Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-28
CITY AND DISTRICT.
Market Arrangements for the FARM
erS.


To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Your late reference editorially and In the
news columns of The Star to the "marke,
house races to Wit, the wild rush of farm
ers' and hucksters' wagons for place on the
curb south of the Center Market at 4 d.
the day before market day. warrants some
observations by one who has at Intervals
for twenty years endeavored to have this
business regulated upon common sense
lines and in the interests of the patrons OF
these farmers
In what direction does the public interest
lie? Does the public interest require that
the space along the curb on both the north
and south sides of the street should be left
for free-for-all grab on the stroke of the
clock? Most certainly the public interest
Is not sulserved by the present practice
On the contrary, what is needed is that
genuine farmers ard truck raisers should
be gwen, free of any charge, specific space
along the curb, each space marked with a
number. and the farmer to have a ticket
for that lumber, and to have the right of
occupying 1t on condition OF being in the
place by certain hour, say. 6 o'clock a. m
in winter and O'Clock in summer.
Does any one ask what interest the pub
lie has II the farmers having a regular
stand secured to them? / answer: In no
other way can We have a reasonable chance
of getting fresh farm and garden produce.
St-- now the present system, or no SyS-
TEN, works In the summer season there
are 50 II any more farmers than eligible
places that many of them are forced to
gather their loads early in the morning of
the day before market day. Many reach
town by noon and. as we see. many scores
are on hand before o'clock in the after
noon to get places from which to sell their
green goods on the following morning
What is the result? Nothing less than a
lIr So. l..
cred almost tv-enty-four hours before be-
ing offered for sale.
Now, one doesn't need to be a farmer TO
know that in hot weather crlspness and
freshness in any vegetable or fruit is its
most desirable quality. We are entitled to
have such articles right from the field and
garden, gathered not earlier than the cool
of the evening before market day. Under
the present system We make it Impossible
that even nearby farmers should be able
to supply with fresh garden truck We
permit this idiotic scramblng practice to
continue fer no reason that / ever heard
of. unless possibly because of doubt sug-
gested by some legal luminary of the au-
thority IF the Commissioners to assign
John Jones to space No. l and John Smith
to space No. p and hold it for them until a
given hour.
/ hardly think that suggestion worthy of
serious consideration. The sidewalk and
the street is public property In the public
interest a temporary place may be assign
ed to a specified individual, not that he
may have better business and make more
money in less time. but that he may there
by he able to supply better and more whole
some produce to the public There is no
giving up of pubic thoroughfare for pri-
vate uses in this The occupancy is but
terlporary-much less in point of time than
Under the present grab system. Whatever
right of Prior occupancy is given Is prop
er exercise of the police power of the mu-
nicipality- 1t is for the public good and in
the interest of the health and we'll being of
the community. and cannot be successfully
fmpeached.
For another reason specified spaces should
be given to regular farmers and gardeners:
farmer who attends the market three
days in the week must lose the other three
days in loading ard getting in line for the
rush We, the consumers of their prod
nets. of course have to pay for this loss OF
time in increased prices. w. j. NJ.