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47
An accumulation of mud on both sides of the Canal from the Midland Main
Line Railway Bridge, more or less down to Pancras Lock. The Midland Basin,
which is entered at this point, contained thousands of tons of black mud ; some
men were tickling this accumulation with the help of two barrows in one place,
and a barge containing a small cart-load or so in another.
This was about 2 p.m., and the water was to be re-admitted into this length
of the Canal at 5 p.m.
During the year the Conference of Delegates appointed in 1891 by the Vestries
of St Marylebone, St. Pancras, and Paddington, in reference to the condition of
the Regent's Canal, pursued its enquiry, and on ths 25th May, 1892, inspected
the canal and basins from Maiden Lane Bridge to Kensal Green.
The following were the results of the inspection in St. Pancras:—
The mud was measured by means of a rod in different places, and it was
noted that there were 18-in. of mud at the Gas Works Lay-bye, 2-ft. at the
entrance of the Great Northern Basin, decreasing in the centre to 6-in., 2-ft.
of mud opposite the stables of the Gas Works and 1-ft. 6-in. of mud in the Great
Northern Basin.
The mud in the basin, south side of the Midland Railway, varied from
1-ft. 3-in. to 2-ft. 10-in.
At the King's Road Bridge, Bangor Wharf, the mud varied from 2-ft. 6-in.
to 5-ft. 3-in. in depth.
In Cumberland Basin the mud was from 1-ft. 6-in. to 2-ft.
Almost in all places in these basins where goods were being transferred
or where works abutted on the Canal, there was more or less solid or liquid
pollution caused by dirty liquid from the surface, or solid matters blown in by the
wind, or conveyed by overflows, or accident, as e.g., leakages from the surface of
the Stable Yard, adjoining the Great Northern Railway Bridge to the Coal
Sidings, and the same thing at Camden Road Bridge Wharf.
The dead animals floating in the St. Pancras portion of the Canal, were
found, when looked for, in all parts, the number reached its maximum in Cumberland
Arm and Basin, where about thirty were enumerated.
As to drains from houses entering the Canal, the St. Pancras Surveyor,
Mr. Blair, expressly states that:—"The inspection of the Canal made on the
25th inst., did not show that there is discharged into the Canal throughout its
length in the Parish of St. Pancras, any sewage matter likely to cause pollution
in the Canal beyond in the few cases where water from the surface of the ground
was polluted by the drainage from manure heaps, and such cases could be dealt
with bv the Vestry as nuisances. There are many pipes discharging roof water
and surface water from gardens or yards, but these can scarcely be regarded as
causing pollution to the Canal, and there are pipes discharging condensed water
from engines or the water blown off from boilers, but these also are unobjectionable.