The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-14
Gpenias State go,,rnat.
THE CITY MARKETS.

mometer playing ninety degree capers,
and nothing tolerable within reach except
artificial, but palatable, Kissengen, Vichy,
&C., &C., waters. AS we cannot see the
country, except the distance enchanted view
of Chesterfield county, we like to do the
next best possibility. Therefore, we go to
the market to see country people, and invest
in country produce. There, while gazing
sadly upon molten, oleagenous substance,
yclept country butter, our fancy, which is
s'vagrom," performs similar feats to that of
Alexander Selkirk and a popos of noun
tain butter in its mountain home ~
awhen we think Of that grass-covered land,
In q moment we seem to be there, l.7 -f.-l
| But alas smells and elbows at hand,
Soon hurry us back to despair"
| Now, among other thinkings, we remem-
bered Elliott's Knob in Augusta county.
Upon the grass-covered summit fountain
of purest water, clear as crystal, cool as
ice, plentiful and never failing as the mer-
cies of Providence. So on South, Bull
Pasture, Jack and other mountains, are
found these pure fountains Of refreshment
and delight.
And as, of course, you cannot see why
sweltering through the market should
direct our fancy ITO mountain springst
We will say that we never pass through
what is called a market, without thinking
that in this country, with its cheated
TERMS" market projectors and builders
are the most blind or most stubborn of
men. We water our streets, in cities north
of Baltimore, wash off sidewalks, and even
house fronts; but not a drop of water
must be used to cool our markets until
after the people have left. Now, if travel
ers ever notice such common things abroad,
they must have noticed that in Europe, and
especially in England, where the tempera-
ture is so much lower than here, that the
fountain is an important and prominent adj
iunct aud ornament to every modern
market-house.
And the philosophy is so simple. DO we
not feel the cooling effect of the little JET
dear near the fountains whence issued Qike
from the prestidigatateur's bottle Empire
Kissengen, Vichy, or any other mineral
water, pleasant to palate andnot offensive tc
the nose? What draws the perambulatoi
brigade, and the members of the stay-at'
home club, to the Capitol square fountains
but the oeoler atmosphere caused by the
soothing splash of the jets of water? What
is needed in our market places is rationa
provision for cleanliness, GOODNESS, and com
fort and the introduction of fountains woult
secure the two first, while a little common
sense would in design would secure the last
Now to treat the last point first. Here Ii
apublic place of resort, to which (as all mus
eat to live) all must go or send. Now why
not make market as commodious as ,yor
possibly can, by giving ample room ane
verge for even crowded days. 1t requires
now an amount of moral courage, and ply
steal endurance rarely found in moderl
helpmeets, to run the gauntlet of the arm,
with buckets, which besiege the markets il
quest of fish, flesh and fowl, ans
vegetable necessaries and delicacies o
the reason. Besides the cramping of lati
f tude and longitude, we find, so commonly
that it may be called universal, as mucl
niggardness in altitude. Either a squat
!, shanty- Hooking affair modelled after brick
yard shelter, is erected; or if the buildin
, is of reasonable height, some .abominatio
I of an armory, public hall, or other nuisanc
. (in that place. is planted over the market
: space. and robs it Of light, air and beauty
/. Contrast any market in the United State
with the new markets at Birkenhead, Liy
9 erpool, and other places in Europe, wit
o their broad central and side aisles, an
roomy cross aisles fountains CONSTANT
playing during market hours, keeping tn
temperature cool, and this under roof {
! thirty to fifty feet pitch, SO filed with al
}, pliances for light and ventilation that on
y hot days you seek the market as
garden of delight instead of
n place of purgatory. In the fish mark'
the fish are land ON heavy marble slabs
* in which are cut grooves, along which e
will, by turning on or off tap,) a rill I
: water flows, keeping the slab cool and IL
fish fresh.
When the proper time arrives for ii
construction of new market in Richmond
= (s it not here already?) let us try to bull
4, rational structure, which shall contain
not fanciful experiments, but modern real
cations. Then ladies can go to mark
without fear and trembling, as at presen
and the ''greetings in the market-place
: will be more social and less objurgative
81 of mountain butter viii not look like soap ia
ps and wilted vegetables, after A. NJ, W
- become tradition of the past.
: Commodious markets, with proper a
ID pliances, are attractive, healthful, econon
r- cal. Our present markets are repulsiv
dangerous, and wasteful. Give us o
Y Y with space above and around, free air, Al
", abundant acdter.