Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-31
THE AARKET.HOUsE QUESTION.
The Battle Of the Bills
The House Bill. the Corporation Bill,
the Butchers Bill.
Hearing BEFORE the senate Com.
mftfee.

AT the rooms of the committee in the Capitol
last evening at 80 o'clock. OF the committee
there were present Senators Morrill, of Vermont,
Trumbull, Stockton, and Cole. On behalf of
the eorporatOrs named in the House bill which
recently passed, Hon. F. p. Stanton, Col. Par
sons, Judge Hughes, AdOlph Cluss. architect of
the building which the corpOrstors propose to
build. Job Angus, and Byron G.. Daniels For
the corporation, Mayor Powen, Alderman Con-
molly and Councilman Pardon. The Butchers
Association was represented by their attorney
Hon. A. q. Riddle. There were also present
Messrs. George F. Seitz, George Holmes, G.. M.
oyster, George w. Emerson, r. X Elliott,
Starkweather Il Plowman, L. G.. Hine, Colonel
Pitcher. and others.
The perspective drawings of the new market
houses, the plans, &c, were displayed in the
committee rooms, as well as the plans proposed
an past years, together with AN ornamental
drawing OF the Center Market in its present
condition.
Senator Morrill, announced that the committee
were ready to hear the views OF those present
and suggested that the corporators should first
submit their statement and whatever arguments
they had 10 OFFER.
Hon. +. p. Stanton. on behalf of the corpo-
TdtoTs, said that he would read the following
paper, prepared with great care by Mr.. Cluss,
the architect of the company, and which en-
bched the views and arguments of the cor pora-
tors:
THE CENTER-NARKET QUESTION.
In order TO nix the vague ideas about the bear
lnss Of this case on the corporation and market
dealers, as well as to state the position of both
parties towards the improvement, we propose to
east Tetrospectlye glance on their record be-
The corporation of Washington had obtained
charter from Congress ON May 8, 1850, for
building new market-house, with halls Offices
and so on; also, with authority to borrow the
necessary capital.
The charter expired by limitation after two
years. In the meantime five commissioners had
been appointed who made professional tours
through the cOsntry. All the architects of the
ian ,and had been set in motion, plans were paid
Tor, working drawings and Specifications were
Drawn, advertisements made and bids received
below the limits of estimate and charter.
nus iar the project went, and after all these
expenditures and show of activity, the City
Councils, under the influence of some sober
second thought, passed resolutions to abandon
the project, and 1t was dropped never to be
heard OF again, though the finances of the city
were at that time in a more prosperous condition
than they are now. The accompanying photo
graph illustrates this sham victory of modern
ideas After a few months rest of the fertile
mines new project was started in September
OF Iet2. Until lately the old sheds constituting
the present market extended from Seventh to
Ilshth street, and again from Eighth to Ninth
street, IeaN ing an intermediate gap OF 100 feet
equal tc the width of Eighth street.
Prompted by number of the unsheltered
dealers ON this spot, the Councils of Washington
intended to have this gap filled up by a cheap
bulidlhg OF loo feet square and one story high,
the approved plan OF which We herewith lay
btIOIe YOU, (show diagram.) An appropriation
Oh 5000 was subsequently, made, when some
publiC-SpiTited citizens took notice of the petty
plan, and on their protest the Mayor had better
plans and specifications prepared by competent
architects for a building which, though in the
opinion OF great majority Of the citizens not
suitable for the prominent position on Pennsyl-
yania avenue, was certainly cIeditable for mar
ket purposes. Ii was a building just such the
maTket-dealers are apparently clamOrous
Tor, and as are successfully erected by private
companies al less prominent locations of several
other cities; but they did not see il then, when
ATS erection was commenced, (shown diagram.)
IL was known that this innovation was to sc
1a1 NrUd ~ II
honored sheds to its right and left. An idea not
Iaiatable TO the pockets and monopoly enjoyed
by the traditional 20 butchers and their associ-
ates ID Center Market. They formed a fund,
employed professional assistance, worked upon
the City Councils, appeared in force before
Congressional committees, and proved success
fully to Congress, that the. line of Sth street,
which, UP to that time had been DISTRACTED by
an old engine house, must be kept open hereaf
ter through the market.
The CorpOTa alton succumbed without any en-
ergetic resistance 10 the Vaccinations of inter-
ested opponents of progress, satisfied with hsv-
ing Med protest against Congressional inter
ference. Thus was butchered another reform
movement, which has cost the taxpayers no
less than SIS, coo, and the valuable records OF
which disappeared very unaccountabiy from the
Senate Committee-room on the District Of Co
lumbia, where citizens had placed them in order
to obtain a rcconsideratio
-Four years elapsed, and in the recess Of Con-
gress in the fall Of 1858, the outside butchers
succeeded TO interest the Corporation officials
in their behalf. In disregard of all Congress
sional and municipal laws, they were allowed
TO squat upon the public ground facing on
Pennsylvania avenue, and to erect thereon a
new connecting shanty, inferior in substance but
corresponding somewhat in ugliness with the
dilspidated brick arches from 9TH TO sth and
from sth to 9th streets.
This step looked to the old stagers of the mar
ket At least like tnalIty. Ii was not big with
innovating consequences; il was, I'm fact a
coming back to their old principles of 1852 and
generally consonant to their uncultiyated taste
Ii was submitted to quietly as a necessary con-
heard from the dealers, and the loud complaints
Of the consumers and housekeepers, who were
forced for another indefinite period to frequent
the old haunts, were disregarded.
A pet carpenter received the lob, under the
Patriarchal of the corporation officials the
shed, with board front and gravel roof. was
resolution was passed by tie Councils on April
IL, 1853. which compelled the concerned dealers
to pay their allotted share Of the contractors
the whole matter was settled In q spirit Of good
feeling. This happy family transaction consti-
tutes the vested rights, and represents the public
spirit and taste Of one third IN number of all the
butchers present doing business In the Centre
market; and the corporation boasts of an
increase Of revenue from stall rents, an increase
bought at the expense OF illegally disgraciAg
before.
Forty-one new butcher stalls have been added
By referring to Webb;s Digest of the Law, Of
The Corporation OF Washington, page 259, we
ind
"See. 9. II at any time hereafter = q
new stall shall have been made, then IL shall be
TIE duffy Of the clerk of that market 10 put up and
cell the same to the highest bidder for the term
Of i've years"
The above clear and peremptory Law was to-
tally disregarded. Not one Of these stalls was
put up and sold 10 the highest bidder for i've
years" This was done by the Mayor Of WASH
tngton Tin winter, 1s6s-69 at the same time that
ne protested, In letter 70 Senator Feseendcn.
enaIman OF theCommittee on Public Buildings
ma Srounds, that the charter of thu .sW ashiuS-
ton Market Company" "should be N amended
as 70 require that the stalls and stands n, 81
market should, 70 prevent a moponoIx s.o.
the butchers and dealers, be set M ana soIS ~
public auction every year TO the highest hid
derv WIZ
The imbecile erections Of the dealers ON
Pennsylvania avenue in 1858 and 1850 have been
followed by lavish expenditures Of the Corpora
ton on temporary structures In 1859, which
show utter tnefheieDcy on one side, and prove
total want OF any sincere inclinstions towards
permanent and creditable improvements on the
other side
The animus Of the city authorities cannot be
misunderstood Their actions are in direct an
tagonism with their pretended good Intentions
They made 10 movement at all tow ards credita-
bic edifces until this company showed last wear
the energy Of taking the matter in hand. To
prevent our success, a corporation hin was
speedily introduced when the chances were in
our favor.
This CORPORATION bill called for str,,...