Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-27
THE COLD STORAGE PROJECT.
The Hearing Before the Commission.
PrS.

There was a hearing before the Commission
ers yesterday, stated in THE STAR, In regard
to the matter of placing the cold storage build
ings on the wholesale market grounds Messrs.
Reginald Fendall and John A. Baker appeared
in opposition % the plan, and Messrs. John Cas-
sells, n. @. ordway, S. w. Curriden and Gen.
Birney appeared in behalf OF the market COM
pany.
Mr.. Ordway, on behalf OF the Market COM
pany, after referring 10 the great benefits the
city had received from the fine market build
ings this company had erected, stated that il
was necessary, for the business and prosperity
OF this market, To adopt some measure for
caring for the large quantities OF the dressed
beef that came 10 the city from the west and
for cold storage of provisions aud perishable
products. The refrigeration proposed would be
oil immense dement, 10 ne general public, mas
TO get beef in quantities at and 10 cents a
pound, instead OF for double that sum, for
merly, and at the same time result in "A great
benefit TO those who desired 10 keep butter lard,
fruits, ETC., a facility which every other city OF
any size i'm this country already has Mr.. Ord
way Sale that to enable the company To do this
all il wanted was only "A small part OF the square
in question, not more than one-eighth OF IL,
law. He stated that they could AT great incon-
venience 10 themselves and the public put a
frigerating plant in their own building, but ne
did not think that they should be compelled To
do this when they were willing to pay the city
a good interest on q fair valuation OF the
Messrs. Fendan and Baker denied the au-
thority OF the Commissioners To divert any
portion OF the square in question from the pur-
pose for which IL was given To the District by
Congress.
They asserted that the Market company, by
q specious Interpretation Of the law under
which the District acquired this square, hold
ing that the term corporation" used in the act
meant the market corporation instead OF the
corporation OF Washington, took posse ssion of
the property, enclosed IL and assumed a A rights
of ownership. To give any further privileges
TO this company would add additional
strength 10 It's claims of ownership.
They stated that The Commissioners should
conform to the law by eiecling the n ari et COM
pany and clearing the street, and thu preserve
q valuable property which may be lost TO the
city by their neglect. They expressed the be-
lief that q large private enterprise from q west
ern city was masked behind the market COM
pany-the former to get the land they covel
the latter TO derive Q large revenue as rental
while paying 20 the city nominal rent
They suggested that Mr.. Ordway's argument
was not relevant y the case, and that his state
ment respecting lie benefits 20 be given 20 the
public was disingenuous that the scheme was
= mere money-naking enterprise.
After remarks from the several parties MI.
Commissioned Edmonds argued that the privt-
lege could be given under the law and that 70
grant IL would be 70 serve the public. Messrs.
fendall and Baker then asked and obtained
ffom the Commissioners the assurance that
they would inform the public, through them,
before they nnally determined % take the
action aGainst which their protest was snssssa