The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

302 LIFE OF GEOEGE STEPHENSON. [chap. xxv.
Enormous sums were paid for land and compensation—far beyond
the amounts originally estimated. Thus, 3,000^. were
given for one piece of land, and 10,000Z. for consequential dam-
ages, when it was afterwards made clear that the land Jiad been
greatly improved in value by the formation of the railway.
After compensation had been paid for land alleged to have been
thus deteriorated, the Company, on purchasing any further quan-
tity, had almost invariably to pay a higher price, on the ground
of its increased value ! All sorts of payments were demanded
on the most frivolous pretexts. The landowners discovered that
they could demand accommodation bridges, which they did in
large numbers. One originally demanded five, but afterwards
came down to four, with an equivalent in the price of the bridge
given up. Then he found he could do with three bridges, pro-
vided the Company would pay him a further sum in hard cash,
which they were ready to do ; and, in like manner, he gave up
the remaining bridges, on being paid a further round sum : in
fact, the bridges were wholly unnecessary, and had only been insisted
on as a means of extorting money from the Company.
To these causes of increased expense must be added the rise ia
the prices of labour and materials which took place shortly after
the letting of the works, by which many of the contractors were
ruined, no fewer than seven of the contracts having been thrown
upon the Company's hands. The directors had then to purchase
all kinds of implements and materials at great expense, in order
to carry on the works and avoid heavier loss. But the energy
of the engineers, cordially supported by the directory and pro-
prietors, enabled them at length, after many years' anxiety, to
bring the stupendous undertaking to a successful completion,
though at a cost far beyond that which had been originally esti-
mated.
The estimates laid by Mr. Eobert Stephenson before Parliament
amounted to 2,750,000/. ; and it was then confidently ex-
pected that the works would have been completed within this
sum. The most eminent engineers of the day were brought forward
to give evidence on the subject, and those of the greatest
experience stated their opinion to be that the estimates were al-
together too high. Mr. Walker said the prices allowed were 30