Document 74, p 3
| 169 | ||||
| and in the Morning of the 11th. Witness went to the Bridge | ||||
| to view it and see if the Flood had made any Impression | ||||
| – that it was with Difficulty he got to the Bridge | ||||
| from the Rapidity of the Waters running from the adjacent | ||||
| Grounds – that the Flood was at the heighth about | ||||
| 10 in the forenoon at which Time Witness placed himself | ||||
| a little Way below the Bridge and attentively observed | ||||
| it without being able to discern any mark of Failure | ||||
| till within a few Minutes of its almost total Destruction | ||||
| which happened betn. 10 & 11 – that so little were the | ||||
| Apprehensions that the Bridge woud fail the Witness’ Son | ||||
| and Robt Johnson a Mason and two or more others | ||||
| within 15 Minutes of its fall | ||||
| went along the Bridge ⁁ from the North End to examine | ||||
| the Land Arches on the South, which they reported on their | ||||
| Return to the Witness to be perfectly safe | ||||
| That in Witness’ Judgemt and Belief the Failure of | ||||
| irrisistable | ||||
| the Bridge was occasioned by the ⁁ Violence and Impetuosity | ||||
| of the Flood and not by any Defect in the Construction – | ||||
| – that till it was so thrown down there was not the | ||||
| least Mark or Appearance of Failure – that Witness from | ||||
| the time the Bridge was built, until the Accident, | ||||
| frequently examined the State and Condition of it, having | ||||
| had Mr Smeatons Orders so to do, and could not perceive | ||||
| any Injury altho two or three considerable Floods had | ||||
| happened after its being finished | ||||
| That to the best of Witness’ Judgmt & Belief the | ||||
| Bridge was built in an able and masterly Manner and | ||||
| according to the Articles | ||||
| Mr. Smeaton having given his Opinion that could not | ||||
| That |
||||
| be built conformable to the Articles |
||||
| were taken towards it – and the Justices were frequently | ||||
| by Witness | ||||
| informed of this ⁁ as the Reason why no Steps were taken | ||||
| that Witness frequently communicated to the Justices the | ||||
| Dft | ||||
| Dfts anxious Wish to compromise the Matter, and ⁁ being | ||||
| informed that the Justices woud accept such Sum of Money | ||||
| as upon a fair Estimate shoud appear necessary to put | ||||
| the Bridge into as good a State as it was in before the | ||||
| Accident he ordered Witness to employ proper persons | ||||
| to make such Estimate – that Witness accordingly did | ||||
| 2 | ||||
Note: Draft proof of evidence, Mr Donkin continued
Abbreviations are underlined like this Wm. and the expansion may be seen by moving the cursor over it.
| An entry outlined like this has a note which may be seen by hovering over it. |
Transcribed by RMS and CTW