Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-20
THE ,zAKKErHousE QUESTION.
what Shall be Done with Itf

To the Editors Of the Union and American:
To-day the voters of the city of Nashville
are To decide the long and intensely waged
warfare concerning the Markethoase. Be-
lieying that great many persons do not
rightfully interpret the question, your cor
respondent would ask little space to ex-
plain the situation. At its last meeting a
bill was offered, and passed its third reading
in the City Council, appropriating $4,000
towards the erection of a new Market
house; and at the same time a joint reso-
luton from both Boards obtained as to
"whether the present system of public mar
keting should be abolished, and the present
Markethouse and buildings be torn down
and removed" Although majority of the
voters in the city / believe are
in favor of wiping out the old
Markethouse as it stands, but the
question as to its being Te1RodeIed,
or the probability of the erection
of ne,c building has not attained that de-
gree of attention that it should have. 1t is
admitted that the old shell and garbage
box in its present status is disgrace to
the city, but if new building is to be put
up the affair assumes different shape. The
bill also plainly says ''the present Market
house and buildings" shall be torn down
and removed. This, if / mistake not, will
include in its demolition the Mayors Office,
police court-rooms, engine house and offices
of various other municipal dignitaries in
the southern wing, and the Halls of the
Boards Of Aldermen and City Council and
other apartments in the northern wing.
This would be an admirable arrangement,
If our municipal government had new and
LT,n a..
but such is not the case, and if the build
ings are torn away without more definite
understanding we will soon have peripa-
tetic and widely scattered administration.
For instance, the Mayors office viii be re-
moved up some out of the way street, the
Recorder will go begging for forum, the
police will be sort of privateersmen cruis-
ing under commissions to capture and i'm
prison in localities most convenient, while
the deliberations of the migratory City
Fathers viii be resolved into a kind
of mutual admiration societies, meeting one
night perhaps in butchers pen in North
Nashville, the next at shoe shop in Fair
field, and so on. Why, sirs, it would re-
quire a well posted intelligence Office and
necessitate the issuance ola City Govern
ment Directory to keep the public informed
OF our parents" Whereabouts.
What the mass of intelligent voters
want is the NetU MdrkethouSe, either new
''from turret to foundation stone," or the
present one admirably remodelled. The
opposition that the present concern meets
with from merchants about the square is not
SO r1uch on account of its being situated
where it is, for it was there when they cree
ted or rented their warehouses, but their
objections are to its unsightly appearance
and its system q If new building that
will reflect credit and be an ornament to the
place is to be put up, the matter takes
another turn, and they no doubt will favor
its erection.
Another word and have done. Although
the newly established Central Market is a
good thing of its kind and reflects credit on
the enterprise of its founders, yet it is surely
an individual concern and brings compare
lively but little revenue into the City Treas
rry. 1t would require at least four similar
markets in the city, situated at various
points to effect any advantage in accomInO-
dating consumers, which is one of the
points raised, and even then the revenue
derived from four "Central Markets" would
not near approximate that derived from the
old market.
The question then is this: Is the city able
to lose the rental of the Market building?
Is the city able to embrace additional ex-
penses in procuring offices for her function
aries? And if so,what will be done with the
Market House site? 1t can't be sold. That's
a settled fact 1t might be turned into a
refreshing little public park, sodded with
natures verdant carpet, and studded with
inviting shade trees, something after the
manner of Court Square, Memphis; but does
the city feel wealthy eaough to do this? !
think ''skasely." DAMFIEO.