New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-23
Net Loss................"....... $3.50

These figures are not presented in this pre-.
else order, in the Controllers Annual Report,
but are scattered through great many pages,
under wonderful variety Of headings,
and require no email labor to collate. Once
arrived ut, however, they tell their story very
clearly. The city, by their showing, with q
capital Of over 81, 000 600 invested in Markets, is
ST., 600 year worse of than if it did not
own a Market. We are told that the receipts
this year will amount probably TO $4,000,
the major part Of West Washington Market
having been for nine months, last year, virtu-
ally in possession of Taylor and Brennan. Ii
NAV perhaps be as well to remark here, that
until Taylor and Brennan took hold of that
Market it did not return to the city one-third
Of what they made it produce. Under Flagg
and Morton we believe it paid less than $4,000
year; Taylor and Brennan made it pay at
the rate of S72, 600 per annum, and this year,
under city management its receipts will foot
up over 100000. Thus it will be seen that
this group of sheds is about the only remune-
ratve piece of Market property belonging to
the city. The other markets do not pay more
than the cost Of their management and re-
pairs.
Why Government should interfere in the
sale of beef, mutton, pork, and vegetables other
than BY such inspection as shall protect the
public against the sale of unwhoesome articles,
any more than in the traffic in tea, tallow, or
tobacco, we cannot divine. Clearly it is I'M
Just that the city should bear so heavy bur-
den for the protection of this one interest
when there is no reason whatever to believe
hands. We get as good meat, at rs fair rates
of the licensed butcher, who hires his private
shop at thousand dollars a year, as We do
from the Washington Market butcher who pays
for equally valuable privileges miserable Tee
of II cents day to the city. Originally, Waeh-
ington and Fulton Market were designed as
places where country produce could be brought
by the producer, directly TO the consumers.
The growth Of the city has removed population
so far beyond the reach OF these and other
downtown markets, that now they are rather
wholesale marts Kept up at a heavy public ex'
pensc for the benefit OF Spectators and pcli-
ticians. Some OF the dealers in West Wash
ington Market do business of Sl,2CO,OOo
year, shipping produce TO the Eastern States,
as well as supplying the grocery trade OF the
city. What little retail business they now
do is principally with Jersey City, Hobohen,
and Brooklyn. Produce which these markets
were designed 10 bring to consumers at pro-
ducer's rates, is now more than doubled in
price, before il reaches the Kitchens and tables
of our citizens.
Whether great uptown market would re-
store the business to It's proper channels we do
not undertake 10 determine but it does seem
probable that SUCH place wond, from It's SUI
perior position and accessibility, answer better
the purposes of peoples market than amy we
now possess.
The site proposed to be purchased by the
city for that purpose ia that known rs tue
Fort Ganseyoort property, at the foot OF IZth
street, which is about ten acres in extent,
embracing 1870 lots, exclusive of streets, or
three times the size of Washington Market,
with water front of about 900 feet. 1t Is es
tmated that this would furnish space for SUI
stands, l2t by % feet each, or more than TWO
aud half times us large as the West ASH
ington Market stands, which Mt the rates now
paid at that market, would net nearly II mol
quite 100000 year. Shoald the city pur'
chase the uptown site, and dispose OF We''
Washington M,rket, to pay for il. ia . 10"