New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-30
MARKETNEN ALL HAPPY.
THEIR NEW UPTOWN QUARTERS READY.


worhmen with brooms have been busy for
week sweeplnc IN the rubbish and dirt from the
floors OF the splendid new GansevOort Market, and
the place IS now ready for its occupants The con-
tractors, Moran & Armstrong have put on inc Nhlsn-
Ing touches, and their final payment on the contract
price OF S477 900 lies awaiting them in the hands OF
the Controller. The market Will be formally
opened on December Il, and the occasion VIII be
made a memorable one in the annals Of the trade In
this city. 1t will mark the transfer uptown OF the
enormous wholesale business in meats and country
produce that has so long centred In the old West
Washington Market. 1t Is virtually taking up by the
roots one of the greatest OF the city's trades and
tran panttng It two miles from where Il originally
grew.
The opening Of the market will also he an oc-
caslon for contemplating the size Of their hlunder by
the commission merchants Of Barclay, Vesey, Fulton
and other streets In the vicinity OF Washington
Market, for Is owing to complaints from those mer-
chants Of the market wagons that stood in their
streets that the new market has been built About
the year 1880 the complaints about the obstruction
Of the downtown streets by the market wagons from
Long Island and New-Jelsey became frequent that
the city authorities secured the broad plaza at Ganse
WORT ard West SITS, for wagon stand. The ehGrt
was marked and instantaneous. With the departure
of the wagons from the downtown streets vast deal
Of business was lost to the commission men. The
wagon market at Gansevoorst. became the centre OF
a prosperous trade which followed the
wagons Tho commission men realized their error
and went before the city officials and besousht the
abolition Of the Gansevoort wagon market and In,
return of the wagons to their streets. 1t was too
late The GansevoOrt plaza being more centrally
situated than Washington Market the marketmen pre-
ferred to stay there.
THE WHOLESALE. TEaCE MUsr FOLLOW
The immense wholesale trade OF West Washington
Market is to follow In the wake OF the wagons The
chief cause of this was the persisten efforts Of the
Dock Department have West Washington Market
condemned as an unslghy old rooBery that int rered
with the Improvement of tho river front Their
efforts were finally successful ana on May o, 1887,
the contract of the building which has Just been
completed was lot by the city 1t is the finest market
building in the United States. The architect IS Douglas
smyth. Tho new market occupies the block bounced
by Gansevoort Bloomfield and West SIS. ard Thir-
tcenthave. the North River front and bukhead lying
alongside tho latter thoroughfarc. Wcstst separates
the market from the Ganscvoort wagon plaza. The
new market consists of ten handsome brick and iron
two-story buildings painted red, with peaked roofs
aud rows OF chimneys and vcntlaoS to make the top
view picturesque Covered arches lead from the
outside streets into drvcways running east and
west, separating the buildings and named respectively
Hewitt. Grace Loew and Thompson aves.-names
that have figured extensively in local politics
4 fifth driveway runs north and south from Bloom
field to Gansevoort-st. and intersecfs the DINER
drivcways at right angles. This driveway Is named
Lawtonave after real estate agent in the neighbor-
hood Each building Is divided into forty-four spaces
or stands End stands measure Sx2O feet and inside
stands 9x25. The tenant gets also a good office of
the same size above his stand. The question OF
rental has given the Controller much concern, but
he finally fixed the figures At from 80 to $40 week
The tenant has to put in all the fXures icehouses'
etc, at his own expense. One marked reform that
GOES into effect with tho occupancy OF the new mar
et IS that the system Of subletng stands, which was
a curse to the old downtown market, IS done away
with Every mar must do business at his stand
The popularity of the new quarters can be judged by
the fact that already nearly 1900 applications have
been received although the total accommodation OF
the new market is only 40 tenants at one stand
each.
ALL WANT a CORNER STAND
OF course every applicant wanted corner stand.
In the new market another nuisance Of the old market
will be avoided the different branches Of trade Will
be classified One driveway will be set apart for
poultry another for meats and provisions another
for fish. and Thus fish merchant VIII be able
no longer to complain OF being annoyed by the crow
ing of ROSTERS and cacng Of hens at his neghoors
star The establishment Of Gan,evoort Market has
revolutionlzed the appearance Of that ncighborhood
Where before II dull and sleepy now the scenes OF
hustle and activity rival the busiest quarters Of tbs
city. Rents have gone up and the nelghborng prop
erty owners delighted and enthusiastic over tnc
prospects. Even before the opening OF the new mar
ket a large number of private houses around the
plaza have been transformed into market stalls One
man, who formerly had little she'd In
which he housed horse, a dog and a goat. now rents
out this space to potato man ior SI ;oD year
and houses his stable-family In distant aiiey. -,
From midnight 10 daybrcak the plaza and neigh
boring streets filed With tarpaulincovered market
wagons from TIE country and the swarm OF vehicles
OF the retail groccrymen of the city who drive there 10
do their bargaining while the rest OF the city, cA-
cepting the mlkmen, is asleep The evacuation OF
Markp VI followed.
BY as great a change there. The tumble-down ojd
sheds will be cared away ard the hl!ed-ln ground on
which they now stand will be scooped out and new
piers built ard the Lulkhead-line viii be where II used
to be along the edge OF west-st Retail markctmeh
downtown contemplate the departure Of their whole
sale brethren with reful faces, for they think great
deal Of trade will thereby be lost TO them.