Report of the Knaresbrough Rail-way Committee | Page 4

village of Birstwith;
after which it winds along the North bank of the River Nidd to
Pateley-Bridge.
Your Committee having stated their reasons for abandoning the project
of a Canal, and recommending that of a Railway, and having also
pointed out the adopted line, the next duty which presents itself to their
notice is the Revenue;--the nature and quantity of Tonnage which is
likely to come upon the line, and within the limits of its attraction;--and
give to each such a charge as will equally benefit the various
consumers. Such as we conceive to be of the most general importance,
first attracts notice, which is the article of

COAL,
Wherein there is little doubt but a saving of eight shillings per chaldron
will, on the completion of the work, be effected--a most material object
for the poor, and the general benefit of commerce. The rule by which
this computation is made, compared with others we have seen, is very
much on the safe side, but should a trifling mistake occur, we
confidently believe that the decrease in the price of this article will very
much enhance its consumption, without anticipating any increased
demand at the lime-works and bleach-grounds, arising from an increase
of business, which naturally follows the cheapness of carriage, and the
rapid transport of goods from place to place. The increase of population,
while speaking of this article, must not be omitted, since, in the last
twenty-one years it hath increased from four to near seven thousand,
including Knaresbro', Scriven-with-Tentergate, and Brearton. The most
correct statement we are able to give is below:--
TONS. Knaresbro' and Scriven with 11,000 Tentergate, including
lime-kilns and bleach-grounds Brearton 100 Flaxby 50 Goldsborough
100 Haverah Park 25 Killinghall 350 Plumpton 100 Harrowgate and
Bilton 3,000 Ribston 150 Scotton 200 Stainburn 200 15,275 Birstwith
Township 500 Hampsthwaite and Felliscliffe do. 600 Clint do. 260
Darley do. 400 Hartwith do. 450 Thornthwaite do. 200 Dacre do. 500
Bewerley do. 1,600 Bishopside do. 50 Updale do. 1,500 Pateley
Tonnage 6,060 Knaresbro' do. 15,275 Total Tonnage of Coals 21,335
From good authority we are informed that Kippax and Haigh-Moor
coals can be delivered at Bolton-Percy for ten shillings per chaldron, or
8s. to 8s 6d. per ton.; and if any back carriage could be procured they
would be delivered for less, hence the advantage of taking yarns, &c.
from Knaresbro', and the neighbourhood of Pateley-Bridge to Barnsley,
and bringing coals back; but independent of such an advantage we are
able to prove the great saving named before in these coals:
Pounds s. d. Cost per 0 10 0 chaldron of the Kippax, or Haigh-moor
coals, at the end of the Rail-way, at or near Bolton Percy, is Removing
do. 0 0 9 into the waggon, (if not landed 4d.) Rail-way dues, 0 3 0 18
miles, at 2d. per ton, per mile Waggon dues, 18 0 2 3 miles, at l.5d. per

ton, per mile 0 16 0
The present cost by way of Boroughbridge, is one pound five shillings,
and hence the saving to the public on every ton, or chaldron of coals,
will be nine shillings, except the merchants' profit.
By the foregoing statement the tonnage of the Knaresbro' and
Pateley-Bridge coal, when it reaches Knaresbro', will yield a revenue of
3200 pounds annually, being 21,335 tons, at 2d. per ton, per mile, for
18 miles, and the tonnage on the coal belonging the district up to
Pateley-Bridge will be 6000 tons, for 6 miles, the average distance at
2d. per ton, per mile, or 303 pounds 0s. 0d. making together 3503
pounds 0s. 0d.
The next topic for our consideration which naturally presents itself, is
the surplus

PRODUCE OF THE SOIL,
Which although composed of a great variety, we shall here only notice
that of Corn; and although the town of Knaresbro' and its vicinity,
cannot complain of a scanty or contracted supply, nor yet of exorbitant
prices, compared with their more western neighbours, the inhabitants of
Craven, and the borders of Lancashire: who, at least must pay such
suitable advance as will compensate for a long and expensive land, or a
longer and protracted water carriage, neither of which in all probability,
can in these days of depression, bear a further reduction of rate.--Under
these circumstances, knowing the soil in the neighbourhood of
Wetherby and Tadcaster to be rich and fertile, we feel some confidence
that corn and its produce in flour and meal, (which can so conveniently
be converted by mills upon the line,) will soon become an article of
tonnage in no small degree, nearly the whole length of the line; and
thence being removed by land carriage from Pateley-Bridge to Skipton
and other places further west, will be found cheaper than heretofore.
The quantity of tonnage on this head is