New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-20
THE WALLABOUT MARKET.
EFFORTS OF THE CITY TO SECURE THE SITE.
HOW THE PRESENT FLOURIsHuNG BUSINESS
WAS EsrABLrsHrp-cuANGEs MADE
WAS ESTA
IN FIVE YEARS.

WAS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. MADE
IN FIVE YEARS
After fifteen years Of work toward that de-
srable end. the Wallsbout Market upon site
owned by the city, is an assured fact; and IT
only remains for the city 70 purchase the ground
from the Government after its value shall haVe
been appraised. and Brooklyn will have pubic
market that will combine the best features OF
Washington and Gansevoort markets in Ncw-iork
and supply the place that is filed by quincy
Market in Boston. While the Wallabout Market
law which Congress has Just enacted, does
not cover all the ground desired to he pur-
chased by the city. it includes the por-
ton which has been used for several years for
marllc. purposes and which is the most desirable.
Tie tract lies east Of Westinghouse, between
the Wallabout Canal and FuShing-ave., and is
bounded on the further side by the Naval Hos
pital grounds. The property is a portion of that
purchased by the Government in lS3N for S2sj,-
600. II was then principally marsh, but the city
had laid out and partially opened through it Gin
ton and Vanderbilt ayes, from their present ter
mini NJ Flushing-avc. IN the East River. In the
ale the right 10 maintain sewer through the
property was reserved.
In 1865 the Legislature authorized the city 70
cNcndngr certain NIdS Win tF NoNeIUHICul h'-
cording IN an act Of Congress Of 1864. by which
the title to Clinton ana Vanderbilt ayes, in this
tract. was . Exchanged for rho right T. open Wash
n-;on-oyc. from Fiushing-ayc. 10 Clymcr-st, and
the possession Of strip Of land along the Walla-
bout Canal. west Of Washington-ave.. for public
wharvcs. was granted, the Government reseryng
the right of free landing at the wharyes for pub
lie supplies The Wallabout Canal and Basin have
. no NJ LARGO of trade
and many vessels land there every year. When
Wasf iugton-ayc was opened a drawbridee was con-
struc,cd over the canal and n much shorter route
for travel 10 and from the Eastern District was
created The Government has made no use OF
The lands either side of Washington-avc., and
they were thrown open for a long time as free
Dumps and thus the marshy quagmire has become
solid ground
About five years ago the city secured from the
Government lease of the ground east Of Washing
ton-ayc. II was paved and streets were opened
and buildings erected and hourishng market
now occupies the site The need Of a public
market had been felt in the city for years In
the early days there were various markets in the
down town part Of tie city. but in later years
IL became the custom for the farmers wagons from
the outlying country districts 20 occupy the lower
part Of Fultln-st. near the ferry in the morning
nOuTS, ana TINS Use 81 tnt hlEtfJ EIshuhIIS All
creased until 1t became public nuisance. As
long ago as 1873, Mayor Hunter urged the need
Of securing n proper place for a public market.
The matter was agitatcd at public meetings and
much interest was aroused. 4 proposition was
made 20 the GogcrnmeDt to exchange plot Of
thlrtv-thrcr acrs in tie Navy Yard, lying be-
tween Washington and Vanderbilt ayes, for some
property the Government desired in the Fifth
Ward which was later purchased for 100000.
The exchange wns referred 10 n commission
which reported against The measure contemplated
and killed il. In 1876 the first bill providing for
a sale 10 the city of land on Wallabout Bay was
introduced in Congress By Representative Bliss,
who made an earnest and effective speech upon
the matter lie urged that no other site in the
city was so convenient and available, and that the
land was of little or value to the United States
authorities and set forth the fact that the growth
Of the city and the outlying districts demanded
tlus central situation for public market. \
nunerously signed petition was presented TO Con-
grcss by Mr. Bliss, signed by Mayor Schroeder
cx-Mayor Hunter. and many others. But the bill
failed and the repeated efforts OF Mr.. Bliss 10
bring up the matter again were all unsuccessful.
In 1852 he introduced a measure providing for
the sale of the entire Navy Yard at auction and
the selection Of new sit" for the shops and works.
but this also failed 10 pass
In 1854 Congressman James took up the
matter aud drew mp bill which provided not only
for the purchase by the city of the plot of
thirty-thrrc acres west Of Wcshington-avc but
also for the sale at public auction of lots on
the cast side. the plot not to exceed twenty-five
acres in all The measure was fayorably reported
by the Committee on Naval Affairs whose report
said that these lands were "A nuisance to the rest
of the Navy Yard and the Naval Hospital, as well
| as TO the adjacent portions Of the city The
Government urged the sale and Commodore Up
shur, then in command Of the Navy Yard, favored
il, as the ground he thought, would never be
needed for naval purposes. But the bill was re-
ported late in the session that it was not reached
and acted upon
But at this time arose the agitation which
resulted in the establishment Of the present mar
kct. Mr.. James saw the possibilities Of getting
the market on the ground even if it not
owned by the city. lie suggested to City Works
Commissioner Flccman and Mayor Low the dcsira-
bility Of getting the farm wagons TO go to this
spot instead of standing in Futon-st., as the
scheme Of market under the Bridge arches had
been abandoned. a bargain was struck with the
authorities at Washington whereby the Govern
ment leased the land to the city under an
| agreement to vacatc at thirty days notice.
The city then sub-lct 10 the produce dealers and
wholesale groccrs who followed in the train of
the farm wagons. which turned down Washing
ton-aye., instead Of going down Fulton-st
The number of these speedily increased, and
many farmers who had been going to the New
York markets began to find it profitable to re-
main in Brooklyn In place of the temporary
structures first erected substantial buildings were
put up. The rapid growth he'd to the laying ont
Of regular streets and the city graded and paved
these in SsS, and they are now lighted by cleo
trcity. The business has grown at an enormous
| rate, and an immense quantity Of garden prod