Braystones Crossing Print E-mail
Whitehaven Gazette - Thursday, April 22, 1897

THE BRAYSTONES CROSSING AGAIN.
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In accordance with his notice of motion, MR. W. H. WATSON stripped for
combat at Thursday's meeting of the Rural District Council over the
Braystones crossing question, and despite the sensible, though adverse,
views expressed by some of the members, had the satisfaction of pulling off
a little victory in getting the subject referred to the Works Committee.

This means that for some time to come, there will be more wrangling and
disputing over a trumpery matter that does not interest half a dozen men in
West Cumberland to the extent of sixpence a year.  It would have been better
far to have squashed the contemptible business right off, and not left it to
take up the time of a committee who will, if they do their duty to the
ratepayers and themselves, the first time it comes before them,  "throw out
the Bill".

MR. WATSON's silly act, whether the result of impulse or premeditation, was
committed entirely on his own responsibility, and although he had, according
to his own statement, a good defence when legal proceedings were taken
against him by the Railway Company, he caved in and "ate the leek" in
preference to showing fight.

In this course of action he practically admitted that he had done wrong, and
wished to get out of the scrape as best he could.  In accepting the white
feather, he did so with a bad grace, but the defeat and discomfiture rankles
in his mind to such an extent that latterly all his energies have been
devoted to an endeavour to get the Rural Council to follow up his silly act
by the performance of one that would be still more foolish, ridiculous, and
monstrous.

The idea of the ratepayers undertaking litigation over this contemptible fad
is absurd, and it is to be regretted that the slightest friction should
exist, or be encouraged, at the present time between this distirct and the
Furness Railway Company, which, under the management of MR. ASLETT, is
showing a disposition to deal more justly and favourable with this end of
the line than was ever before indicated, and it is therefore a pity that MR.
WATSON was allowed to gain his ends.

Beyond two or three residents in the neighbnourhood of Braystones, who are
known better for "cussedness" than anything else, nobody in the parish or
district wants to fight the railway company over this paltry matter, and in
conceding to MR. WATSON's wishes and allowing him to have his way, the
Council has only offered a premium for business it has little or nothing to
do with, and encouraged rank folly.  The best way out of the difficulty
would be for the Works Committee to act in such a manner as to deter MR.
WATSON and other faddists from attempts at wasting public time and the
ratepayers' money over their private quarrels and silly acts.

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