The New York herald., 1869-05-20
THE FIsHM0NGERs' ASSOCIATION


New and Handsome Structure to be Erect
ed-The Present Extent Of the Trade-The
Varieties Of Fish Brought to Mnrket-Gene.
raj Statistics.
The old structure to the left and on a line with the
Fulton ferry house is what Is called the wholesale
fish market-a place little known to any other class
OF persons than fish dealers and fishermen. per-
son might travel down Fulton street across the
ferry to Brooklyn and back every DAY for twenty
years yet never feel impulse OF curiosity TO N.
| qure what sort Of business was carried on under
the roof Of that low unsighty structure. with its
| grimy, greasy exterior and Its every entrance
| blocked up with old unsavory boxes and bas-
kets for holding fish. Few or those In the
immense throng that pass daily through the
portals OF the adjoining ferry house are acquainted
with the fact that this humble shed is the entrepot
FOR almost all the nsh consumed by the people OF
New York city; that it is the only wholesale fish
market in the State Of New York and has been in
operation for the long period OF thrtyhve years. 1t
is this old structure which IL is now contemplated
TO demolish and on the site OF which new and i'm
posing edce 200 feet long, two stories high and be-
comingly ornamented VIII In course OF time rear
itself by the waters edge and set example to all
the rest OF our dirty and degraded market places
TIE FIsHaoSGERs' NEW ASSOCIATION.
Several Of the marketmen resolved in the past
winter that If the Legislature would grant act OF
incorporation they would set to work and form an
association with certain amount OF capital to be
devoted to the WORK OF building new market, which
should not only be an ornament to the CITY, but a
| convenience OF some moment to the public and
themselves The act OF incorporation passed at
Albany last month, declaring the Fulton Market Fish
| mongers' Association duly empowered TO raise the
necessary funds not to exceed 500 000 for the cree
| ton OF new and suitable market edince
| under the direction OF the Commissioners OF
| the Sinking Fund, by law entitled 10 grant
lease TO the company for period OF
| ten years. NO present owner OF any stand
to be disturbed In MS right TO claim as good posi-.
ton In the new market as he now holds IN the old
one, while all the stand owners can become MEM
bers OF the association they choose, and the rents
which are now paid 70 the Corporation shall hereaf-
ter when the structure is completed be paid to the
directors or the company for the liquidation OF eX.
penses incurred In its construction This virtually
adopting the plan OF leasing the markets, and as IN
this particular instance there Ia no doubt that great
beneft Will be reaped from the plan we NAV expect
10 see IN course OF time all the other markets remOd
elled and the accommodation Of the public consld-
| erably improved thereby.
FEATURES OF the OLD FIsH MARKET
The present wholesale fish market is about as
| UNIQUE and primitive an Institution as we have In
| our midst Every man OF the seventeen who pos
sesses stand IN 1t has been there for many years
some as long a. thirty-nve years when 1t was first
established They came there as boys TO learn the
business Of handling aud packing nsh. Others
among them went TO sea, and having hshed for
baf lifetime, came back 70 spend the remainder OF
their days In the market. These men are as simple
that cast their venuresome nets on the sea OF Cai.
lee. There are az gentle and unsophiscated spirits
among them as there were in that band OF humble
followers that lett their seines and shaIlops
behind them TO become fishers OF men They
have little contact with she outside world
The early hour OF three in the morning finds them
at their stalls, and after fourteen hours OF labor hey
leave for home. OF spare capital they DO not pro.
fess 70 have any. The money which they earn ana
sometimes the amount Is not inconsideraDle, they
almost invariably invest In the work OF fishing The
rivers and lakes and the sea all This OF course
ike every venture on water, Is at all times preca
| rious. one season may Yield abundant store Of
| prOlt and another may be a downright failure. The
| confused and certainly not very prepossessinQ
| Boxes cover the moor and chips OF Ice lie ali around
TO the Imminent peril OF the unwarv pedestrian
The river 'front.' is occupied by the rear part
OF the different stands, In each OF them an opening
through which the nsn Just landed from
the schooners n hauled In. The dock N N NAV be 20
called into which the various fishing vessels enter s
bounded either side by piers 20 and "a extend ng
from the foot OF Fulton street 10 Beekrnan street
There Is accommodation here for about eighteen or
twenty sloops and schooDers, but as high q number
fifty have on several occasions sought the shelter
\ OF the place for the purpose OF unloading. These
piers. 20 and "a are, like the rest OF our wreched
landing places, In q rotten and totterng condition.
only nt for some deserted and eem-barbarous port
| In the islands OF the Pacific. They have been used
for term Of over thirty years, and have seldom OF
never received any attention In the way OF repairs
| sHAKY STATE OF THE OLD MARKET
| The bukhead upon which the market Is built IL
| propped by wooden piles, which IN i've different in
the bottom OF the river and necessitated the labor
| and expense OF adding on each occasion new no0I
TO the MARKET but In spite Of these nve doors the
plies are yet determined there shall be no level pre-
/ until now the fears OF the marketmen are 40 very
much aroused that they live in daily dread OF being
let down into the turbid waters and swallowed up
| forever. There is no cure for this condition OF
things except In totally new foundation
and superstFucturc. Iron win not suit for the
latter IL nss been useo IN the Fulton ferry house,