Newton Abbot: THE FLOODS: — PUBLIC MEETING: Large and influential meeting the inhabitants of this town was held Thursday evening, at six o’clock, pursuant to a requisition signed by 100 the principal tradesmen and others, to take into consideration the great destruction of property now become of frequent occurrence from the incapability of the present narrowed channel of the River Lemon to carry off water; Mr. W. Lovas, portreeve, in the chair. The requisition calling the meeting having been read, Mr. J. Vicary said the experience of the last three weeks called for some means to prevent these inundations. He did not think he over-stated the loss from the recent floods, when he set it down to £1,000. The dwellings of both rich and poor had suffered severely from these inundations. On Tuesday he watched the water of the Lemon; it was within six inches of the seacoast; a few inches would have sent it over the bank into the town. The next morning, he could have walked across the bed of the river, so sudden was the rise and fall that if persons were obliged to watch the time that twelve hours’ rain occurred, the part of the town referred to would become uninhabitable. Many people were obliged to stop up their doors and windows. The watercourse had been dealt extremely free with; the recent alterations in the Marketplace being an example. He did not wish to intrude his opinion, but he thought that the only remedy was to go the marsh, deepening it to the Newton Mill, thence through Mr. Pinsent’s to his own farmyard, and the expense be borne by both parishes. Mr. Milward thought the last speaker referred to him. He had built some cottages, but the width at that place was feet, whilst at the bridge it was only 11 feet. Messrs. Branscombe, Coward, Abberly, J. Beazley, and others, addressed the meeting. On the motion of Mr. Vicary, it was resolved that Mr. Dymond, Exeter, Mr. Abberly, and Mr. Peter Bearne, should be called in to see what could be done, and he would guarantee the expense.
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