This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 Excerpt: ...the following year, to escape from obligations to the Great Western board, the Midland Company resolved to make a new line from Gloucester to Stonehouse, alongside that of their competitors, but so obstinate was the opposition of the latter that an Act for the purpose was not obtained until 1848. Preparations were then made to extend the narrow gauge system to Bristol; but further obstacles were successfully raised by the Great Western magnates, and for several years the passenger and goods traffic between the West of England and the manufacturing districts was brought to a dead stop at Gloucester. The narrow gauge carriages did not, in fact, reach Bristol until the 22nd May, 1854 A meeting of the friends and admirers of Robert Southey was held at the Institution, Park Street, on the 13th July, for the purpose of raising a subscription for the erection in his native city of a monument to the memory of the distinguished writer. The mayor (Mr. W. L. Clarke) presided over a scanty gathering, which appointed a committee to carry out the project, with an understanding that the artist of the memorial should be another distinguished Bristolian--Mr. B. H. Baily, R. A. It was found that 500 would suffice to erect a monument which would be worthy of the object and creditable to the city; but the subscriptions, excluding 20 by Mr. Baily and 30 by literary men unconnected with Bristol, amounted only to about 50. The subsequent dona The Midland board subsequently gained much popularity by its oheap excursion trains. On August 6, 1855, about 7,000 Bristolians were conveyed to and from Birmingham, a distance of 182 miles, for Is. Gd. each. tions were so trifling that the committee abandoned the idea of a monument in College Green, which Southey had...