Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-15
A NEW DISTRICT BUILDING.
Conference Today Between MARKET Com
pany Omcials and the Commissioners

The Commissioners are working hard 70 get
municipal building for the District Of Column
bia. As stated heretofore in TaE sraR plans
and specifications have been prepared and mat
tiers are being rapidly pushed TO get the whole
subject intelligently before Congress. At the
morning session of the board today the whole
matter was considered in conjunction with the
executive committee of the Center Market
Company. which was composed Of ex-Gov. y.
U. ordway, Senator Chandler and Edward H.
Tinker.
Architect John b Brady was sent for and he
submitted the plans for the new building. which
were greatly admired.
The Commissioners explained that it was
their purpose TO surrender thirty feet at each
end OF the reservation. and eek the market
company to convey forty feet OF their land Just
north OF the wholesale block, which would give
tnem the requisite depth. The thirty feet they
abandoned would give the market company
stree, wings OF the market, and the company
would really De the gamers by the concession.
commissioner Douglass explained that 10 was
the intention of the Commissioners to bring
tne matter before Congress soon possible.
IL was decided TO ask for Il 80 600 TO begin with
he was uncertain as TO whether legislation was
needed Tor the market company TO convey the
70 feet necessary for the construction 81 the
building. Senator Chandler said he did not
thlnk any legislation necessary. The land
In question was a common wsv and under the
control OF the market company.
Mr.. oRDwAY-s MEMORANDUM
President Ordway Of tho market compauy
read the following memorandum in relation
to the project which he had laid before the
directors Of the market company:
The attention of the president of the Wash
lngton Market Company has been called by the
commissioners Of the District to plans which
the Inspector of buildings has prepsred
under the direction of the Commissioners. for
the erecaon OF an artistic stone District
Capitol building. TO be located upon the IN
closed park in front of the Center Market.
portions OF which ground were released 20 the
District. under an act of Congress. March B.
| 1873. as site for a District building
which would protect the archives and accommo-
| date the District Offices. At the time of the
| release OF this front and most valuable land by
| the market company to the District OF Column
| bia II was understood and agreed that
the center of the District building should
| be located as near as practicable the
front at the junction OF Pennsylvania and
Louisiana avenues and that the building only
extend east and west from that point a sum-
| cient number Of feet 30 make its entire
length ga feet and its width eighty-
| SIX feet, leaving the remainder of the
land thus released between the east
and west ends Of the proposed building. and
| 9TH and 9Th streets as an open space to be used
| for walks to reach the market buildings. with
perhaps fountain in the center of these
open spaces, also some ornamental landscape
Improvements, the whole including walks
to be kept properly paved and open to the pub
lie, but entirely prohibited from being used for
| sales of any products whatever. thus leaving
the elaborate north fronts of the 9Th and 9th
| street wings of the Center Market in full
view from ylvania and Louisiana avenues
IL alaC conceded that n trail 70
| the market and grounds (as set forth in the
original charter) should be provided by allow
ing the market company 10 erect and
provide heavy artistic iron bridge, or
Pennsylvania and Louisiana avenue.
| to and through the wholesale market
row $50 called. thus connecting the center OF
the ID street market with the avenues tefore
named.
In pursuance Of these understandings. agree
| ments and stipuiations the market company
ordered built, At a very large expense, an
elaborate iron bridge aud passageway across
the center OF the eighty-six feet
OF land thus receded or released to the
District OF Columbia. The market company
also. under an agreement with the District au-
thorlt,es, allowed the ground opposite the CEN
| ter OF the functions OF Pennsylvania and Louis
| lana avenues to be extended temporarily from
| SO feet 10 Ito feet. in order TO render the
| lot while still unused for purposes intended
L
fence on the south side of the District lot thus
giving temporarily the District and the public
for the purpose Of a park quite a large space of
| land which the market company was entitled
| to use. 1t lie now Understood that the
| District Commissioners desire the market COM
pany to make a permanent concession to the
District for Its building of about thirty fees of
ground in the center of the lot described, and to
surrender the center passageway. which
would entail the loss of from $40, 600 TO
| eos mn ala har 20 b~,l
across the park and shortening the iron
passageway to the soldiers barracks and
second stories OF the market building. Ii is
| understood that the Commissioners also desire
east and west beyond the length of the whole
sale market row, making that building 800 feet
| long and about 100 feet deep. For the con-
| cessions on the part of the market company the
| directors should authorize the executive COM
mittee Off the board decides to assent to
them) to secure ample remuneration for the
cost OF the iron bridges. walk and stairways
which will have to be taken down and removed:
and also such additional concessions with refer
ence to the uses Of the land to be used in COM
| mon, and absolute concession Of sufi-
cient land at the east and west ends
of the lot to make a broad entrance
| for Carriages and for ample sidewalk extending
| the entire length of the ground surrendered 10
the District, from eth TO 9Th streets with suita-
BILE walks connecting with this wide sidewalk
around Pennsylvania and Louisiana avenues at
the east and west ends Of the proposed build
ing.
II these and other Just guarantees can be Sc
| cured it is undoubtedly incumbent upon the
officers of the market co mpany to aid the Dis
| trict Commissioners in carrying out in
| good faith by reasonable concessions the
| agreements entered into between the
District officers and the Washington Market
| Company, which by its terms went into effect
April 8, 1873, and which has been assented TO
in good faith by both parties thereto.
ACTION OF THE MARKET COMPANY.
| At meeting of the board Of directors of the
Washington Market Company held January l3
this memorandum was presented by President
Ordway and referred to a special committee,
consisting of the president, Senator Vim. e.
Chandler and L. r Tinker. with directions that
| they should personally examine into the advis-
| ability of the concessions proposed TO be made
by the market company, meet with the Com
| missioners of the District at an early date and
| determine what the market company ought TO
do with view Of promoting the erection OF o
| District building in accordance with the origi-
nal understanding.
A KNIGHT TEMPLAR ANNIVERSARY.
| Warrington Commandery, No 4, Had an I'm
Joyable Time Last Evening.