Document 73 p 8
| for paymt. of the Amot. of that Estimate by Installmts in like Manner as he reced the money | ||||
| from the Co And this Dept. immedtly sent a Copy of such estimate & proposal to the sd. Mr. Mylne & that no | ||||
| delay might happen to the Co. wch. this Dept. cod. avoid he on the 10th Jany 1784 wrote a Card to ye sd. | ||||
| Mr Herron in the Words or to the Effct followg. that is to say "Mr Davidsons Compts. to Mr Herron begs to know | ||||
| if he is vested with full power from Mr Errington to treat and agree on his behalf with the Magistrates | ||||
| at the next Quar Sessions touching the matter of Hexham Bridge if he is not then Mr Davidson has to | ||||
| request that he or Mr Donkin will Attend at the Sessions fully authorized for the above purpose" Saith | ||||
| that at the Xmas Sessions held at Morpeth in & for the sd. Co. on the 14th Jany. 1784 ye sd. Mr Herron* attended | ||||
| was | ||||
| & ⁁ after an interview with Trustees ordered to withdraw & then was told by this Dept. that he wd the next day | ||||
| the sd | ||||
| x inform ⁁ Mr Herron in writing of the resolutions of the Justices And Saith that at that Session not only | ||||
| Mr Smeaton’s Estimate & Mr Errington’s proposal but also an Estm. made by the sd. Mr Mylne were Sevlly | ||||
| taken into Conson & aft. a long Consultn. at wch. (ye sd. Gawen Aynsley & Bacon Wm. Westell two of ye sd [Dfts?] | ||||
| as well as Divers sd. Justices of ye sd. Co. were present) this Dept. was directed to inform the [???] | ||||
| that the Magists. as Trustees for ye public were of opinion that they could only be justified [???] | ||||
| calling upon and if necessary compelling ye Complt to pform his Contract And this Dept [??] | ||||
| obednce to such directions (aftr by Lre informg. ye sd. Mr Herron of ye Magists Determination) | ||||
| wrote a Lre addressed to ye Complt at Stable Yard St. James’s London on & dated ye 16 Jany. 1784 in ye | ||||
| Words or to ye Efft. followg. that is to say "Sir yr proposal Grounded on Mr Smeatons Estm. of the suppd | ||||
| repair of Hexham Bridge with that Estimate & Mr Smeatons Lre of Rept. to you were delivd. to me ye | ||||
| latter end of last Mo. by Mr Herron & were by me laid before ye Magists. Assembled at Xmas | ||||
| Sessions held ye 14 Inst. at Morpeth havg. previously communicated the same by Lre & | ||||
| such of them as I presumed wd. attend those Sessions & the same were yesterday morning | ||||
| taken into Conson when after a very full long candid & free discussion of the Subject | ||||
| in every point of view the Bench wch was uncommonly full were unanimously of opinion | ||||
| x that they cod. not accept of yr. proposal & also that they (as Trustees for ye public) cod. | ||||
| only be justified in callg. upon & if necessary compellg you to rebuild & maintain Hxam | ||||
| Bridge accordg. to ye terms of yr. Contract wth. ye Co of Northd. Havg. now Sir informd | ||||
| you of ye result of the deliberation of the Magistrates on yr. proposal I must as their | ||||
| Officer & by their directions require you to begin as soon as possible to rebuild Hexham Bridge | ||||
| Compleat ye same with all prudent Expedition agreeable to yr. Contract in fulfilling of wch. shod. there | ||||
| any studied delay the magistrates must then be under the disagreeable necessity of making use | ||||
| of those powers for the benefit of the Co. wch.the Law & yr. Contract & Bond furnished them with I mention | ||||
| this in Compliance with my duty as Clk of the peace & not under the most distant Idea of the | ||||
| Necessity of the exertion of those powers & must beg leave to assure you that the Magistrates | ||||
| most sincerely felt for you individually in this unfortunate affair & hope on mature Conson | ||||
| you will find their Conduct justified in yr. Judgmt. & that they as Magistrates cod. not possibly | ||||
| Act otherwise" And this Dept. furr. saith that in consequence of a Lre by him reced on or | ||||
| abot the 11th Feby. 1784 from ye sd. Mr Donkin dated 10th Feby. whereby the sd. Mr Donkin informed | ||||
| this Dept. that in a Lre he the sd. Mr Donkin had reced from Mr Errington he the sd. Mr Donkin | ||||
| him | ||||
| was ordered to request that this Dept. wd. return to ye sd. Mr Errington or ⁁ the sd. Mr Donkin ye | ||||
| Complt proposal respectg Hexham Bridge wth. Mr Smeatons Estm. & Lre to ye Complt he this | ||||
| Dept. did on the 12th Feby. inclose ye sd. proposal Estm. & Lre from Mr Smeaton to the Complts (being | ||||
| the papers this Dept. so reced from ye sd. Mr. Herron) in a Lre to ye Complt Addressed to | ||||
| him at Stable Yd. St. James’s London & sent ye same Ppost John Davidson | ||||
| Christopher Blackett of ye Town & Co. of Newcastle upon Tyne Gent. Aged 30 yrs. | ||||
| and upwds. Sworn & examd. Deposeth as follows | ||||
| First To the first Interry Saith he knows the Complt & Defts in the Title of ye Interries named | ||||
| and hath known them for sevl yrs. | ||||
| Eight To the Eight Interry Saith he hath for the space of between 9 & 10 yrs. last past done | ||||
| and transacted the business of his Bror. John Blackett Esqr. as Treasurer of ye Co. of North. | ||||
| Saith that in ye yrs. 1777, 1778 & 1779, 1780 & 1781 He this Dept. advd. & pd. to Mr John Donkin | ||||
| of Sandhoe the Complts Agt or Steward on acct of rebuildg the Bridge at Hexham | ||||
| of the [???] | ||||
| divers Sums of money ⁁ of ye Co. of Northd. amotg in the whole to the sum of £4700. And | ||||
| further saith that it apps. to this Dept. from the Book kept for entering up Accts of ye | ||||
| Treasures of ye Co. of Northd. That Richd. Brown who was employed to do the Business | ||||
| of Treasr. at times when this Dept. was not able to attend did at difft. times in ye yr. 1777 | ||||
| advance and pay to ye sd. John Donkin on the like Accot. divers furr Sums of money | ||||
| amotg. to the sum of £1400. And Saith it also appears to this Dept. that ye Accots. of the Treasr | ||||
| of the sd. Co. includg all the above mentd. paymts. have been Annually signed | ||||
| & allowed by three of his Majesty’s Justices of the peace for the sd County | ||||
| Chrispr. Blackett | ||||
| 4 | ||||
Note: Replies to Interrogatories: Davidson; Blackett
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Transcribed by RMS and CTW