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OXLADE FAMILY HISTORY
RIPON AND RICHMOND CHRONICLE
SATURDAY, JANUARY 4,1862
THE COAL MONOPOLY.
MEETING AT RICHMOND LAST NIGHT
Last evening a meeting,convened by theMayor in requisition from the inhabitants was held in the Town Hall to hear Mr Oxlade give an explanation of his cause against the North Eastern Railway. There was a large attendance and the proceedings were of the most unanimous and enthusiastic character.
The Mayor (G.Smurthwaite, jun.Esq.) opened the proceedings by remarking that, having examined the question, he was convinced "that they were paying much too large an amount for their coals - 8s per ton at least - and great loss caused to the public thereby. If Mr Oxlade be so unfortunate to lose his cause, they must take some other means to cheapen their coal seeing it was so great a necessity.
Mr Oxlade then, in an elaborate speech, detailed his dealings with the Company and explained that his chief reason for wanting to appear before them on this occassion was to ask whether they would agree to change the question at issue between them and the Company from a question of law to a question of evidence. It was now proposed to him to try his cause on a question of evidence, when , if he gained his point, though he might make the Company carry for him as an individual, no person besides could do so without an expensive process of law. But if the matter were retained in the form in which it had appeared all along, vis- are or are not the Railway Company Common Carriers (which was the question at law) thus, if he gained his point, which he believed he should very soon, the question would be settled and they could not refuse to carry for anybody whatever. Though he was advised that he should not prejudice his case by trying it on the question of evidence, he looked upon it that he should be perpertrating a breach of faith with the public to sanction such a proceeding without their permission. He therefore, now came before them, to see whether they were willing that it should be tried as a question of evidence ? ('No, No) Well he certainly should advise them, not to do so. He would lay the evidence before them from the judge's notes in order for them the better to see how it would afect their interests. These were in the judge's notes and therefore, they could not be wrong. In the notes before Baron Martin, the Station Master of Shincliffe made oath and said that there was no siding at Shincliffe. In the same learned judge's notes they found Capt.O'Brien, who was upon oath saying -"We are not common cariers of coal between all stations. There are no facilities at Shincliffe Station for receiving, loading and unloading coal. If coal to any extent was admitted to be loaded there, all the other traffic at the station must be stopped. In Mr Justic Hill's notes Capt. O'Brien stated, " We refuse to make arrangements with merchants. We refuse to carry for the plaintiff because he is a merchant. The facilities for unloading coal are not let to any one man, or more at any station. They now came to the reason why the Company would not carry for the merchant. It was beause competition would ensue, which would lower prices and destroy the monopoly. Let them carefully look at the evidence. It was false upon the fees. Any one who knew Shincliffe Station would know that there were 300 yards of siding there, and yet it had been sworn there was none. These 300 yards of siding afforded facilities for loading and unloading coal, and if they only took 120 yards of it there was sufficient for loading and unlading 300 tons per day. And yet it was stated that there were no facilities at Shincliffe Station for receiving, loading, or unloading coal! (Derisive cheers) Now with respect to the facilities for loading or unloading coal not being let. Could they have a wagon of coals brought to Richmond without being compelled to get them away as best they could at great inconvenience, because they would not put them in a depot?(Voices,"No,No) To be sure they could not. The Company would not let them have the depots because they had not converted them into places of deposit and they had been appropriated of let. What then became of the statement that the facilities were not let ? (Cheers) This was the evidence on which it was proposed to decide the case. Would the public allow that ? (No.) Mr Oxlade then spoke of the offer made to him to become a leviathan agent and lend himself to a system of fraud, his refusing to link himself with which being the origin of the dispute between him and the Company. He spoke of the delays created by the company, and concluded by thanking the public for their assistance and confidence they reposed in him. The first resolution was propsed by Mr Norman and seconded by Mr Bell.
"That this meeting having heard read the notes of evidence as taken by the learned judges who have tried the cause of Oxlade against the North Eastern Railway Company is fully persuaded that the evidence given by the General Manager of North Eastern Railway Company if permitted to appear in the case of appeal is capable of deceiving the judgement of the Court, this meeting being of the opinion that the questiion to be decided is one of law, not of evidence and this meeting further pledged itself to take every means to assist Mr Oxlade in moving all such evidence from the case of appeal."
On being put to the meetingthe motion was carried unaminously. Mr Edward Mason proposed the second motion which was seconded by Mr Joseph Brown and carried ( ) con.
"That the inhabitants of this borough have seen with alarm and regret the monopolies which have been created by the North Eastern Railway Directors and Managers; that by the system adopted in the management of the Railway the price of coal has been raised six shillings per ton.It is, therefore desirable, for the interests of the public, that the petition Mr Oxlade has had before this meeting be signed and supported and every means adopted to destroy the unfair system of railway management.
The petition alluded to in the third motion was numerously signed by the meeting which then dispersed, after a vote of thanks had been accorded to the Mayor. The above is but a mere outline of the lengthy and interesting meeting, a full report of which will appear next week.
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CORRESPONDENCE
N.B. - Our columns are open for the expression of opinion, but do not necessarily hold the views of the correspondents.
THE COAL MONOPOLY AND ITS REMEDY
TO THE EDITOR
Sir - Should Mr Oxlade fail in his praiseworthy efforts to make the North Eastern Railway Company do justice to the public, I think the public has the remedy in his own hands.The matter appears to me to be a very easy one. Let Richmond and every other town establish a company for supplying its inhabitants with coals, let it appoint its own agents to transact its own business, then if the North Eastern Railway refuses to convey coals at one penny per ton per mile,"the just and proper charge" let Richmond and every other town convey their coals by road. They can do so and get their coals at a less price than they are paying at present.
ANTI MONOPOLY.
STOCKTON TIMES - RIPON AND
Looking Back
A RICH MAN FOUGHT THE
RAILWAY COMPANY
AND AS REDUCED TO PENURY
75 YEARS AGO
From the " Darlington and Stockton
Times", August 16th 1862
A public meeting was held in the Witham Hall, Barnard Castle,to consider the case of Mr Oxlade, who it was explained, had amassed a considerable fortune, when, owing to a series of law suits with the North Eastern Railway Co., had been incarcerated in York Castle. He was suffering great privations, being but a poor debtor, and his wife and family were also impoverished. It was stated that 4 pounds had been collected in the town for Mr Oxlade. and a committee was appointed to obtain further subscriptions.
