THE SUBSIDENCES IN CHESHIRE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2072, 25 February 1889, Page 3

THE SUBSIDENCES IN CHESHIRE

A committee appointed at the meeting of the property owners at Norwich to draw up a memorial appealing to the Govern - meut to grant a royal commission to inquire into the enormous damage done to property m the salt district by snbaidencee hare reported that 1,000,000 tone of salt are annually extracted and exported from Cheshire. The water is pumped up containing abont 25 per cent of salt, and as the brine is pumped the earth subsides, and the damage done is of the meet serious nature tohouse property, roads, highways gas pipes, lamp?, and buildings. Many aores of land have subsided to such an extent as to be permanently covered with water. Property owners ate now suffering to a very much greater extent than at any previous time. The grievance ia the greater because the rook salt whloh forms the foundation of the houses it the sole and exclusive property of the owners, and they are heavily taxed eaoh year, m addition to heir private losses, to make good the injury done to the streets. At Winsford 100 aores of land have sunk, and are now covered with water to a depth of 20ft, It Is estimated that m the town and neighbourhood damage has beet* done, pabllo and private, to the extent of £150,000. The market has »unk down 30ft and the market hall was rebuilt seven yean ago, while Winsford bridge, the obief itraotnre over the Weaver, has been twice raised. Some of the home property has been rebuilt three times, and In one part of the town there is a house whloh has gone down so far that only the top part of the roof Is now visible above gronnd. At North - wloh, the Danebcldge, the principal means of access to the town, has been rebuilt three times during the last 11 yews at considerable cost. The level of Higb street has been raised 3ft during the present year, and i% Bteadily and surely going down. The suggestion Is made that the salt trade should now be taxed to make good the losses it kflota on the residents of the dlstrlot.