Accrington on Rails - The Tramways: A Complete History - Robert Kenyon

rent of £150 per mile of single track per annum. Or alternatively to ask them to agree to an amount determined by a Board of Trade appointed arbitrator, as is stipulated within their Lease. June A letter was received from the Secretary of the Tramway Company, offering ‘certain’ terms for the Corporation to ‘relieve’ them of their liability to renew, repair and maintain the tramway. It was resolved that the contents of this correspondence be referred to a ‘special’ Sub-Committee for their consideration and a report. This Sub-Committee immediately convened in the Council Chamber to consider and discuss the question of renewal, repair and maintenance of the tramway. It was later resolved by this Sub Committee not to accept the sum of £60 per mile contained in the Tramway Company’s proposals, but to agree to accept the sum of £150 for each mile of single track per annum, in order to relieve the Tramway Company from the Covenant in their lease with regards to the renewal, repair and maintenance of the tramway. In the event of the Tramway Company declining to accept these terms, it was resolved to ask them if they would agree to an amount settled by an arbitrator as approved by the Board of Trade. The General Works Committee considered the recommendations made by the Sub-Committee contained in their report on the question of renewals, repairs and maintenance of the tramway and resolved it should be approved and a copy forwarded to the Tramway Company. A letter ( dated June 10 th ) from the Accrington Steam Tramway Company was read out to the General Works Committee. It read as follows – Dear Sirs, With reference to your Sub-Committee’s recommendations as stated in your correspondence of June 5 th last. I have to say that I brought it before my Directors, who have instructed me to respectfully decline your offer of £150 per mile of single track per year, as they consider it excessive and one which therefore does not constitute a basis for further negotiations. However, my Directors are willing to accept the alternative proposal to determine the amount of yearly rent or sum to be paid by my Company in order to relieve us of the liabilities contained in the lease, on application by your Corporation and my Company to the Board of Trade, each party to pay its own referral cost and one half of the arbitrators charges. You must not assume that my Company acquiesces in the correctness of the statements contained in your report; many of these in the opinion of my Directors are inaccurate and require correcting. Will you please forward to me for approval the form of the proposed application to the Board of Trade at your convenience? Yours W. Jeffs. It was resolved this letter be entered into the minutes. July The General Works Committee resolved that the Borough Surveyor should prepare and certify the cost of carrying out the work of renewing, repairing and maintaining the paving on the westerly margins of the tramway on Whalley Road, between Peel Street and Castle Street. These had been done due to the fact the Tramway Company had neglected to do them, and that the bill should then be forwarded to them with a demand for early payment. August It was resolved that the Borough Surveyor proceed with the repaving of Blackburn Road in front of both the Market and Town Halls with wooden paving, including the renewal and repair of that which the Tramway Company had not done properly. A copy of the requisition which the Tramway Company had sent to the Board of Trade asking for the appointment of an arbitrator was read out to the General Works Committee. It contained certain differences which the Company alleged had arisen between themselves and the Corporation. They also heard a letter from the Board of Trade with regard to the Tramway Company’s correspondence. It was resolved the Town Clerk should put the facts before the Board of Trade with the intimation that, in the event they decided that the points raised in the Tramway Company’s memorandum were such differences and disputes as were contemplated in the last proviso of the lease, the Corporation would have no objection to a referee being appointed. A report by the Clerk of Works was received with regard the progress on the repairs to the tramway that was now being done by the Tramway Company. It stated that these repairs were not being done in a satisfactory manner. A letter

65