Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-19


down, appeared in ID. @. Foruey's Sunday Chroai-
Gle. If the writer had presented one single fact
or even accurately rehashed the old and worn
out ISLANDERS against the market company, which
were exposed and nailed as falsehoOds by the
report of their investigating committee made to
the District Legislature August 18th, 1871, he
might have claimed immunity for saudwitching
in the mass of misrepresentation contained in
the article referred to. While recognizing the
right of Independent press to strive to correct
abuses which iniuriously affect their patrons, I
deny, in behalf Of the market company, all and
singular every essential representation contained
in this unwarranted and libelous attack upon
the directors and managers of the Washington
A large majority of the stockholders, as well
as the directors of this company, are not only
citizens of Washington, but are among the
Emery, president of the Washington Market
company, T. G.. Connolly, Hallet Kilbourn,
Moses Kelly, X. B. Clark, Hugh Coyie, Caleb
Cushing, W. +. Chandler and s. 8. Smoot. di-
rectors, strangers to the citizens of Washing
ton? Are they men who would be likely to per-
petrate fraud or over-taN the people VINO
purchase food at the market? In order to
swer these last questions have hastily drawn
off the figures to show the public the exact
financial condition of the company far as
receipts and expenditures on account of rental
of the stalls from the new market sheds that were
erected after the fire up to the 31st of last De
cember Total amount of rental received from
all sources during the year 1871, SO, 632i9.
Amount of during the same time
Running expenses, including gas tax, IS, 1O7 As;
city or local tax, &C, 1880; paid District au-
thOrities rental imposed by Congress for the
support of the poor 80, 800, making total cur
rent expenditures S37 1866. Cost of temporary
sheds or market buildings $50, 800, making total
expenditures during the year 1871 S5T ,9O565;
leaving the rental account of the company in
debted to construction account at the end of
the first year, after deducting total receipts,
S15,N3.16. To this might be added a special
assessment bill for paving Pennsylvania avenue
amounting to about S11 600, although that as
sessme mt has not vet been settled. Total
amount of rental received from temporary
sheds from December 81, 1871, to July LIST, 1872,
when the new buildings were occupied, S19,-
114.31. Total amount of rental received for
the last two quarters of year 1872 up to Deem
Der 81, 1872, S31 ,192.97-making the total re-
ceipts for the year 1872 on account of rental of
stalls, wagons, &c, $50 ,307 %, from which de-
duct running expenses. repairs, and gas tax for
the year 1872, SIS, sH:O5; City or local tax and
rental under act of Congress for support of the
poor so ,OOO-making total expenditure. out
side OF construction account, S45, 242.05, which
deducted from the total amount of rental re-
ceved $50, %, leaves So O65 o to be credited
towards paying the S15,N316 which remained
due the construction account on account OF
building temporary market buildings; or in
other words, leaving amount due construction
account over and above the receipts for rental
for stalls and stands at the end of two years,
from the time the market company first collect
ed rent, SIC, 20i 90, for which the company had
the lumber in the old sheds 1t will thus be
seen that during this time, and for over two
wears. the stockholders OF the market COMPANY
received no dividends. and had actually used
over SO 600 of the money paid in on the Origi-
nal stock to give the public and the dealers
temporary accommodations by building tenn
porary structures, after the old market was
burned, and instead of having assessed and
collected one dollar from rental OF stalls
or stands to pay towards the cOnstruc-
ton of the new buildings, the total
Quoting rental due the District, local taxes
and running expenses, would not reimburse
the construction fund for money drawn from il
as before stated. The stockholders paid in
500 ,OO0 in cash, when they subscribed for their
stock. They then issued coupon bonds on notes
and raised $780, 900 more. The Treasurer has
received from bonus on account of sales of stalls
and stands up to this time about S3i 900, while
the market company has floating indebted
ness which will make the total cash expendi-
lures nearly S300,00O, in erecting what is ad
mitted by every impartial and fair minded per-
son, including strangers from every part of the
country to be the largest and best retail market
in the United States, if not in the world. The
market company reluctantly Welded to the
District authorities under the recent act of Com
gress the entire front land secured to them by
their charter for ninety nine years. The land
thus surrendered to the District authorities
would probably produce when fully
improved an annual income of $50 900
or $50 900; yet dividing the land upon the
basis OF the valuation fixed by the Assessors
the District authorities, under the recent act of
Congress, get this entire valuable frontage by
allowing the market company about SIP, 700 a
year upon their rental, or, what would be the
interest on about $50 600; whereas every one
acquainted with the value of real estate would
value this immense frontage Of over 500 feet at
more than twice that sum. In regard to the
transfer of the city's interest in what is known
as the City Hall buildings to the Z. s., cannot
see that any harm can possibly come to the
city, as the gentlemen composing the COM
mittee who recently fixed the valuation of that
property, are supposed to be quite as loyal and
devoted to the present "regime" as the pro-
prietor OF for'eys Sunday Chronicle can possibly
aspire to be.
The statement made in the article referred
to, that the roof OF the market was in a Ieaky
condition, is equally false as either of his
other assertions. The roofs of the market build
ings are of the NEST substantial character and
have never leaked at all since they were built.
In the designs for the market prepared by the
architect, in order to give perfect ventilation
ventlator windows, working upon iron pivOts,
were placed in the ventilatOrs of each building
1t has been found that during a driving storm,
with heavy winds, the rain forces itself through
the spaces which are necessary to allow the win
dows to partially revolve, which causes drip
ping near the center of the building during
these heavy storms This, however only occurs
during heavy wind and driving rain storm
double rows of heavy tin spOuting are being cut
in and placed on the inside Of the ventilatOrs
which catch this water and return it through a
unusual precaution has been adopted by the COM
pany to avoid all grounds of complaint, and the
entire work will be completed in a few DAYS. The
the falling of a portion of the 9Th street wall
during heavy gale, and before the mortar had
had time to harden, was malicious IN the ex-
treme, as the writer well knew. II he knew
anything about the matter he knew that every
particle of the wall that was Jared by that
which fell was taken down, and that the whole
was rebuilt under the directions of Mr. Diyes,
one of the very best builders in the city, and i'm
the most substantial manner; and here chal-
lenge the writer Of the article to select any
three responsible builders or architects to ex-
anime the entire market structure. and if they
do not pronounce it one of the best and most
substantially-b buildings of this class i'm
the United States, l will publicly, and in the
newspapers, acknowledge the correctness of his
statements. If they do report these buildings
of the most substantial character as have be-
fore stated. comMOi. Gecercy should require the
writer to apologize to the entire community as
well as to the market company for his gross and
unwarranted misrepresentation. The market
company are anxious to secure a reduction of
the rental on the stalls and stands in the mar
ket just as fast as they can do SO and paw the
city for the support of the poor, the local taxes
and running expenses, and secure or 10 per
cent. on the amount actually invested in thu sc
market buildings. To al who complied with
the regulations of the company and paid their
quarterly rental in advance at the commence
ment OF the present quarter, the market com
pany made reduction of 10 per cent, and hone
as soon as the stalls are nearly all permanently
occupied, to be able to make a still further re-
dnctiOn. fol