Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-07
FARMERS AND TRUCKERS
Commissioners Give Lively Hearing This
Morning.
Discussing Division of Haymnrket
ers and Petitions on the Subject.

At the morning session of the board of
Commissioners today hearing was given
to the farmers and truckers interested In
the use of the old haymarket square The
meeting was called by the Commissioners
to give them an idea of what the farmers
wanted, with view to provide ways and
means for the use of the haymarket square
for these men. At the present time the
farmers the south side of B street be-
tween 7th and 18th for the sale of their
goods. Since the decision Of the court that
the Commissioners and not the market
company had the right to the haymarket
square the farmers have been eager to
move to that place. and they recently en-
bcdied their views in this regard in a peti-
tion to the Commissioners.
Col Wright Rives of Prince Georges
county, Nd, who acted as chairman of the
meeting recently held at the American
House, detailed to the Commissioners the
action that the farmers and truckers had
taken at that meeting. He said they had
come to the conclusion that both the farm
ers and truckers could be accommoda ted
in the square in question. This statement
raised good deal of discussion from the
farmers present, who objected strenuously
to the crowding of the truckers in this
square, which would result in their being
forced out Col. Rivese stated it was not
the intention to crowd the farmers out.
BY actual measurement, he said, the square
is 511 feet long by 155 feet wide. This was
large enough to allow the erection of three
lines OF sheds, which would cover 300
stands and leave plenty of room for the
farmers with their bulky products He
said further that the farmers present at
the meeting wanted to get the views of the
Commissioners In the matter before TAX
Ing any action, and that was the reason of
their appearance today.
George NJ. Henault of Prince Georges
county, Nd, claiming to represent num-
Der of truckers in the vicinity of Benning
IN phar
daily rental for the use of the stands and
named 10 cents as the proper amount. He
believed that the stands should be given to
the first who applied, and it was not fair
to rent the stands out permanently. He
wanted no discrimination and said that the
first come should be the first served. For
himself and the people he represented he
would say that such a scheme would be
satisfactory. He claimed that there were
between 300 and $50 men daily at the mar
ket during the months of June July and
August and that a daily rental would be
the most equitable that could be devised,
as the number of people in attendance
huctuated considerably.
Arthur Stabler made quite an eloquent
plea for the truckers. From numerous by
remarks it was seen that good deal of
feeling existed between the farmers and
truckers, the former being of the impress
sion that no room would be assigned to
them under the new state of affairs. Mr.
Stabler explained the division of the square
as contemplated at a meeting of the farmer
organization to which he belonged
I. w. Burr of Herndon, Va, presented a
petition which was signed by thirty-eght
people in his vicinity attending the market,
advocating division of the square for the
farmers and truckers. His scheme was
to give the farmers the center of the
square and allow the truckers the sides.
George Bonifant of Montgomery county,
Md, a member of the Enterprise Farmers
Club of Sandy Spring, presented a second
petition. signed by the members of his
club, which in substance was identical with
"a nj
In addition to this he suggested that a
committee of seven men be selected to
draw up regulations governing the square.
His idea was to divide the dealers into
three classes, the first class to comprise
farmers bringing in their bulky products
OF hay. straw, wood. corn, oats and other
cereals; the second class to consist of the
gardeners and vegetable producers in gen.
eral, and the third class to comprise the
live stock dealers. For the first class four
men were to be appointed; one from Mary
land. one from Virginia and two from the
District. The second class to be repre-
sented by two men; one from Maryland and
one from Virginia, while the third class
was to have one representative. These ap-
pontments to constitute board of gov
ernors to regulate the of the square.
Commissioner Ross stated that the Com
missioners had received several letters from
the stable men in the vicinity protesting
against the erection of stables in the
square, claiming that such q procedure
would be in competition with their legiti-
l-dle puSlIeSS. luey WaHleu 10 get the
views of the farmers present as to the
necessity for the erection of such within
tte square, and the opinion was unant-
mously in favor Of stables. The farmers
objected to using livery stables for two
reasons The most important was the cost,
while another thing was the lack of ac-
commodation. the livery stables in the
vicinity being entirely inadequate to sup
ply the demand.
The Commissioners promised to look care
fully into the matter.