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THE TOWN OF PAISLEY:

XVIII.

On the 1st of March, 1838, the first steamer ever built on the Cart was launched. She was built by Messrs Barr & M'Nab of the Abercorn Foundry. She was an iron boat, 125 feet in length over all; length of keel, 102 feet; breadth of beam, 14 feet; depth of hold, 9 feet. The weight of the hull was about 45 tons; and she drew 14 inches of water without engine or boiler. She was pulled on rollers by block and tackle to a field opposite Carlile's Mill, where she was put into the water broadside. As she touched the water a small cannon and several guns were fired; and thousands of spectators, who thronged both sides of the river, raised a deafening cheer. Provost Drummond performed the ceremony of breaking the bottle, and named her the "Royal Victoria." An engine of 70 horse power was afterwards put on board of her. The following communication was soon after sent by the Provost to Lord Melbourne :

:

"Paisley, 3rd March, 1838.

"My Lord,-It may not be in your Lordship's recollection that about two years ago this Corpo. ration obtained Parlimentary authority for rendering the River Cart, which intersects the town, navigable from the Clyde to Paisley, and which now contains within the Parliamentary boundary a population exceeding 10,0 0 inhabitants. Active measures have since been in operation for carrying that important undertaking into effect; and, therefore, I may be permitted to inform your Lordship not only in proof of this, but in the assuredly high estimation in which Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen is held in this dense and industrious population, the first steamboat ever built on the banks of the Cart was launched this week and named the "Royal Victoria," with every demonstration of loyalty as the mest popular and respected name that could be found within Her Majesty's dominions. I trust your Lordship may consider these facts, coming from the Chief Magistrate of Paisley, as not unworthy of being communicated to the Queen by her Prime Minister. I have the honour to be, My Lord, your humb'e and obedient servant,

"JAMES RUMMOND, Provost." The following answer was received :

46

Downing Street, March 6, 1838. "Sir, I beg leave to acknowledge your letter of the 3rd instant, which I received this morning. I have without delay submitted it to Her Majesty. She was pleased to express herself most gratified by this demonstration of affection and attachment

of the inhabitants of Faisley. I am, Sir, your faithful and obedient servant,

MELBOURNE.”

On the 13th of April, 1838, the "Royal Victoria" got up steam and went down the river. She ran from the mouth of the Cart to Greenock in one hour and a quarter. She drew 2ft. 9ins. of water. Her cabin was 12ft. broad and seated to the length of 25ft. The figurehead represented the Queen with a sceptre in her hand and crowned, although the coronation ceremony had not then been performed. The stern windows had a portrait of the Queen, above which was the Regalia and the Paisley Arms below.

On the 28th of April, 1838, the following advertisement appeared:

MISSRS BARR & M'NAB beg most respect. fully to Announce to the Inhabitants of Paisley and Vicinity that their Splendid and Powerful Steam Packet, the "ROYAL VIC TORIA," will make ber FIRST PUBLIC TRIP from the SNEDDON WHARF, on

to

TUESDAY the 1sT of MAY,
At Seven o'Clock Morning,
GREENOCK, GOUROCK,

DUNOON,

LRS, and round the CUMBRAES, returning. by LARGS, where she will remain Oe Hour, and again proceed homewards, calling at the abovementioned Ports.

The encouragement given to the "Royal Victoria was not sufficient to maintain her on the Cart. She was soon, therefore, withdrawn from the river, and ran for a time between Glasgow, Largs, and intervening ports. In the month of June, 1838, she was advertised for sale.

On the 13th of July, 1838, Paisley was supplied with water from Stanley Dam. On the 7th of January, 1833, the first meeting was held for considering the practicability of obtaining water from the Braes. At that meeting it was agreed that a survey should be made and a subscription raised to pay the expenses of it. The resuls of the survey was favourable. A company was formed and Parliamentary authority obtained on the 21st July, 1835--the same day that the Renfrew Railway Bill received the Royal assent. On the 29th July, 1835, the first turf was turned. About 45 acres are occupied by the reservoir, which, when filled, is 33 feet at the deepest part, and contains 36 millions of cubic feet. The water was conveyed in a covered stone tunnel to Calside, when it entered a huge stone filter, and thence conveyed to the town in pipes The 13th July turned out fine, and a

CONTRIBUTED BY J. W. C.

great concourse of people assembled at the dam.
A trumpet was blown inside Stanley Castle.
After a number of speeches, the ceremony of
opening the sluice was performed by Dr Kerr,
the proposer of the scheme. The company then
descended to Calside, where the other sluice was
also turned by Dr Kerr. Several jets d'eau that
had been prepared in town then began to play,
and the bells were rung. There were five jets
d'eau at the Cross, the foot of Saint Mirin's
Wynd, near the Tontine, St George's Church,
and Orr's Square. They were all in the form
of Prince of Wales feathers except the one at
the Cross, which was fitted with revolving arms.
Orr Square was spanned with a beautiful trium-
phal arch near the residence of Dr Kerr. This
arch was composed of flowers taken from the
Gleniffer Braes, and in the centre of it was a
bunch of the yellow water iris, through the
middle of which a spout of water proceeded. In
the evening a dinner was given to Dr Kerr,
when 120 gentlemen sat down. The following
ere a few lines of a poem written by a local
poet at that time:-
:--

And first to thee, O! Kerr, the raise is due,
Who with unflinching courage did'st pursue
Thy favourite project, till wise laws were framed,
To give thy town inen what thy genius claimed
As likliest to confer a lasting boon

On those who domiciled in Paisley toon.

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To thee, O! Kerr, the precious boon we owe,
And good men's gratitude to thee shall flow,
Who first suggested, and whose genius planned
What has been finished by Thom's skilful hand.
The Water Company agreed to supply water
to all houses furnished with pipes free till the
11th of the following November. The number

of these was 800. The following were the first
charges made by the company: Houses under
£2 of rent paid 5s per annum; houses rented at
£10 paid 11s; from £11 to £30 the charge was
ls for each pound of rent; and in every pound of
rent above £30 the charge was 6d. The follow-
ing was the price of water supplied to public
works by measure:-

500 gallons daily, £3 10s per annum.

1,000

£6

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HISTORICAL SKETCH.

XIX.

On the 12th of September, 1838, the foundation stone of the railway bridge over the Cart was laid. The bridge is founded about 8 feet below the bed of the river, and rests on clay. The span is 85 feeet, and the width outside the parapet 28 feet.

On Monday, the 13th of July, 1840, the ceremony of opening the Joint Line between Glasgow and Paisley took place. The day was kept as a holiday in Paisley. It was known here that the train with the directors and select company would arrive in Paisley about half past one o'clock. Long before that time people began to assemble in the County Square, and the streets, from which a view of the train would be got, were crowded. The Sneddon Bridge, at that time insecure, was kept clear by police. The turrets of the County Buildings were occupied, as well as the battlements of the High Church Steeple, and the roofs of the houses. The County Buildings, the Station-House, and the works of Messrs Barr & M'Nab were decked with flags. As the time expected for the arrival of the train approached, the excitement was intense. At 1.25 the train burst into sight amidst the cheers of the multitude, the firing of a cannon and numerous guns, the ringing of the public bells, and the music of the Paisley band. The train had left Glasgow at 1.5. The train was composed of five carriages of the second class, then five of the first class, and, lastly, nine of the second class. These were driven by two engines. The first was an engine made by Messrs Barr & M'Nab for the contractors, and named the "Hawk," the second was an English made locomotive, named the "Zamiel." The train remained in Paisley about three quarters of an hour, during which time the company had refreshment in the Station-House. It then started for Glasgow, where it arrived in 17 minutes. The following verses were composed by a Paisley poet at that time:

THE RAILWAY TRAIN.

What is it we hear in the far distant plain,

Careering in thunder along?

'Tis that fleet, fleet horse with his railway train,
Unerring, gigantic, and strong.

Untired he approaches, unspurred he moves on,
Though he sweats, pants, and puffs all the way;
No storm can o'erpower him, his strength is un-
known,

And he needs no repose, night or day.

Success to the speed of the gallant steam horse,
May his energies ever increase;

Be his usefulness felt, as he speeds on his course,
In the service of commerce and peace.

In consequence of the opening of this railway, the coaches between Paisley-and Glasgow were discontinued. A coach between Glasgow and Saltcoats, passing through Paisley, continued to run till the opening of the Ayr line on the 11th August, 1840, when it also was discontinued ; and then the only coach seen in Paisley was one that ran between the Railway Station and Barrhead. On the 21st August, 1840, there were 25 trains to Glasgow, and 25 trains from that town to Paisley, and the number of passengers was 8200. More could have been carried if the accommodation had been sufficient. The Joint Line commenced to carry passengers on the 14th of July, 1840, and from that time till the end of the year there had been carried 247,849 passengers. Of these there were in July 32,227; in August, 57,950; in September, 38,342; in October, 45, 196; in November, 41,417; in December, 32,617. The fares were 1s, 9d, and 6d.

In 1841 the population was 48,908.

The years 1841, '42 and '43, were a time of very great distress in Paisley. About 150 of the leading business men in town failed; and the banks in town lost about £100,000. The liabilities of the insolvents reached £650,000. The town, which had been borrowing largely, to carry on the Cart deepening scheme, also suspended payment. There was no work for the operatives--subscriptions were raised and soup kitchens erected. The amount subscribed was £45,525. Lord Kelburne paid £300 to a butcher in Paisley for meat, to the soup kitchens. The following were a few of the principal subscribers :

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