The national Republican., 1869-02-09
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Communicated.
THH CENTRE MAnKEr QUESTION. - To
abate nuisance too long borne BY this COM
munity, the city authorities commenced, In
the spring OF 1894, the construction Of new
market-house within the limits Of Centre
market space, and more particularly In the
axis Of west Eighth street, and south of the
intersection Of Pennsylvania and Louisiana
avenues. The building was such as would
satisfy the public demand and gratify the
public taste, being designed with an elegant
and appropriate facadc, and located 30 az TO
form the nucleus Of q group OF lofty build |
ings, composed Of stone, brick, iron and
glass, and accommodating the different de-
partments, systematically arranged around
and within hollow square extending from
Seventh to Ninth streets, with entrance gates
from Canal street TO airy and spacious court |
yards, and ample room for the numerous
vehicles now obstructlng and defacing the
public square south OF Pennsylvania avenue
on market days. The triangle planted with
grass and ornamcntcd with shrubbery at the
northwest corner ofScvcnth street and Penn
sylyanla avenue was to have been balanced
by corresponding spot at the southeast
corner Of Ninth street and Pennsylvania
avenue, with a fountain In the centre. This
feature was 10 conform to q peculiarity OF
the plan OF the city, which occurs again OPP
posite the National Theatre, between Thir-
teenth and Fourteenth streets, and 90 on In
regular succession along the Avenue.
The market yields an annual net revenue
OF more than $4,000 TO the city; and the
Improvement was due to the dealers, but
principally TO the public. The improvement
was commenced with an appropriation from
tho general fund, and would have been fn-
ished easily by issuing special bonds, to Sc
cure which the rapidly increasing revenue
from the market must have been pledged.
Unexpectedly, the House Of Representa-
tlves passed a resolution on May 10, 1854,
instructlng the Committee for the District to
report "what legislation is necessary to pre-
vent or abate the obstructions Of the streets
OF the city Of Washington, as prescribed by
the original plan, and particularly by what
authority Of law Eighth street west is OBJ
structed so as TO prevent sight Of the Smith
sonian grounds and proper ventilation OF that
street." This was followed by joint reso-
luton Of Congress, passed June 25, 1884,
"That the Secretary Of the Interior be au-
Of any permanent building in the city Of
Washington upon any property reserved to
and for the use Of the United States" Hon.
]. b. Steele, chairman pro tenn. Of the Dis
trict Committee, wrote on June 25 to secre-
tary Usher and TO the Mayor Of Washington
that this resolution "was intended to hit tho
case Of the market-house now going up on
This legislation put an end to the erection
Of the new market-house, since most earnest
petitions and rcmonstrnnces were Of no avail.
The further prosecution OF the work was
stopped at the instance Of the Secretary Of
the Interior, acting under orders Of Congress,
after an outlay By the Corporation Of over
$4,000. A suit for heavy damages, claimed
by the contractors for non-execution Of the
contract, is still pending before the courts
against the corporation.
Hardly more than four years have elapsed
since these acts were passed, preventing the
! corporation from pulling down these old, un-
slightly, and dllapldated sheds, and erecting
modern and fitting structures In place which
II occupied without molestatlon for sixty
years, when we are confronted with bill
pending before both houses "to incorporate
the Washington Market Company" an en-
dorsement Of which, most likely under
false impression Of facts, was hurried one
! evening through both branches of the City
Councils, prominent members Of whom.
however, we find among the list Of corpora-
tors. We call the attention Of citizens and
Congress TO some features Of this most ex-
| traordinary bill.
In utter disregard Of the facts stated above,
Congress Is solicited to pass bill, In the pre-
amble of which we read "Whereas the
buildings on said reservation mo. z, or Gen.
| tire Market Space) have become very much
dilnpidated, and altogether unfit for the use
and purpose for which they were Intended;
and whereas It Is absolutely necessary that
suitable grounds and adequate buildings Of
comely appearance should be provided for
market purposes" We need not enlarge
upon such perversion OF facts, dictated
evidently by other motives than public spirit.
| This sort OF reasoning Is duly followed up In
the bill itself. II misleads Congress, by
adroit wording, Into description OF this
reservation No. Z, quite different from what
1t Is on the original records Of the city. The
| following description Is copied from the origi-
nal records "The public appropriation be-
the east side Of Ninth street west, thence
north to the south side Of an avenue (Louisl-
anal drawn In front Of square No. 1882;
| northeasterly with the south side of said
avenue until 1t intersects Pennsylvania ave-
nue.; thence with the south side of said
avenue (Pennsylyania) until 1t interseets
the west side Of Seventh street west; thence
with the west side Of said street until 1t In
tersects Canal street; thence with the north
side of Canal street TO the beginning"
Now, compare with this the ground claimed
by the Washington Market Company In their
bill, commencing at the intersection Of
the Washington canal and Seventh street
west, running thence northerly along the
west side Of Seventh street to the southerly
terly along the southerly side Of Pennsyi-
yania avenue to the easterly side Of Ninth
street west, thence Boutherly along the.
easterly side Of Ninth street west to the
northerly side Of the Washington canal,
thence easterly along the north side of the
canal to the place Of beginning"
The real original reservation Is here ex-
tended by bold stroke Of the pen, so as TO
mutllate the symmetry and fair proportions
Of the public square In front Of Centre Mar
ket Space, TO oncroach on Louisiana avenue
for Its whole width, aud on G street north
for part of Its width, and thus to include
| twenty-five thousand nine hundred square
feet Of the most valuable ground In the city
for building purposes. The plan of the city
Is further trincd with by pocketing street
north (cannl street, along with Centre Mar
ket Space. .r.F rr.-.. o.
This last coup de main amounts to forty
five thousand square feet. These transac-
tions would inevitably involve the Govern
ment In n lawsuit with the heirs of the orig
inal proprietors Of the ground, who, accord
Ing to the stipulations Of their contract with
the Government, received no pay for ground
appropriated to streets, but have n right to
claim pay whenever 1t Is diverted from this
purpose.
Centre market proper contains 3.7 acres,
and was valued In 1883, under orders Of the
Secretary Of the Interior, at 1854, ,2O3 so.
The present value, at low figure, may
therefore be safely assumed at so per cent.
additional, or. r.......,.......s $50, 1905 25
Add 22,9O0 square feet at corner
Of Pennsylvania avenue and
Ninth street, per square foot
go ,...:,......,..,,,,. 80. 100000 90
And $4,000 square feet on North
street, s9 bO.....,.......... liz, 500 90
Total value Of ground described
In bill Observation-Disclosures, ,1S7, ,S05 % |
s=====
Now, the construction of market-house
on this central location Is well known to be |
most profitable investment, however the
Washington Market Company argue differ |
emily. They will consent to build "stalls, |
sheds, etc., for market purposes" along |
Seventh street, Ninth street, along the |
canal, and within the hollow square, (of a |
material left to their discretion charging |
to the dealers for stands no more than Ichdt |
the highest bidder pN give, provided the above |
property Is granted them by Congress free |
OF charge, and with the privilege Of erecting
buildings for stores and halls of stone,
brick and Iron, not less than 80 feet IN the