Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-22
The Disappearing Sheds.
oBLITERArIoN OF AN OLD LAkDMARK-sonE FAcTs
FROM ITS HISTORY.

FROM ITS HISTORY.
In the pulling down Of the Fourth street mar
ket sheds landmark is being oblterated which
10 closely identified with the earliest history Of
the city. The original shed was built in 1876,
before Wilmington was erected into . borough,
and when the town, then called Willing-town,
contained but thirty three houses. These were
all below High street. ~ Fourth street WAS then
called. The original shed stood between Market
and ShipIey Streets and was rude affair, sup
ported upon wooden posts.
This shed. or shambles as it was sometimes
called was built by the individual enterprise Of
William Shiplsy, who removed to Wiling town
In 1895 from Springfield. Considerable opposi.
ton was raised to the new market, the source OF
which ia not clearly understood, but by 1887 this
opposition had developed SO strongly that ma
terlsl was purchased and workmen were consult
ed with reference to the erection Of
another market house in Second
street. This alarmed the uptown people, Who
seemed to unite with William Shipley, and they
took measures to counterfeit the effort by the is
suance Of protests These amounted to nothing
more than NO far ~ individual opinion was in
fuenced by them, for tho borough was still un-
| born. An appeal, however, was made to lhomas
Penn, Governor of the Province, who ordered .
| suspension Of the erection Of the Second street
market house until such time ~ he might be
able to visit Willing-town.
The feeling which the opposition to the first
market house engendered was bitter in the sx-
forcible effort was made to destroy it. 1t il
matter OF history that two stalwart mon Of the
| opposition, each armed with IN axe, proceeded
| to the site Of the market house and each drove
the keen edge Of his steel into the same wooden
| post as the beginning Of an effort to destroy
the shed. Then very powerful man, an adhs-
rent Of Shipley's, plA ling one hand upon each Of
the heads Of the two men - they stood in close
proximity TO one another, brought their
heads together with such violence that they both
| fall inaanail,la n tlA prnnnd ThiR act NhnRAh
the more moderate men, who now foresaw even
greater trouble, to initiate . compromise move
ment, which succeeded in the establishment Of
the Saturday markets and one Of
day market and the other fair in the lower mar
ket, this house having been built In the mean.
time. This was done by majority Of lag vol.
ces in favor Of the former, and n In favor Of
the latter, each vote being taken sepsrately.
Somewhere towards the close OF the last CEN
fury the Fourth street market house was rebuilt
and the wooden posts superseded BY the brick
pillars which are soon to be pulled down. The
shed between Shipley and Orange streets was
also built about this time, but does not seem to
have been occupied for many Year,, inasmuch >.
it Was the great gathering place and play grount
for the boys even mp until and after the begin
ing Of the present century. Some Of our oldes
citizens yet have lively recolections Of theiI
boyish sports under its roof.
, About 1887 portion Of the building on tn
! top Of the front part Of the shed was built p.
the city and the Athenean Society Jointly. Ii
1913 or tho market house was rebuilt, the SUI
perstructure enlarged, and fell into tho occupan
cy Of the Wilmington Library, into which soci
/ ETY. the Athenean, the Young Mems Institut
). and the Franklin Lyceum were merged. PRO
to this the Library had occupied the preeen
: Council chamber. At = later day the buildin
Q over the shed attained its present size while !
!. the occupancy Of the Library.
" After this it was used a. billiard saloon b
9 John KIllingsworth, celebrated character, An
" was subsequently converted into Offices, All
l. been used - such until few,days ago.
n Public meetings were formerly, and unit
n within few years, held in front Of the marks
9 house, tie balcony in front being used for u
a speakers From this place many men Of en-
hence have spoken, including Jno N. Clayton
VIM. H. Seward and others. Tradition hi
handed down many amusfngfncid come
ton with this use Of the building. One Of thseo
to the effect that on one occasion when Mr.. Ola
=, ton was addressing q multitude, the evergreen
y which decked the end Of the building caught {
b. ire Some one near seized pitcher which 90
r. tanned, ~ he supposed, water which he thre
~ upon the flames, but instead Of extinguishiI
Or them they only burned the more brightly. !
ae had thrown gin upon the burning evergreens
atead of water