Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-05-10
Farmers and Truckers.

At the morning session of the Board of
Commissioners of Washington on Tuesday
a hearing was given to the farmers and
truckers Interested in the use OF the old hay.
market 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 use the south side
of B street between 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 hay.
market square the farmers have been eager
to move to that place, and they recently
embodied their views in this regard in
petition to the Commissioners.
Col. Wright Rives, of Prince Georges
county, Md, 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 accommodated 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. Rives stated it was not the
intention TO crowd the farmers out. BY
actual measurement, he said, the square is
81 feet long by 1856 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 Tor the farmers
with their bulky products. He said further
that the farmers present at the meeting
wanted to get the views of the Commission
ers in the matter before taking any action,
and that was the reason of their appearance
to-day.
George M. Henault, of Prince Georges
county, Md, claiming to represent num-
Der Of truckers in the vicinity OF Benning,
wanted the Commissioners to charge daily
rental for the use of the stands, and named
III cents as the proper amount. He believed
that the stands should be given to the first
who applied, and it was not lair to rent the
stands permanently. He wanted no dis.
elimination 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 market during the
months of June, July and August and that
daily rental would be the most equitable
that could be devised, as the number of peo-
pie in attendance tluctuated considerably
Arthur Stabler, of this county, made quite
an eloquent plea lOr The Truckers FROM nQ-
merous by remarks it was seen that good
deal of feeling existed between the farmers
and truckers, the former being of the i'm.
preston that no room would be assigned to
them under the new state of affairs. Mr..
Staber explained the division of the square
as contemplated at the meeting of the farm
err organization To which he belonged
r. W Burr of Herndon. Va. presented
petition which was signed by thirty eight
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 centre of the square
and allow the truckers the sides.
George Bonifant, of this county, a mem.
her of the Enternrise Farmers Climb of San
DIV Sprin0 presented n srconi petition.
signed nv The m,p,, r. pi ms cub. which
In substance was identical with the petitiou
of Mr. Burr
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