Wed 21 Nov 1923
Warning notices pointing out danger of heavy traffic using swing bridges in area of the Wheatenhurst Rural District to be fixed on suitable places. Clerk to obtain names of persons residing in district using bridges.
County Council accepted Committee’s offer, as free gift, of stable at Pike Bridge. To re-erect it on another part of Company’s wharf. Mr Whiting to receive provisional notice to quit premises.
Fence on road side of wharf at Eastington reported as being badly out of repair. Mr Whiting responsible.
Canal Association accepted £1 1s as Company’s subscription for current year
Swing bridge at Lodgemoor(sic) unfit for heavy traffic for some time. Messrs A S Cooke & C, carrying out building operations at Lodgemoor Mills, exhibited notice to employees. Condition of bridge dangerous, loads not to exceed one ton in weight. Messrs Strachan & Co pointed out that state of bridge not due to recent cause. Unsafe condition for a long time.
Blunder Lock bottom gates repairs carried out. Estimates for oak framing for new pair of gates discussed. Challow Saw Mills Co. Ltd’s estimate for £33 2s 6d lowest, accepted.
Shed over sawpit at yard at Eastington gradually falling down. Tiles good, could be saved. Offers invites to purchase shed as it stands. No longer required. If no purchaser, shed to be taken down.
Walnut tree near carpenter’s shed dangerous. Offers to purchase invited, also for withy lop standing in paddock. Chalford Wood Workers Co’s offer of £10 accepted.
Mr Bush had not cut down overhanging trees. Clerk to send correspondence to Mr Bloxam.
River Frome lower level. Impossible for Company to widen river on Company’s side without risk of weakening original canal bank. Widening might have disastrous results. No attempt on opposite side. If surveyor attempted to carry out any work interfering with canal, he would do so at own risk. Land Drainage Officer of Gloucestershire County Council invited Company to join in scheme for resectioning of river. Clerk to refer Land Drainage Officer to Surveyor at Lower Level Commissioners.
Planking of main deck of swing bridge at Saul repaired. £2 13s 2d for new timbers.
[1923 Nov] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 21^st day of November 1923 @ 3 o'clock pm
Jack Margetson, W R Bloxam, R J C Little, Gd Evans, Henry R Hooper.
[Swing Bridges] _Traffic over Canal Swing Bridges in the area of the Wheatenhurst Rural District Council_
In accordance with the minute of the last Meeting a letter had been written to the Clerk of the Wheatenhurst Rural District Council and the reply was read.
The Committee was of opinion that a warning notice pointing out the danger of heavy traffic should be exhibited to the public, and Mr Hooper undertook to visit the bridges with a view to fixing on suitable places for the notices to be placed. The wording of the notice was not decided upon.
The Clerk was requested to obtain the names of persons residing in the district using the bridges.
[Pike Bridge] _Pike Bridge at Eastington_
It was reported that the County Council had accepted the Committees offer, as a free gift, of the stables, and had undertaken to re-erect the same on another part of the Companys Wharf. To be quite in order it was decided to give Mr Whiting a provisional notice to quit the premises at this Wharf.
[Wharf-house at Eastington] _Wharf House at Eastington_
Mr Hooper in accordance with minute of last Meeting had kindly visited these premises and had arranged for the necessary repairs, some had been carried out at a cost of about £3..-. With regard to the fence on the road side of the Wharf, reported as being badly out of repair, as Mr Whiting is responsible for its maintenance the Clerk was requested to write him to put the fence in order.
[Bristol Road Wharf] _Bristol Road Wharf_
As directed at the last Meeting the repair of the roof of the Wharf House had been undertaken at a cost of £3..10..0.
[Canal Association] _Canal Association_
The Chairman stated that the Canal Association had agreed to accept £1..1..0 as the Companys subscription for the current year, same to be reviewed by the Association when the next subscription becomes due.
[Stonehouse Wharf] _Stonehouse Wharf_
The Clerk reported that no reply to his last letter to the County Surveyor re tar in Canal at Stonehouse Wharf has been received. The Clerk was directed to write again.
[Swing Bridge at Lodgemore] _Swing Bridge at Lodgemore_
The Clerk reported that the bridge have been unfit for heavy traffic for some time, and that Messrs A S Cooke & C^o who are carrying out building operations at Lodgemore Mills had exhibited a notice of instruction to their employees to the effect that as the condition of the bridge was dangerous loads to be taken over the bridge must not exceed one ton in weight.
Messrs Strachan & C^o Ltd had pointed out that the present state of the bridge is not bey any means due to any recent cause, it having been in a weak condition for a long time.
[Blunder Lock bottom gates] _Blunder Lock - bottom gates-_
The Clerk reported that certain repairs had been carried out since the last Meeting.
Estimates for the oak framing for a new pair of gates were discussed and it was decided to accept the estimate of the Challow Saw Mills C^o Ltd for £33..2..6 the lowest.
[Report M^r Hooper] Mr Hooper reported that the Shed over the Saw Pit at the Yard at Eastington was gradually falling down [Report continued] but that the tiles were good and could be saved. He suggested that offers might be invited to purchase the shed as it stands, as it is no longer required.
The Clerk was instructed, failing a purchaser, to have the shed taken down.
He also reported that the Walnut tree standing near the carpenters shed is dangerous and that it would be as well to have it felled. Offers to purchase had been invited for this and also for the Withy lop standing in the paddock. The offer of the Chalford Wood Workers Co Ltd of £10..- was accepted by the Committee subject to cash transaction.
Mr Hooper pointed out that Mr Bush had not cut down any of the overhanging trees and that any day serious damage might be caused to the canal. The Clerk was instructed to send the correspondence that had already taken place in reference to this matter to Mr Bloxam.
[Stroud Water C^o] _Stroud Water Company_
_Re intended Act of Pariliament session 1924_
The Committee decided to take no action in this matter.
[Aerial Stay Wires] _Aerial Stay Wires over the Canal (telephone)_
Permission was granted for this providing that Government accepted all risk, and the Clerk was instructed to inform the Department accordingly.
[River Frome] _River Frome Lower Level_
A further notice dated 18^th October 1923 had been received signed by the Surveyor, in which it was stated that as the Company had not done the work in accordance with the first notice sent the Commissioners would after seven days do the work at the Companys expense. In reply the Surveyor was informed that it was impossible for the Company to widen the river on the Companys side without running the risk of weakening the original Canal bank constructed under the Companys Act of Parliament and that any such widening might have most disasterous results. No attempt [River Frome cont^d] had been made to widen the River on the opposite side, it was decided to give notice to the Surveyor that if he attempted to carry out any work which might in any way interfere with the Canal he would do so entirely at his own risk.
The Land Drainage Officer of the Gloucester County Council had invited the Company to join in a scheme for the resectioning of the River, but the Committee were of opinion that they could do nothing further as present as they had done as much to the bank as it was safe for them to do.
The Clerk was instructed to refer the Land Drainage Officer to the Surveyor of the Lower Level Commissioners.
[Swing Bridge at Saul] _ Swing Bridge at Saul_
The Clerk reported that the planking of the main deck of the Swing Bridge at Saul had been repaired at a cost of £2..13..1 for new timber.
[Tonnage] _Tonnage_
The Tonnage for the period 1^st July 1923 to 20^th November 1923 was £430..15..5 comparing with £523..12..7 last year and £365..13..0 in 1914.
[Tonnage} The Tonnage for the month of October 1923 was £72..7..3 comparing with £114..4..6 last year and £77..9..1 in 1914.
[Balance at Bank] _Balance at the Bank_
The balance at the Bank was £135..17..1 against £440..3..1 last year and £346..8..5 in 1914.
[Cheques drawn] Cheques drawn:
Committee fees: 1..12..6
Canal Association Subscription: 1..1..0
F Cookley Coal for Tidesman: 2..8..0
Ryeford Saw Mills C^o Timber: 6..1..5
S J Vinson & C^o - Iron, Pike Lock: 1..0..5
Haines & Sumner, Guarantee P J Snape: 10..0
