The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-27
THE WASHINGTON MARKET LEASE.
Views OF the Marketmen's AssociatIon-
II This q Jobs-How Franchises should
BE Qua rded.

Views OF the Marketmen's Association-
II This q Jobs-How Franchises should
He Guarded.
A strong delegation OF the Washington Market
mems Association among whom are r.. G. Cornell.
the President, and r. Fl. Thorne. the Secretary, is
at present IN Albany, looking after the bill pre-
sented in their behalf for the requirement CT a
lease for slxtythree years OF the present site OF
Washington and West Washington markets. The
Association embraces about nine hundred men,
bers, ana there are In ell 200 stalls In the markets,
OF which the Association occupy nearly one thou
sand The Association proposes to become the
sole lessee OF the property and to erect ON II an
iron market building. HERALD reporter called
yesterday on several OF the members of tAe Asso-
citation to learn far as possible the object of the
organization in seeking to grasp so vast monop-
DIV as this lease would give them.
Mr.. Theodore Hanford, partner OF the secre-
tary, said that the chief object was to assure them
selves against being periodically disturbed In their
business by the blackmaillng schemes or petty re-
vengcs Of politicians. "Under Comptroller Con-
systematically blackmailed and subjected to every
form OF annoyance by a lot OF Official underlings !
lost my stand, which ! haI held ior na 1aen o,
friend Of Warden Tracy, OF Ludlow street jan,
wanted stand and there was none vacant. tracy
went to O'Bricn who was then Sherin, ana got
O'Bren to use his influence with Connolly. and on
two days. notice my goods were removed Oy men
who were sent down here to- put me out
and to put Hagan in. 1t was two years
before got my stand back again. We marketmen
are the people most interested in the proper con.
troll OF this market and propose, II this lease Is
obtained, to govern the thing ourselves and pay to
the city the rental which snail be decided on as
proper and Just in bulk. This will save che city the
trouble and expense OF collecting 1t from 1000 ten.
ants in small sums ana we shall be a selfprotect.
ing body. We shall issue stock to the amount oil
$1,000 600 to carry out the proposed Improvement,
and all that stock Will he held by the members Of
the Association. The chief and, IN fact, only OPP
position we have met In the Legislature Is from the
Manhattan Market Company private concern,
that seeks to abolish Washington Market entirely,
so to make their uptown scheme q very proht'
able monopoly"
The reporter convcrsed with several other Az.
ISOLATION stall-Owners all OF whoa expressed the
same general ideas in regard TO the movement.
An attempt to find q stall-0wner VINO Is not mem.
Der OF the Association proved utterly futile About
| one hundred stalls were visited, in consecutive
| order they range and but one non Association
| establishment was discovered; but IL was clos9d
! and Its owner was absent. Later, the reporter
| found one who denounced the method OF putting
the scheme into operation in the lveliest manner.
| He claimed that 1t was infamous Tor great city
| like New York to put so valuable FRANCHISE into
| the hands Of any ring or clique. he argued that
| the lease should be sold at public auction, and II
| the Marketmens Association were the highest
bidders then let them have IT. If not let other per.
| sons who willing to pay more enjoy lt under
proper restrictions and responsibilities THIS was
! nothing nor less than special Legislation,
! which was always o suspicious and dangerous ex'
pertinent