FROM THE ARCHIVES:The creation of Stillorgan reservoir in Co Dublin in the 1860s was accompanied by accusations of land speculation, insider dealing, and profiteering at Dublin Corporation but prompted
The Irish Timesto defend one property owner for the compensation he sought. –
JOE JOYCE
A T THE quarterly meeting of the Corporation yesterday, great stress was laid upon the claim originally made by Mr [John] Bentley, the enterprising proprietor of Foxrock, for a considerable portion of his grounds. The claim was stigmatized as enormous, extravagant, and unjust.
At first sight these terms might appear justifiable; £39,000 does appear to be a very large sum for 11 acres of land. But before an equitable judgment can be formed, the value of that land to the proprietor should be considered, as well as the injury certain to result from the works contemplated by the Corporation.
The Dublin and Wicklow Railway passes through the lands of Foxrock. The Foxrock estate comprises 500 acres of land, which, a few years since, were in the hands of several proprietors. The lands are are surrounded by unrivalled scenery. The air is of extraordinary purity, yet the place lay like a wilderness until it fell into the possession of Mr Bentley.
In the few years which have elapsed since he became the owner, by the application of capital, energy, and skill, he has brought the lands into the highest state of cultivation, and upwards of one-fifth of the estate has been divided into villa plots, upon which costly and ornamental buildings have been erected.
A new church has already been built and opened, a second is in the course of construction. A public mart has been opened and that liberal expenditure which creates cities in England and America with such wonderful rapidity has been manifested here. The lands are not merely agricultural; they are ornamental villa grounds and their price is not to be estimated even by their present condition, but by their future value to the proprietor.
Mr Bentley had expended a large amount of capital in drainage, fencing, road-making, and building; others had also expended considerable sums in the erection of villa residences.
The beauty of the place was beginning to be appreciated and there was a certainty that the entire estate would be occupied by valuable buildings when the agents of the Corporation applied to Mr Bentley for a good portion of the ground. They laid their Waterworks Bill before him without any explanation. That Bill gave them unlimited power over the part required and permission to throw upon the place an army of navvies for seven years. An immense reservoir was to be formed and a large portion of the property would be cut off from access to the railway. The proprietor was justified in considering not merely the value of the part actually required by the Corporation, but the amount of injury which would probably be caused to the entire of a very valuable property.