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Document 74, p 2

168
Proofs
To prove that Witness is Land Steward and Agent to the
Deft – that he has for many years resided at Sandoe near
Hexham – that he was privy to most of the Transactions
respecting the Bridge and particularly to the Expences in
building it and purchasing Ground for and making the Road –
£ s d
that he actually paid 5579.19.10 ¼ on Accot of the Bridge
£ s d
and 388.18.11 ½ on Accot of the Road – that the Defts Horses
and Carriages were employed in leading Materials to the Bridge
£ s d
which if hired & paid for woud amount to 291.13.9. – and
they were also employed in making the Road and on that Accot
£ s
if hired and paid for woud amount to 19. 4. – that 6449
Fothers* of Stone were got out of Defts Ground for building the
Bridge which if purchased woud have cost 3d. p Fother and
£ s d
£ s d woud amount to 80.12.3 – that from Witness' long Residence
5579 19 10 ¼ in the neighbourhood he was well acquainted with the places
388 18 11 ½
291 13 9 where the best Materials coud be procured and the Rates and prices
19 4
80 12 3 to be paid for the same – and also what was the usual payment
400
to Masons and Labourers – that as great part of the Undertaking
6760 8 9 ¾
6100 was to be performed by Days Works Mr Smeaton applied to the
660 8 9 ¾ Witness and desired him to take Charge of superintending –
Materials not }
used in the Buildg} such part of the Undertaking – and in Compliance therewith the
sold for } £ s d
5579 9 10 ¼ Witness, also his Son, and another person his Clerk did all
388 18 11 ½
291 13 9 of them frequently and some of them almost constantly attend
19 4
80 12 3
400 – – the Building from February 1777 until January 1781 – computes
Undertaking Cost Dft 6759 18 9 ¾ such Services at £400. – and says that, or a greater Sum, must
Dft received of the County 6100
659 18 9 ¾ have been necessarily paid for such Services, if other proper Persons
after the Bridge was
built Dft sold had been hired to perform the same,
Dft disposed of Materials }
at different Times to } 300
the Amount of about } that Witness has for 40 Years lived within Views of
Defendant out of Pocket 359 18 9 ½
the River Tyne and that the Flood which threw down the
Bridge on the 11th. March 1782 was more sudden and
violent than Witness ever before saw knew, that the
falling of the Bridge was not as Witness verily believes
occasioned by any Defect in the Construction thereof, but
entirely to the irresistable Impetuosity of the Flood, that
Witness doth not believe there was any Defect in the
Construction –
That on the 10th March 1782 a Storm of Snow
continued for sevl. Hours till it lay on the Surface
of the Ground 12 Inches deep – that the Melting of the
Snow was succeeded attended with a very heavy Rain
inconceivable
which occasioned an ⁁immediate Torrent in the River Tyne
1

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Note: Draft proof of evidence, Mr Donkin

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