National Republican., 1877-10-22
THE POOR FUND,
Investigating tho Wash ngton Market Com-

| paiy.
At meeting Of citizens at which the Lab r
Exchange was organized held September 8, Com
missioner Bryan, their president, appointed a COM
mttee to investigate and report whether by any act
OF Congress or the exercise Of any lawful author
ity the Washington Market Company had been
relieved nom the payment Of any part of the s1i 100
the principal consideration for tho franchise
grantcd by the act of May % 1870, to the company
Tor the support Of the poor of the District
r. me con'nittee consisted Of Mcssrs. A. p Cook,
| nonstpn aud J. 7. Given. They met rrU eccutcd
the examinat!on ard have prepared All elaborate
| report: AMER citing the incorporation Of the CON.
rany ana how they came In possession Of the
| property they conclude as follows:
IN Is evident from thorough examination of the
whole subject that the market company are
ISDEuTED TO THE CITY OF WASHINGTON
IN the sum Of si2s gsj &c., and that they are CON
SANITY violating the conditions and considerations
| o.i Their charter seemingly dciytg the General
| Gnvcrnmcut and wantOn!y keeping from the poor
o. ne District the amount :! gen9r3nsly provided
| Tor their relief In the act of May -, 1870
~ l. evident the market {, nipnry from the date
| OF their organization have cVadcd and are now
cvndng the payment Of the correct amount Uf gcn-
crGl taxes due The city of wtsh!np,On through an
| erroneous plat of rcscrvDt'"n T. which plat is in
direct conflict with the RAT or nlan on record al
this reservation was placed upon thcgcHcrnl assess.
lncnt book IN manner contrary 70 law Is evident
from the fact That the plat, whether correct or
otherwise Is not on record In the surveyor uliCc
n3r is II N be found in any department OF the Dis
trict government
That the market company have collected rents
nnd taxes from their tenants on the land repre-
seated by Their plat as Il continuation of Eighth
street, aud consequently not subject to taXNtun,
and have sold stands at high premium, and are
now collecting rents upon one Of thcSc imaginary
spat Cs which Is IN reality covered 10y the market
building, Is too plain to admit II doubt.
We ina upon further examination of the act Of
May % IT0 that by section sixteen Of said act the
open space Ht the Intersection Of Ohio and Louis
ina avenues, between Tenth and Twcllh streets,
was
GRANTED TO THE CITY of WASHINGTON
for whuc>n'" market for the purchase and sale of
hay nGi'. &c. and in continuing our Investigation
We have nsCnrlalGcd that under an agreement
made November 4, ISL between q committee of
inur members of the mnrECt company aud the
president uf said company, who was at that
time also Governor Or the District, the market
phnv took possession of this open space without
making any payment therefor ttlCr than a
conditional promise, which has not ns yet proved
lc Uf any benefit tO the District by this Arrnngr
mrut the city ln>Cs bonus Of fIdT thousand d1l-
inr> ard two thuu.and dollars rent per year fOr
twenty wears offered hy Number Of men whn n.
soriIt,,l III 'msclyCs under the LNmc Of Farmers
auh !iit her Market Cpmmny, aud who d,.lcd
- se''ro M oven space turlhr purpose designated
In the sal svrti IA"
IN Cpn,l1s III tlr committee recommend That
the claims uf the city against the market cumla
br NJ "nCF pressed IN the supreme Court OF the
District u speedy termination, and the Whole
matter with Gll its details, To- Immediately bruuSht
to III" notice Of Congress for surh further nCtinn nS
iddy lie best adapted for the hvnril Of the District.