Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-26
The Market House Comuaux and Ats
Charter.


avert public Odium?
Inc "rAet Hcuse Company and its
The inquiry is made of us if the Market Com
Fany are carrying out their charter require
ments. 1t IS not quite easy to answer our cor.
respondent. That they are not fulfilling the
requirements of theiS original charter is prettv
evident; Out the additional legislation they pro-
Cred just after the destruction of the old market
house by fire seems TO allow them a pretty wild,
margin. In fact. in half dozen lines it yirtu-
ally abrogates all the elaborate provisions of the
charter. This is the way it reads:
. Bs q TrSolred, de-, That the Chairmen of the
Committees on Public Buildings and Grounds of
the Senate and House OF Representatives with
the Mayor OF " Washington. be, and hereby are
consumed commissioners to require the Wash
ngtOh Market Company. gained under the
10Th section Of the actOf May 2Oth, 1870, PROMPTLY
10 FURNISH temporary market accommodations
LOT tne market men who were driven out by the
late hre; and also 70 erect at the earliest possible
Gay the hrst stories or market portions OF the
permanent market buildings provided for in said
act. and that said commissioners be 1utAorireJ d
7a0Le sacb alterations ia tie Jai7din0s and sueb
arrangements with said company as shall he
best calculated to secure the speedy erection of
buildings eretdtable TO the city, and Sufficiently
CCmmOdlous Tor all the wants OF the public -
The act Of May %, 1870, giving the franchise
10 the Aarket Company, was generally favored
~ our citizens, because it provided under very
distinct and rigid specifications, ard upon plan
set forth in detail in the bin, that a structure
should be erected Of a size, height and beauty 20
make Il a fitting feature for its eonspicnous
position on Pennsylvania Avenue II is we'll
Known that the same consideration, l. O. the gran
Geur and beauty Of the design for the building.
induced Congress to grant the franchise to the
Market Company giving To it this large amount
ofvaluabie ground. Under that charter the COM
agreed An ell
northern or avenue front five stories in height
above the ground, exclusive of the prominent
MansaTd roofs" The whole Avenue front as
well as the fronts of the payiliOns returned around
their northern corners ON Seventh and Ninth
Streets. were to be - faced with granite for en-
trance story, and with marble or cut sandstone of
equal size and durability for upper stories ND to
the main cornice." The Mansar(l roofs were TO he
covered With ornamental slate laid to chaste and
tasty patterns, the cupola was to have a gilded
metallic roof, the fronts of the stories were tn
consist Of French plate glass Of first quality
Set in hardwood finish, there were to be orna-
mental and heavy marble mantels for all the
principal rooms" &c, &c, etc., etc.-fn fact
the minute specifications in the bill going to
Show the grandeur, beauty and completeness OF
the proposed structure, filed some half-dozen
pamphlet pages of closely printed matter
The controversy just now Is in regard to the
character of the work ON the 9TH street wing; the
other portions of the building not having been
commenced yet. The following are the specif-
cations IN regard to this wing in the bill charter
ing the company
ssHfRg alOag .Ssresh street frs1t-Tbe entire
frontage ON Seventh street, 10 the south of the
above described building, viii be appropriated
10 two story building seventy fvef feet in width
and covered with metal root. For character of
the foundations. reference is made 20 that
specified Tor building on the avenue. There
VIII be a cellar, containing an independent
Stedm-heating apparatus for the second story of
this building, arranged fully equal TO the one
described before The first story will be
arranged tor large and open market hall, pre-
pared 10 receive convenient, largest xed, and
tasty modern market stalls, not less than twenty
teet high; the floor 10 be laid with a proper fan
towards TAPS for each stall or set of stalls con-
Meeting by large-sized drain-pipes with the
sewer. This hall viii have brick floor mon a
concrete foundation, except that part constitute
~ the driveway for wagons leading into the
- .Ow square, and which will be laid with the
most approved wood pavement. Ample light
a;'i air will be thrown into this hall by piyotinr
.EdOws on the east and west side, which viii
&c glazed with ground glass 70 intercept the
S.'arrays. Two rows of wrought iron columns
stii support rOlled-iron girers, supporting fire
i5rOf floor, constructed by brick arches sprung
Tween rOllcd-irOn GOuble T beams.
Wide tre-prOOf stairs OF wrought and cast iron
Head 10 the second story of this wing Containing
alnple ana spacious Offiee-rooms. All these rooms
Z" have wooden floors laid on concrete filling M
zoe launches of the brick arches The finish OF
Iilis wing TO be equal in substance and STYLE 10
1adt OF the office rooms i'm the new building lately
fsccted Tor the Department of AgricultiIre. tbe
aTtitiOns To be OF brick wherever feasible AMI
lAe ceiling to be light but hre-proof. The out
a.'iewalis OF this building to be Constructed az
Inc best haTd-burned bricks, with a chastelv or
namented pressed-briek front, facing Seventh
street; window-sash in imitation of French sash
gaZed with crystal sheet glass. The frame OF
The rOot 10 be Solidly constructed, and to be
thoroughly trussed, ventilation shafts 20 reach
above roof Tor market hall, and W initiating fues
Tor all the office rooms, with to rscsssarr re-
ters- Light wells above corridors An The
"details required Tor me successful execution OF
inc work 10 DC provided for and done, such as
f irerit,eS md gashtring, fully equal TO that
he company are now proceeding with the
construction Of this Seventh street wing The
public can judge how far the work corresponds
to the specifications OF the charter They will
look in vain for the cellar" the "second
story the style Of finish guaranteed, the sewer
specified, and numerous other features set forth
in the charter But Mr.. Ordway says that the
commissioners have agreed 20 permit these alter
ations OF the plan Of the Seventh street wing
Ii seems very strange that Senator Morrill,, COT
yermont1 who Was 20 exscting In requiring the
insertion OF all these specifications In the char
ter, should be willing now TO have them set aside
and q e hill nullifed; but as will be seen by tn.
lines have itaheised in the resolution, the
Commissioners have the power, IL they choose.
to change the entire plan of the building The
change OF plan in the Seventh street wing TO be
sure, Is not one seriously affecting the pubic
interests; but IL is TO be feared that il is the
entering wedge for other and more material
changes. II the company may now alter that
wing from Two stories to one, viii they not here