St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-06
Not Profitable.

MOI HrOnLaDIe.
1t will be seen from the foregoing
statement the Wabasha street market
is not very profitable investment-in
fact, the market masters receipts
might be deducted, which would make
the showing SO much the worse, as they
are for street collections. which might
standing around the city hall, if the
common council would so order,
as around the market house.
And yet reform mayor and
common council have neither the
courage nor political sagacity TO act in
the matter. Something ought to be
done. 1t may be possible that this is
not the proper time to place the prop
erty on the market for sale, yet there
can be no doubt that the property can
be leased to private individuals for
several times the amount of
its present income either to be
operated as a public market, or for
stores. Or if the city prefer to run it
itself, then lower the floor to the side
walk, place plate glass windows in the
building on Seventh and WabaSha
streets, remodel and fit up the hall so as
to make it at least respectable for a
, prize or a cock fight: and, if the cost is
not too much, paint tile outSideS of the
| building. This market building, To-
Gated as it is in the center of the city, is
All eyeSOre to every one who looks at it..
Its interior is not much more respect
able looking than Junk shop in Wash
iDgtOn and some other of the large cities
of the country.
The public markets are one of the at
tractiVe features of these cities. 1t is
needless for me to say that James J.
Hll hn hrinnC To N
gentlemen who represent the Old World
as commissioners to the worlds fair at
Chicago. will no more think Of showing
them the public market as one of the
interesting features of st. Paul than
that of the dump of the st. Paul Garbage
company in the Eighth ward.
why Not Close Tt2
Would it not be we'll as a matter of
economy for the present municipal gov
eminent to close the building and tack
a sign upon the outer doors upon which
might be inscribed the following: SOW
| ing to the stringency of the money mar
| ket, the operations of the Bell charter,
| the limited number of meetings for ath-
! letic sports and want of patrons en-
| gagged in selling garden products, this
building will remain closed until after
| the inauguration of new municipal
government. And. while writing of the
Wabasha street market, it may not be
amiss to make mention of several other
market places the city owns.
i In 1887, while the "boom" was in full
blast, the common council of the city of
! st. Paul became impressed with the
! idea that the city wanted more markets.
and with that thought the city pur-
chas ed lots Z, s, 9. 10, II and - of block
q of Robertson 81 Van Etten'S addition.
at cost price of $4,000. This property
fronts on Thomas street 300 feet by 152
feet in depth, and lies two blocks westot
Como avenue. The second purchase was
of lots Z, S,9, II, IL and IA of Kerst's
subdivision of block 80 of Stinson,
Brown IL Ramsey's addition. at a cost
of $4,000. This property has frontage
of 1923 feet on James street by 132 feet
and fraction in depth, lying two blocks
west of East Seventh street. The third
purchase was OF lots IL. II, Is. 10, 20 and
I 81, block z, of De Bow. Risque
| Williams addition, at a cost price OIL
$4,000. This property has frontage Of
| 800 feet on Torrent street by depth Of
122 feet.
What Shall BE DOnea
No one seriously thought, perhaps
that market houses and market sheds
would ever be built upon any of these
lots; yet active. enterprising and rust
ling agents or owners, with the intiu