Kentish Gazette, 30 January 1849.

ROCHESTER.

An inquisition has been taken at the "Sun Hotel," before W. H. Palmer, Esq., and a highly respectable jury, to assess the amount of compensation to be paid for a private dwelling-house in Strood, required for the purposes of the new bridge at Rochester, of which Mr. S. Turner is mortgagee in possession. The sum claimed was £1,100, and the offer made by the Bridge Wardens, £500. Mr. Bodkin appeared to support the claim, and called three surveyors, Messrs. Beveridge, Peck, and Parnell, who estimated the value from £1,000 to £1,200; and Mr. Cobb, and Mr. Hollingdale, of Strood, came forward and declared the premises worth from £25 to £30 a year. On behalf of the Bridge Wardens, Sir Walter Riddell produced Messrs. Morris and Kidwell, who estimated the full value of the estate at £320 only. The tenant of the premises was also examined on some important points, and proved that he had occupied the property about seven years, at the rent of £17, and on an attempt being made to raise the rent he preferred quitting, but the landlord informed him that the £17 would be sufficient if he only allowed the receipts to express £20 as the rent. This was done at the time the survey was making for the railways, and also when it was made for the new bridge. The jury consulted for about two hours, and returned a verdict for £575, that is, £75 above the offer, and £525 less than the claim. This is the only one of the numerous purchases made by the Bridge Wardens which required the intervention of jury or arbitrator.