Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-20
THE EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET.
ATtRHAY.. ..November 20, 1850.
NEW YORK LETTER.

NEW YORK LETTER.
THE MARKET QUESTION IN NEW YoRK-A CoMMU-
NIFTY REBKLLING AGAINST COBwRBS AND SHAN
TIEs-THE PRESIDENTIAL PENSION SCHEME
GEN. GRANT AND MEXICo-CATTLE SHIPMENTS
ABROAD TO BE SUSPENDED-DRAMATIC AND
GENERAL NoTEs-sARA BEKNHAKDr AND SAL
vINI-CoLLECTOR SIMMONS DESERTS GENERAL
BUTLER.
Correspondence Of The Erenfng Sarl
NEW YORK, Nov. 10Th.
THE PRINCIPAL LOCAL QUESTION AT Issue
here just now is the market question. For
years 1t has been shameful fact that New York
has Just about the meanest markets ia America
They call the Tompkins market fair sort of
retail shop. and the Gansevoort good one; but
the Washington or x street market In your
beautiful city are proud monuments the people
wish they had here.
Fulton Market is perhaps the most tumble
down affair in the world of its kind and the
greatest for business. But its business is leay-
ing II gradually, because it cannot be kept clean
TIE meats, fish, game and vegetables sold there
cannot be surpassed anywhere In quality; but
nobody goes there except on business. The
time was when people went there by the thou
sal ds for ''Fulton Market cooked oysters. =" Now
there are hundred or moie nice oyster houses
in New York where you can get Just as good
oysters, and JUS as wen cooked, and get b3tter
service in sweet, clean places. where thera is
DO smell OF dead rats and decayed vegetables
and no rear OF the insecurity OF the building.
In Tweed's time they pat up the Manhattan
Market, at the foot Of 34th street, East river
Arrangements were made there for the slaugh.
Ell OF New y ofk's daily supply of live animals,
They were to be Landed alive at the dock near
by the market. Ferries and street railroads
were to make it convenient for the people II
NaS an immense structure, and capable OF fll-
trg Its expectations 1t went into bankruptcy
as 1t WERE and joint stock company got il for
a song. They went to hotel Keepers aud gave
them stock, provided they would buy of the
people found in the market, at specified time
which was short time ago: The hotel keepers
politely Informed their butchers and fish and
vegetable people that they would purchase of
them In the new market If they found them
there,-whtch meant "come, or lose our Gus
tonl'-and they prepared to go,
But THE DESTROYING DEMON FIRE
has left a sad wreck OF that lovely market. The
hotel keepers and the people look askant at the
butchers and other marketmen, and the abat-
tor and slaughter house people OF jersey City,
noboken and East river ask how that market
took fire. It was mysterious thing. Bat it
in 1t to burn, should take fire all by itself ana
burn all up, is one OF incomprehensible things
needed only for future reference. But it was
not in the right spot. 1t would not In years
for promises of transit. They would rather have
the promised ferries and street railroads or bet
ter, central market. Washington and Fulton
MAJ kets are no places to discuss that question
IN though. because they don't know nothin'
about how the Manhattan market got ablaze"
WASHINGTON MARKET
Is the great wholesale market Of America, and
the great retail market for Jersey City ana It's
New York patrons. Up by Christopher street
is the great oyster market of the world, where
they sell them from the schooner load to the
plate OF raw, and supply the restaurants OF New
YORK. Murray Hills daughters are married to
the wealthy aTiStocratC sons Of the Christopher
Dock oystermeD; and so are they to the wealthy
"A n hn hnIn 10 6chr
at Peck Slip, opposite the Fulton market, the
best fish market absolutely in the world. But
fulton market has been, and still is, the
greatest market, In many respects, In America
There are times when a community gets
TIRED OF CoBwEBs AND sHANTIEs,
and this community is In that state OF mind.
Years ego "Old Toms chop house" was known
as 'Cobweb Hail." In Trinity Place. Now it Is
a gin mill. Everybody respectable down town
went there. Now 1t is forsaked by heads OF
firms and the porters go there for cheap drinks.
The OLD paintings, like the London Inn where
Ben johnson was frequent visitor and the
oarkeeper Of two weeks does not know who
Ben johnson was, give but an inlding of its
Jim Farrishs. where you get chop better
than Old Tom ever saw before he dted:or to Tom
Cables and pick up the fish or bird you want
eXcellently cooked and Clearly served under a
SO 1T Is with the markets. I would like to
warm into the poetry of the reasons why the
Fulton market should be rememoered,-as a
thing OF the past. II is, however, as OF the
present, nasty, filthy thing. Nobody goes
into 1t without going out in disgust IL the visi-
tor Is not SO bent on business that he cannot
spare time for reflection II is dangerous b.
cause Its only strength Is Its foundations. It's
Top is liable to fail. IL has been
CONDEMNED BY THE BOARD OF HEALTH
as dangerous 10 health, and by the building
commissioners as unsafe. But 1t belongs to
the city. The principal market men there
started proposition to rebuild it, so as not to
CLOSE THE TRADE OF BROOKLYN,
the third city OF the Union, and Of the vessels
whose supplies are purchased In the market,
besides the immense New York custom, which
Is rapidly dwinding away and FILTERED through
the corner shops to householders. But the city,
In spite OF protests and the marketmen's ne.
cessities, have waited three years and done moth
Ing. Now the Fulton market people, fearing
even yet the talk about the Wallabout market
which ved r., MI; Bliss, the Brooklyn Congressman,
asked Congress to give part OF the Brooklyn
government property for, and which prOpos-
zion Mr.. Chittenden defeated, ask In distress
that the City rebuild the market. They beg
That the walls be built outside the market roof
and all, so as to disturb nobody, and that the
inside be reconstructed in sections, with merely
a temporary disturbance to stand-ho!ders, and
that it be done at once. There Is a great pres
ent difficulty, too that they want to overcome Come
In the new building. The west end has always
been elevated, so that you have to climb stairs
lTOul lDe east enO. Iney want Che whole first
floor OF the new building level Whether they
act upon the square with their customers or not
they want TO meet them on the level. And why
not?
The proposition of the New York I'll es to
collect
FUND TO PENSION EX-PRESIDENTS
will probably soon be abandoned and the money
returned. 1t is considered quite probable, In
view Of recent events, that a proposition will
emanate from the democratic Side OF Congress
to pension Gen. Grant for life, on sum equal
to the highest salary he ever received in the
army. There Is only one eX President now
and 1t is well known that the advertising
scheme OF the Times was intended to benefit
him. 1t is time that Gen Grant was hOnorabiy
placed IN position to be comfortable for the re-
mainder OF his life He is utterly opposed to
the creation OF an idea that he Is a travelling
mendicant, and it Is quite probable that he
would refuse to be participant in any scheme
OF passing around the hat, on the ground that
he would be Inundated by any such depen-
dence as the result OF the subscription would
present. He wants to make good living, and
there is little doubt that he Will loom up and
become the head OF railroad enterprises that
will knit the fortunes and friendship OF the
United States and Mexico. There Is good rea-
son to believe that this is his ambition not for the
money he VIII be certain to make In the enter
prise, but for the effect upon the business In
terests Of the country that will surely follow.
he has seen enough TO know. since the advance
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