▁the ▁committee ▁produced ▁supporting ▁legal ▁advice . ▁ ▁Better ▁times ▁ ▁There ▁the ▁matter ▁rest ed : ▁ ▁Wh ellan ' s ▁The ▁History ▁and ▁top ography ▁of ▁the ▁count ies ▁of ▁C umber land ▁and ▁West mor land ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁noted ▁Mr ▁Harris ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁single ▁pit ▁at ▁Bridge foot ▁employ ing ▁about ▁ 7 0 ▁men ; ▁the ▁F let ch ers ' ▁Cl if ton ▁Col li ery ▁employed ▁ 6 0 0 ▁hands , ▁could ▁raise ▁up ▁to ▁ 8 0 0 ▁tons ▁of ▁coal ▁a ▁day ▁and ▁" the ▁Work ington ▁har bour ▁and ▁the ▁C ock erm outh ▁and ▁Work ington ▁railway ▁are ▁both ▁chief ly ▁dependent ▁for ▁their ▁re venue ▁upon ▁the ▁Cl if ton ▁Col li ery ". ▁The ▁prosper ity ▁and ▁prospect s ▁of ▁the ▁C & W ▁were ▁impro ving ; ▁respect able ▁divid ends ▁were ▁beginning ▁to ▁be ▁paid ▁( and ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 , ▁share hold ers ▁finally ▁agreed ▁to ▁a ▁regular ▁allow ance ▁for ▁dep reci ation ▁being ▁set ▁against ▁gross ▁re venue , ▁ 2 . 5 % ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁paid ▁to ▁a ▁s inking ▁fund ) ▁and ▁an ▁extension ▁to ▁Pen r ith ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁E den ▁Valley ▁line ▁was ▁being ▁talked ▁of . ▁Pro s per ity ▁took ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁heat ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁issue : ▁when , ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁a ▁divid end ▁of ▁ 4 . 5 % ▁a ▁year