The New York herald., 1879-12-26
Gro WDED MARKETS.
The lnadequacy of Washington Market
for Present Trade.
IMPASSABLE APPROACHES.
A Report On Its Unsanitary Condition Made
Eight Years Ago.


HERALD eight nire years ago that the markets
in a most unhealthy condition. The interest
then induced Board of Health to take the
matter In hand. and the result report. in
which the facts stated in the HERALD were substan-
tiated. The report conveyed the cheerful informa-
ton that great portion of the food OF the citizens
of the metropolis came from markets pervaded with
unhealthy odors and unclean beyond the power of
language 10 describe. Such the interest felt in
the topic at the time that the Commissioners of the
Sinking Fund gave long hearings to citizens
committees interested in the health Of the
city and tho convenience OF the people. The
methods by which the then existing evils
could be obviated were discussed at length.
and various plans of relief submitted. Before
all of the projects ripened out of this discussion
could be perfected the collapse. of the Tweed Ring
came. and from that day until the present the
dition OF things that created such public indigna-
ton has existed unreformed. As years advanced
the inadequacy of the present market system be
came more marked, but still nothing has been done
for market reform the spasmodic raids Of the
Department of Public Works on the squstters.
ovERcnowpED MARKETS.
The words used by the Sanitary superintendent in
report filed on the 4th OF August. 1871. concerning
the condition of the markets. applicable to-day.
''These markets." he says, "are wholly unfit for
their purposes The structures in the last stages
of decay and dilapdation and are impregnated with
foul emanations from tho accumulated filth which
underles them. All kinds OF vegetables and meat
undergo rapid change when placed in them. and
are soon rendered. unfit for human food" Nothing
has been to improve the markets since the time
that report made, with notable exception in
favor of the Fulton Wholesale Fish Market.
visit to Washington Market. any Saturday
when the streets thereabout impossible. ana
only the most robust purchaser succeeds in crowd
ing his or her way into the inner temple of huck-
stering will convince any ono that more accommoda-
tion is needed. Great wagons. loaded down with all
manner of merchandise. pass along the streets
all sides Of the market. and the drivers OF many
of them reckless as to endangef the
lives Of pedestrians who dart in and out he
tween the horses heads, on their way to and
from the great emporium The crowd of
men, women and children that have business
in and around the market is great enough to COM
plotey block up the immediate vicinity without the
aid Of additional thousands of purchasers who daily
struggle at hazard Of life and limb, to buy wares.
No less than 10000 persons make living in and
around Washington Market alone. The market folk
represent almost every nationality the globe.
The Irish, Dutch. Germans. French. Swiss.
Russians. Turks. Jews, spaniards. Cubans.
Chinee are In force around this busy
tire. Every notion ever peddled can be had here and
ing in lists Of available articles Wax candles for
| a'wake' and pound cake for o wedding are hawked
stentorian ones shoe laces and debilitated vege
tables ourloined many stalls be had for half
price the grease spot eradicator man gives
full OF the inevitable bankruptcy to which such
| duct leads. In fact the businesses that
| are transacted around the markets are too
| multifarlous to enumerate in q day, ana
| with the advent of the holidays the increase in
diversity is simply bewilderng. II the calculation
made by exports who have been spoken to on the
subject be true that in ordinary times ~ OOO peo
| pie ind employm in the markets, it is fair to
estimate holiday time no less than 80 900
busy. natural accessory of this great army OF
| men. women and childen is truck. 1t may be
it it, may nay be ga hundred other things. ali
crowded on the sidewalks OF vesey. West, Washing
aad the
| nuisance OF this blockading of the approaches to
the market; but there hundreds OF thousands or
New Workers who are ignorant OF the facts concern
ing these great bazaars. This crowding OF huckster
stalls around the market affects its business
| probably more than $l,OOO.OO0 year. Hundreds
OF thousands Of purchasers. rather than subject
themselves to the danger and annoyance of visit
town retailers, and satisfied with inferior arti-
ces at higher prices. The petty trade driven by
would bo ridiculous to pit it against that trade which
is driven away from the market proper This year,
na s bx
While the wholesalers are doing hourishing trade
the retailers in the market not keeping pace with
them. The reason for this is obvious. for. as last
| stated, purchasers will not go to Washington Mar
ket in order to ftty cents dollar when that
saving entails the risk Of having their clothes torn
| from their backs their necks broken.
THE MARKET GROWN.
By the gradual encroachmcnts OF these outside ped
ders the market proper has been entirely obscurcd
The building originally was oblong and faced Wash
structon great space was lett in front for carts
produce wagons, &c. Viewing 1t now no human
being could describe its shape tor it has shape
Its hgure Is motley; sheds and stalls. awnings
aud signs. chimney pots and skygLts, lend to 1t
pcturesqueness quite unique. In the early stage of
ster the space now occupied by the west whole
sale market covered with water but gradually it
filed in. and squatters were numerous. This
filled In space now gives accommodation-tho
word is used advisedly-to GOO wholesale stalls.
streets in tho vicinity were comparatively
clear. for There was room in the retail
market to accommodate all the trade, but time
advanced trade grew. and as the city made no i'm
provement in the accommodation the present street
nuisance was the result "Once upon time. as
the old nursery rhyme runs. the market was limited
within the space bounded by Washington, West,
vosey and Fulton streets. but now it extends as
far north Us Barclay street aud to Dey street
the south The squatters have advanced east as
far Church street. aud even line the railing
OF st. Paul's Churchyard on Vesey street. On all
sides business stretches out, struggling
along streets that should DO kept clear blocking
been Suggested that Washington Market should be
abolished but reformers have demanded that extra
accommodation be secured Tor the growing bust
ninths of the population OF the city reside above
Fourteenth street. and yet the old market, which
built to accommodate city third largo
New York Is at present expected to be adequate
When Washington Market in the zenith of its
popularity the greater portion OF the people was
located below Fourteenth street. The reasons why
the reformers claimed that some portion of tho
present site OF Washington Market should be put
to other and convenient sito located for
q new market given rs long eight years ago
by Mr.. stephen H. Olin counsel Of the Citizens AS
sociation.
SOME SIGNIFICANT FACTS
In presenting his facts he said tho value OF down.
town market property was $5.0OU.00U, but that the
revenue thcrcfrom had not, for years. amounted to
more than S150.00O above expenses. Tho property
should bring in seven per cent on its valuation or
s35O,U00 Hence IL was plain to be that the
city lost annually about s2U0.000. II the markets
were put In private hands Mr.. 0lin claimed that
they would pay tho city annually in taxes from
the loss to the city about $500.0O0 annually.
Tho reason why this market business in tho
hands OF tho city should not DO profitable Is very
.s,a~,. 7, a. 90 .ccount ~ tha ,,haran, s,s,,s.s