540:
the repair of highways, and not one single stiver laid out541:
on the roads at Newtown. And the road that Enoch542:
Sykes s of is unpaved, almost unformed,-in wet sea-543:
sons ankle deep in shush and filth. And this Enoch calls a544:
"capacious hichway." ;545:
Then for the "large area of open ground" covered with546:
filth. On that area there are privies without doors, in547:
the most abominable state of nastiness that can be con-548:
ceived. There are pig-cotes in the most filthy condition-549:
the liquid refuse running on the surface, and also the drain-550:
age from Enoch's filthy "high-way," forming regular cess-551:
pools of abomination, constantly giving off " delete-552:
rious" emanations. There is also a filthy pond of water :553:
there were two, but one has very lately been filled up: and554:
altogether it is a mass of irregularity and "delcterious-555:
ness" not to be matched within the sound of the parish556:
church bells. .557:
But Enoch says, that the " deleterious influence of the filth558:
and nastiness" on his fine open area, is "xewtralized by the559:
surrounding atmosphere." If so, how came the Cholera to560:
visit the eastern edge of the very identical open space ?561:
Pray, Enoch Sykes, how was this? There were but threo562:
spots in the Huddersfield township where the cholera563:
broke out ;-Johnny Moore Hill, the Lane, and our blessed564:
Newtown! Two deaths from this fatal pestilence,-one565:
that always se2ks out the filthy places and revels in them,-566:
occurred aftera very few hours' attack, within little more than567:
one hundred yards of Enoch'sown domicile! The " delete-568:
rious influence" that Enoch admits .to arise from his569:
"several thousand square yards" of 'filth and nastiness,"570:
had not been " neutralized" on that occasion !571:
But Enoch Sykes, while he admits that the main sewers572:
require enlarging, can "see no necessity for the neighbour-573:
hood to be turned topsy-turvy." It is a pity that Enoch574:
has not pointed out where the main sewers are which re-575:
quire enlarging: for I am sare the entire Newtown will576:
have to be turned topsy-turvy to findthem! There are no577:
sewers at Newton-any more than there are: highways!578:
There are open ditches of "filth and nastiness." 'there is579:
one at the south end, down which rus all the drainage from580:
Belgrave Terrace, Highfield, Brunswick Place, Newhouse,581:
and the Bath Buildings, the contents of their numerous582:
water closets and all! Yes, this is running on the surface583:
within a few score yards of Enoch's own residence ; and yet584:
he talks of " mali sewers" as if-any body at Newtown ever585:
saw such a thing ; and he is afilicted with a horrible dread586:
lest my " exaggerated" descriptions should cause this neigh=587:
bourhood of filth and nastiness to be turned topsy-turvy.588:
Why, it was but the other day that at the north end of589:
Newtown, and within twenty yards of numerous dwellings,590:
all the drainage from Clare Hill, water closets as well,591:
einptied on to the surface! and it was only when cholera592:
broke out in the good dwellings at Clare Hill (a part of593:
Newtown), that a drain was made to take this filth and594:
nastiness under ground for a short distanee: for it even595:
now, ata little below the Newtown Mill, has to run on to596:
the surface for want of main sewers to take it properly597:
away.598:
Because I have called public attention to this most dis-599:
graceful state of things, Enoch Sykes talks of my " pruri-600:
ence"-and " presumes that my mind dwells in a darker and601:
deeper cellar than my body ;" and that "T can only look602:
upon the small privileges of my neighbours with malevo-603:
lence." Now, sir, I shall be quite content if my " pruri-604:
ence" have the effect of causing this neighbourhood to be605:
turned topsy-turvy, and the filth and nastiness to be re-606:
moved: and I have every contidence that this discussion607:
will hasten that much-to-be-desired event: for spite of all608:
the defence of nastiness that Enoch can make, and spite of609:
all his pleadings for the " privilege" of being filthy, if the610:
Improvement Commissioners can but be induced to come611:
and look at u% they will turn us topsy-turvy, and cause the612:
owners of property to provide something decent in the way613:
of private accommodation for women. My 'mind" may614:
be dark ; it may be "of the earth earthy," 'deeper than615:
my cellar ;" it may be that I am malevolent: on these616:
héads I will give no opinion: but I will say, that, maugre all617:
Enoch Sykes's teachings,-house drainage in open ditches,618:
tilthy cess-pools, sloppy unpaved streets and, courts, dirty619:
pig-cotes, heaps of dung kept for months together, and620:
rivies without seats for women to use !-I will say I cannot621:
look upon thesé thisios as " privileges" to be defended : and622:
I further say that he mist have an enlightend mind, a pure623:
taste, and a strong stomach whe does so defend them.624:
Tam, Sir, Yours truly,625:
Ce A CELLAR DWELLER:626:
Newtown, May 1 1860627:
7628:
WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. - ANNUAL629:
MEETING IN EXETER HALL.630:
The annual meeting of the friends of this society was held631:
in Exeter Hall, on Monday. The spacious hall and galleri632:
Were well filled. Dr. Bunting, the Rev. Dr. Newton, and633:
other ministers who take a in the society's operations,634:
were received on their coming on the platform with hearty635:
plaudits, mingled with hisses; and it was ovident-that the636:
would not be of a i The637:
mee unanimous character.638:
Right Hon, Fox Mave, M.P., presided. Phe CHAIRNMAN639:
tomarked on his attachraent to the Wesleyan Church, for640:
the interest its members had evinced in the body to which641:
he belonged-the Free Church of Scotland. He remarked642:
that although light ruffies had passed over the surface of643:
their body, yet these trifling breezen had passed away.644:
(" No, no," and responsive cries ef " Yes, yes.") And tho645:
great balance-sheet of charity which they showed proved646:
that the heart was as sound as ever it was. (cheers.)647:
Frem the report read it appeared that the debt of the648:
society, which last year was £18,858 16s. ld., had beon649:
now reduced to £10,841 133. 24. This arose partly from a650:
#mall reduction in the expenditure, but principally by a651:
large augmentatien in the income, when compared with652:
previous years.653:
The total amount of income, received from all654:
sources, for 1819, had been..........sscccceecesseneceacs £111,685 13 6655:
The expenditure for 1849 had been ......... - 0s0. -- , 209,168 10 7656:
Balance of income over expenditure ........0...... 2517 211657:
Deduct this amount from the deficiency reported "658:
last year, VIZ, ......cceccesssecssceasecescensvecssscscascnence 13,358 16 2659:
And there remained a debt Of..........00..ccccce00e cceaces 10,841 13 2660:
"the receipts from the foreign auxiliaries and from Ire-661:
land were rather below those of the former year ; but, hap-662:
pily, much leas se than might have been anticipated from663:
the depressing circumstances which are known to exist.664:
The receipts at the Mission-heuse and from the home dis-665:
tricts exhibited an inerease. The Juvenile Offerings con-666:
tributed a fair average amount to the income of the year ;667:
the donations of several liberal friends, on annuity for life,668:
and the amount accruing through lapsed annuities, exhibit669:
a considerable increase ; and the items of legacies and co-670:
lonial grants had exceeded the average of previous years."671:
Nr. Heap, M. P., moved the first resolution: "that672:
the report of which an abstraet has been read, be received673:
and published ; and that this meeting offers its grateful674:
acknowledgements to Atwig hty God for his continucd675:
sanction and blessing vouc to the Wesleyan Missionary676:
Society, and other similar protestant and evangelical in-677:
stitutions." The society, he said, was not diminishing ; its678:
influence was not decreasing, its friends were not with-679:
drawing. The evidence was that the funds were increasinz.680:
But more tham that, its operations were everywhere681:
crowned with success. .682:
The Rev. Dr. HANNAH having seconded the resolution,683:
the chairman was about to submit it to the meeting, when684:
Mr. Grosszan, who was in the body of the hall, said he685:
had an amendment to propose. (hisses, cheers, and686:
hubbub, which lasted for some minetes.)687:
The CWALNMAN said if they would allow him he would688:
state the course of proceedings, as it would save some time689:
and prevent a scene which he must say was unseemly.690:
He must decline to receive any amendmen} on this resolu-691:
tion. He presumed the gentleman who wished to move692:
the amendment had eome to the meeting by virtue of the693:
ticket, which stated that the person holding it pledged694:
himself to abide by the decision of the ehairman.695:
Cries of ' Hear him," "the amendment," 'NO, no,"696:
and great eonfusion. A cry of " Police," was heard ; and697:
two policemen entered the hall and made their way to the698:
gentleman who had essayed to move the amendment.699:
After much clamour,700:
The CHAIRMAN requested the gentleman who had inter-701:
rupted to sit down, and if he would not do so it would ba702:
his painfal duty to order him to be removed.703:
he resolution was then put. A cry of the "contrary"704:
was heard, but it was not put by the chairman ; some few705:
hands were, however, held up, but they formed a very706:
small minority of the meeting.707:
Mr. & M. Preto, M.P. moved the next resolution, to the708:
effect that the circamstances of special encouragement and709:
promise by which several of the principal missions of the710:
society in heathen lands are now placed imposed upon the711:
society the imperative obligation to make every effort712:
within its power for the purpose of raising those missions ta713:
a state of greater vigour and efficiency.714:
The Rev. W. CHALMERS, of the Marylebone Prosby-715:
terian church, in seconding, stated that four-fifths of the716:
world were now in heathen darkness; and at the717:
rate they were going on now it would take twenty thousand718:
years to evangelise the globe. (hear, hear.)719:
Mr. Joun Ropinson Kare, of Bury, supported tke720:
resolution.721:
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution in the affirmative722:
only, and ne opposition was offered to it.723:
Mr. Cowax, M.P. moved the next resolution, expressive724:
of gratitude for the increased resources placed at the dis-725:
posal of the committee by the augmentation of the socicty's726:
income during the past year; and eherishing the hope that727:
the samé spirit..6f liberality may continue to manifest728:
itself, and speedily render the funds more fully commen-729:
surate with the wants of the great work they are intended730:
to promote. :731:
The meeting was then addressed by the Rev. W. Bevan,732:
of Wolverhampton, the Rev. Peter M'QWEN, of Liverpool,733:
Mr. J. A. Haminton. M.P.734:
Mr. G. Sars, of Camborne, in an attempt to address735:
the meeting, was assailed by a voict-is that Mr. George736:
Smith who wrote the tract against the expelled ministers ?737:
(uproar.) .738:
Mr. Saarh thén proceeded to address the meetin:739:
amidst gréat uproar, which rendered him inaudible even to740:
these who were close to him. In the course of his speech741:
the Rev. Mr. Griffith, one of the expelled ministers, rose742:
in the body of the hall, and ¢xciainied "you would not743:
meet us."744:
The Rev. Dr. Newron added a few words, after which745:
the resolution was put, and the cellection. was then made.746:
'the Rev. C. Prest, ¢f Hull, moved 'that the addresses747:
of the meeting be presented to the ministers who hav:748:
advocated the cause of the society throughout the year ; t»749:
the treasurers, secretaries, and committees."-(" No, no.")750:
-He hoped they would listen:-"of the auxiliary an1751:
branch societies-(laughter) ; to the Iadies' associations and752:
committies, for their zealous co-operation; to the juvenile753:
soticties ; and especially to the collectors of the Christmas754:
and New Yéar's offerings, and the kind friends who coun-755:
tenaneed them, for the handséme amount received from756:
this delightful source of income ; to the missionaries, officers,757:
and contributors on the foreig' Stations for their practical758:
interests in the maintenance of the funds of the parent759:
society, in addition to the support they have afforded to760:
their own local institutions; and to the members of other761:
Christian communities who have kindly aided the opera-762:
tions of this society." .763:
The Rev. Joun Scott seconded, and this resolution was764:
carried in the same manner as the former onés.765:
The Rev. JOUHN Bowers moved the next resolution,766:
which was a vote of thanks to the committee and to the767:
general treasurers and general secretaries. The reverend768:
gentleman, who was much interrupted and hissed at, spoke769:
at some length, vindicating the conduct of those officers770:
from the aspersion which, it seemed, some persons wished771:
to cast upon them, and expressed his deep sense of humility772:
that Christian men, who were éf the same hovséhold, who773:
had eaten of the same bread, and drank of the same cup,774:
should be found to lift up their hands against them, and775:
that tvo before strangers. The aftirmative and negative776:
having been put to the meeting, the chairman declared the777:
affirmative carried.778:
A vote of thanks having Iccn passed to the chairman,779:
Dr. BUNTING took the opportunity of saying there was no780:
doubt of what was the general feeling of that socicty.781:
The vast majority, he believed, were ashamed that there782:
should have been found persons so wanting in common783:
propriety, and before strangers too, to expose their own784:
want of every thing that evinced proper feeling. But the785:
feeling of pain which that had occasioned him had besn786:
greatly removed by the manntr in which those resolutions787:
which were most calculated to call forth what little diiter-788:
ence there had been carried. 'the sense of the society,789:
deny it who could, was in favour of those resolutions.790:
'here was a small and miserable sprinkle who had the791:
presumption to lift their hands against them. Therefore792:
he felt. thankful that the st:angers who had honoured them793:
with their company that day had had the opportunity af794:
sc¢ing what was the prevalent feeling of the methodist795:
connexion. . . .796:
The CHAIRMAN, in acknowledging the complimént, said797:
he could not conclude that meeting without expressing, a3798:
he trusted as a stranger he might be allowed to express, tle799:
deep sense of sorrow which came over him when Le pex-800:
ccived that the shades of difference hung over that larze801:
and influential society. At all times he was happy to hava802:
the honour of presiding among them; and would to Gud803:
he had the power of pouring oil upon the waters before they804:
became troubled. He would say to all parties that ho805:
trusted they would call to mind the vast use whieh that806:
society was.to all the world, and the deep responsibility807:
which would ¥est on the one hand with those who inter-808:
fered unnecessarily With tatters with which they had809:
nothing to do-(hear, hear) ; and, on the other hand, with810:
those who refuséd information on matters upon which iy-811:
fopmation ought to be given. half bir o'clock812:
: The meeti en separated at = wr O ,view the contents page of Huddersfield Chronicle (04/May/1850)