Chap. 3] SOCIAL AND POLITICAL HISTORY. 85 



The following- are at present members of the Board : — 

 Robert Smith, J.P. (Manufacturer), Chairman. 

 William Adamson (Chemist). 

 William Bourne (Farmer and Innkeeper.) 

 John Crossley (Shoemaker). 

 Jas. Dagger (Farmer and Bone Merchant). 

 Robt. Howarth (Fanner and Innkeeper). 

 Richard Livesey (Farmer). 

 James P. Whittle (Manufacturer). 

 William Fisher (Living Retired). 



The Board soon turned its attention to some of the long-felt wants 

 of the district, and in Nov., 1883, the streets were lighted with gas for 

 the first time. Gradually the roads — long in a shocking state — began 

 to be improved, some of the leading thoroughfares were flagged, streets 

 widened by puUing down walls and settipg backhouses, sharp curves and 

 comers nicely rounded off, the famous old lamp erected on the site 

 of the old Alston cross removed, and various other improvements made. 

 Some attention was paid to sanitarj' matters, but the Board have 

 deliberately fought shj' of tackling seriously the sewerage question, 

 and wdll continue, I suppose, with the usual forethought and wisdom 

 of " city fathers," to postpone this question, fraught with such vital 

 interest to the inhabitants, until some epidemic or other " visitation of 

 God" compels them to settle it. It cannot be pleaded that the death- 

 rate of Longridge is any better than formerlj-, as the following figures 

 show : — 



Year. No. of Deaths 



1878 69 



1879 82 



1880 60 



1881 7.5 



1882 88 

 Average, 75 per year. 



The birth-rate averaged 139 during the five years 1878-82, and 130 



during the last five years, 1883-87. 



This wiKul neglect of a plain and obvious duty is rendered all the 



more glaring because of the arguments and facts about the state of 



the sewerage c[uestion in Longridge, which were placed before the 



Government Inspector at the incj^uirj- in 1883, and which had no doubt 



a great deal to do with the Local Government Board's favourable reply 



to the petition for a Local Board. Mr. E. Finch, the then legal adviser 



Average, 83 per year. 



