Daily Republican., 1882-09-01
MmR Markets.

our Markets.
The need of market houses is becoming
every day more apparent as the street
market grows larger. 1t bas been OH1
q few years since the street market was
removed to King street. 1t was tnen
not much more than half as large as IL
now is--in fact Wilmington was then
mot much more than half as large as 1t
now is. The city fathers at that time
only made provision for the present
without calculating on the rapid growth
pf tho city. The market only extended
at that time from Second street up to
Sixth and it was a large market that
extended up to Seventh. Last week 1t
extended from Front to Tenth. double
the space on King street it formerly oc-
rnpied, and besides peach and grain
wagons cluttered up Fourth street
nearly from French to Orange. Com
pared to this the enclosed markets in
market houses were small indeed.
Street markets are very good things in
deed it properly conducted but the
looseness apparently with which they
are carried on, is fast making them I'M
popular. For instance, look at the
principal street crossings. 1t is impos'
sible sometimes for half hour or more
for two wagons to pass each other, or If
in line they are compelled to wait
until the front of the line moves. The
moving of the front depends upon the
moving or the pleasure of some one to
move number of baskets, trays and
tables of truck and fruit which have
prOtruded almost across the streets
Orowding even the railroad track on
Fourth street. If horses were to become
fraCtious and unmanageable and break
away from their drivers in such an in
extricable confusion, there could not
help but be serious injury to persons,
and perhaps loss of life, besides 40 un-
told destruction of property. These
objections might perhaps be obviated
to a certain extent by stringently en-
forcing the ordinances, but even when
that is done there must arise trouble
and inextricable confusion. Small
street markets in certain portions of
the city-away from the business CEN
tre would not be Objectionable. One
on Madison street and another on
French or Walnut streets would sup
ply the wants Of our citizeus more con-
veniently than one great seething,
struggling mass cOngregated twice a
week on King street, practically block
ing up and stepping the trade OF that
street for more than halfth week when
the Tuesday and Friday afternoon mar.
ksts are taken into consideration. All
these show the need of market houses.
Markets are needed in the central as
well as the more remote parts of the
city, but in the centre at least they
should be confined to the market
houses. An objection Is urged that this
would destroy cheap markets. We do
not sec it in that light. Produce can
be bought even now in market houses
on King street as cheap as on the street
and even if all the outdoor markets
were compelled to 60 inside, there
would be the same competition that
now exists. Wilmington is no longer a
small village that can get along with
a single line Of street markets. 1t is q
large mercantile manufacturing city Of
80, 900 inhabitants and is becoming
metropolitan in size. She has some Of
4he finest and largest manufactures
that can be found in cities of larger
grow Oh and now she needs market
houses to match them. Now is the
time for farmers to take the matter in
hand and build market houses. They
may rest assured that 1t will not be
many years before the markets are
pushed out of King street. The trade
and commerce OF King street are becom-
ing too important to be hindered by
street markets. If pushed out where
will the markets be held? They can
not return to Market street. They will
have to divide in different parts Of the
city.
Markets in the central part can only
be retained by well conducted market
houses like the Second street market
house which is credit to the city al
well as to the company that owns 1t.
This is an important question and diff
8eTent theories may be entertained in
reference to it, but it is one that will
sooner Or later have to be met practical.
ly in some shape or another and now is
tho best time to meet it.
THE COUNTY tax collectors complain
that they 60 to their Office 602K Market
street and sit there an hour or two