St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-28
. WILL REM AIN OPEN.
A Council Committee and the Old
Market.

Market.
The joint committee on public mar
ketS held all executive and also public
session yesterday afternoon. AT the
executive session large sheet of fig
ures from the comptrOller's office was
presented by Mr.. Reardon. The figures
showed the receipts and expenditures
of tine market house, and Mr.. ReardOp,
when asked, said they were not for
publication. The open session was the
same old pie" the parties interested in
the keeping open OF the market house
arguing that it was a public necessity
that the place be kept open.
Mr.. Reardon said he had a partial
report of the expenditures and receipts,
and the figures showed a net loss of
$4,000 since 1880, without the cost of
fuel and gas being counted, which
would certainly be from fifteen to
twenty thousand more, during that
time. The receipts were, according to
his figures, 81, 1884 in 1880; S2,7Sl.90
in 1881; So, 1860 in 1882; S4,431.20 in
1888; SS,457 i'll 1884; S7,6U0.9l in 1885;
sl1, 766.72 in 1887; SI1.597.S0 in 1888;
S14, 1920 in 1889; So, $50 in 1890; and
s9,744. IL in 1891. The last vear,he said,
the expenses and receipts had just
about evened up. No account of the
dlilOunC expended III repairs, Since 1000,
could be obtained.
Henry Haas said, while the matter of
expense was being considered, he had a
word or two to say. The market house
ought not TO be considered speculation
any more than the city hall or parks.
The place should be Quilted and ar
ranged SO as to be more accessible, and
While 1t might not pay from financial
standpoint. 1t would certainly be better
for the interests of public health. The
vegetable markets, he claimed, should
all be centralized, and in that way
the public would get much better
and fresher garden truck. From a san
itary point of view, the city should Ger
tainly keep the market at the place now
used as such, and not have six or eight
markets in different parts of the city.
The vacation OF the market also made
1t bad for the city, as shippers would
not run from one place to the other, but
would 90 to Minneapolis to make pur-
chases. st. Paul, at one time, lie said,
was given deal of advertising by hay
ing such a fine public market, but
the establishment of private markets
III various parts of the city had spoiled
all this. He thought it the duty of the
city to do away with the halls and spec
ulatiye portions of the building and
give the public good market house.
MI. MitSch said a market master could
be hired to do all the work of a market
master proper for $50 per month. The
halls and SIDE show part Of The building
could be done away with. Ii the floor
were lowered and the place fixed up the
rents could be doubled and the building
made to pay. Unless this were done the
market gardeners would go to Minneap-
oils instead of coming to st. Paul.
Health Officer McManus said, when
he was market master from 1870 to 1882.
the farmers used to come from points
ten miles the other side of Minneapolis
to the market here, and he knew the
place could be made to pay.
Mr.. Reardon looked over his tally
sheet and said the receipts under the
management of McManus did not jndi-
dictate the place had run much ahead.
McMaBuS explained that during the
last years of his administration the
building was used as-the meeting place
for the legislature. and this should be
taken into consideration. He also re-
ceived but $500 a year salary for the
work.
MIR. Lightner said it was question
whether the location was the place for
the market, and even if 1t was, which
he doubted, the building was certainly
not a proper one. This fact was admit
leu ny tue ttudlltS LiiOIHoClsCo' L HC
situation of the market was the only
thing the committee had to deal with.
Mr. McManus said the building was
not erected Oh good plans in the first
place. AT the time the plans were first
being considered, he told the aldermen
they were making mistake, but no at
tention was paid to his ideas. His
plan now was to tear down the market
sheds and use the space at the north of
the building for farmers teams. Sew
eral of the tenants agreed to double the
amounts now paid for rents if the floor
were lowered and the place fixed up.
The committee will recommend to
the assembly that the place be kept
open. but that Seventh, Wabasha and
st. Peter streets be not used as stand
ing place for teams, and that the side
walks also be kept clear of market
stands. This will be recommended on
the understanding that at the coming
session of the legislature some action
will be taken to sell the property and
erect public market at some other
point.