However, in 1746 the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, considering the many lives that were lost thro’ the streightness of the arches, and the enormous size of the sterlings, which took up one fourth of the water way, and occasioned the fall at low water to be no less than five feet; as well as the great expence of repairing the bridge, which for several years had annually amounted to 2000l. came to the resolution of taking down all the houses, and to widen and enlarge one or more of the arches. Accordingly the Court ordered their surveyor to draw a plan, and make an estimate of the expence; which having done, the total amounted to 95,000l. when it was immediately agreed not to grant or renew any lease or leases of the houses, but to let those unexpired run out, and consequently the houses run to ruin. _Stow._ _Maitland._ Indeed this scheme was in part proposed immediately after the fire of London, by both Sir Christopher Wren and Sir John Evelyn; these ingenious gentlemen proposing, instead of houses, to have a substantial balustrade on each side; and after them, the author of the _Review of the public buildings_ had the following remarks, “As some people are ignorant enough to admire the bridge merely because it is encumbered with houses from end to end; it will not be amiss to observe, that nothing can be more ridiculous than this invention; nothing can possibly offend the eye more, or extinguish so many beauties as might take place, in case this popular nuisance was removed: suppose the present structure of the bridge was still to continue as it is, there would, at least, be room for a magnificent breast-work and balustrade above, and the top would afford one of the finest prospects in the world: on one hand a fleet of merchant ships, equal in value and importance to half a nation; on the other, two of the most considerable cities in Europe, stretching along the banks of a beautiful river, and ending with a distant view of the adjacent landscape.” At length the leaning houses on each side seemed ready to fall into the river, and the passenger could scarcely forbear shuddering, when he observed that any of them was inhabited. At the same time, the structure of the noble bridge at Westminster, with the magnitude, safety, and convenience of the arches, convinced the citizens more and more of the advantages that would arise from the resolution of pulling down the houses; and in the year 1756, every one was pleased, that the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council, had applied to parliament to enable them to put this resolution in practice. In short, an act was obtained, and they were enabled to provide for the expence, by collecting a toll for every horse and carriage that passed over it, except those used for tillage, till the principal and interest of the money that should be borrowed and laid out upon it, should be repaid.