Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-09-29
THE MAnKHra


political opinions.
THE MARKETS
There is no matter with which our munich.
pal authorities have had TO deal that has been
source Of so much trouble as the markets.
From time immemorial the " market cues.
tlon" has been bone of contention. Some
persons have appeared always to be dissatis.
ned, no matter what action was taken. MANY
years ago, before we had market houses.
everybody complained of the old style of
having to purchase from the stores. Amer
some years of agitation, the Burghers resoly.
ed to build market house The question
then arose as to the location, and much bad
feeling was engendered Two parties origin.
ated, one called the up Towners, " and the
other the Down Towners." The first were
in favor of locating the market house in
Fourth street, and the latter in Second street.
Finally, it was determined to settle the mat.
ter by vote of the people. The " Up Town
ers" were triumphant, and celebrated the
victory with great rejoicing. The Down
Iowners, however, were not satisfied. and
made the usual excuses of defeated party.
OF uniairness at the election, and threats that
they would never permit the market house
to be erected in Fourth street. Thus matters
stood for some time, until at length one day.
whiie the workmen were employed in erect
ing the pillars ofthe edifice, party of ''Down
lowners," headed by fighting character
named Fanneman, was seen approaching
Inc intelligence soon spread to the upper
part of the town, and the "Up Towners''
began to gather in large numbers. In the
meantime, Vanneman and his followers
threatened the workmen with violence nm
less they ceased from their labors. Unin.
huenced by their threats, the men worked
on, until at length the rioters seized hold Of
one OF the pillars and levelled it with the
ground, burying beneath the mass two men.
one OF whom was killed, and the other badly
injured. At this juncture, the whole town
was allVe with excitement, and the Z" I'm
lowners' had gathered in strong force. and
desperate fight ensued, in which the "Down
lowners" were administered severe whin.
ping and forced to retreat They neve,
afterwards molested the workmen. and the
building was soon completed. Vanneman
and the ringleaders of the mob fed, and were
never again seen in this locality. Some
years afterwards, to supply a much needed
want, the lower market house, in Second
street, was erected. From that day until the
present the subject of the markets has been a
matter of much discussion. Regulation after
regulation has been made location after 10.
cation has been selected to suit the citizens.
nut nothing satisfactory has been arrived al
as yet and we doubt whether anything ever
VIII be done until the City Council dispenses
with market houses entirely, and building.
are erected for the sale of meats aud yere.
tables by companies organized for that pur.
pose. Then only will be done away with
all the trouble that now exists in reference to
providing a place for market wagons, and
the thousand ills attending it, This system.
we believe, would be found to work as ad.
mirably here as it does in Philadelphia, and
would prove saving concern to the authori.
ties. 1t would, at least, be more satisfactory
10 the people We might suggest many
places where buildings could be erected for
lne SAFE of meats and produce, on terms that
W. wouiu render it good paying investment
we would commend the subject to the com
slderauon oil our Capitalists.