Evening star., 1897-01-13
RIGHTS OF FARMERS
Another Phase of the Center Market
Controversy.
SENATE RESOLUTION CRITICISED
Commissioners Give Their Reasons
for Opposing It.
THE MARKET COMPANY

The Commissioners this afternoon sent
to Congress their report upon Senate reso-
LUTON las, which, it is claimed, seeks to
protect in their rights the farmers who
stand Under the shed adjacent to the Cen
ter market on the north side of B street
between 7th and 9th streets. In their re-
port the Commissioners say:
This measure appears to be of more i'm
portance to the Washington Market Com
pany than to the farmers and truckmen
whom it processes to protect. Under the
guise of relieving the farmers from an
order of the Commissioners to vacate the
stands adjacent to the market building on
b street northwest it will, in the opinion
of the attorney for the District, concurred
in by the Commissioners. should 1t be-
come a law, grant to said company an
enlargement of it's franchise by placing the
sidewalk and fifteen feet of the carriage
way of b street under the complete su-
perVision and control of the clerk of said
company.
Should the decision in the case between
said company and the Commissioners, now
pending in the Supreme Court of said Dis
trict. be adverse to the Market Company
1t would still by this skilfully devised reso-
luticn should it be enacted into law, gain
control of the sidewalk and fifteen feet of
the carriage way. while, should the decis
ion of the court sustain the claim of said
company as to the north line of street,
it would not only gain all that it is con-
tending for in court, but the width of the
new sidewalk and fifteen feet additional
Of the remaining carriage way, thus en-
croaching on that important thoroushfare,
already occupied by the tracks of two
street railway companies to an extent
that would seriously Inconvenience the pub
lie acd possibly result in the removal of
the tracks of the Metropolitan Railway
Company in said street.
Favored by the Farmers.
I The order of the Commissioners referred
to was passed only upon urgent request of
large number of farmers for the purpose
of relieving them from the rules and tolls
of the said Market company, and to pro-
vide equal accommodations to all farmers
and truckmen raising their own produce.
But should the substitute resolution pro-
posed by tine Commissioners be adopted,
the purpose of said order will have been
accomplished and there will be no further
necessity for said order. 1t must be ap-
parent to your honorable committee, upon
q careful examination of this resolution, in
the light of the opinion of the attorney for
the District, accompanying this report, and
OF the report of the said committee on
the District of Columbia thereon CNo 1000,
that 1t could not have received the ap-
proval of the Senate committee or Of the
Senate. had the Commissioners been given
an opportunity to bring to the attention
of that committee all of it's objec tionable
provisioEs.
1T is true. the Commissioners did re-
port to the Senate on a resolution of the
Senate inquiring as to the order of the
Commissioners removing the farmers and
truckmen from B street, but they did not
anticipate that Congress would do any
thlng more than vacate said order, and
the report of the Senate committee shows
clearly that the resolution under consid-
GRAFTON was only intended to accomplish
that result, and that the Senate commit
fnx. yyoc vVnfc ln6 tN tta 1%t,o
important features of said resolution, to
which the attention of your honorable
committee Is now invited. The concluding
portion of the report of the Senate COM
mittee Is as follows:
After full and careful consideration
of the subject, and a visit of subcommit-
tee during market hours to the locality in
question, your committee do not deem it
especially in litigation between the Dis
trict and the Washington Market Com
pany. From the evidence before us we are
satisfied that the usage in the District of
Columbia OF allowing farmers and garden
ers, selling produce of their own raising,
to Sell without license or license fee dur
ing market hours, at and near the mar
kets, from wagons backed up to the side
walks. Is too ancient to be disturbed with
out better reasons than appear in the pres
ent case also, that there is no existing ne
cessity for the expulsion of these classes
from b street north between 7th and 9th
adoption by Congress of the accompanvjne
joint resolution Is. r. 14s), "for the relief
of farmef; and truckmen in the city of
Washington, District of Columbia
An Old City Ordinance.
The Commissioners never saw s. r. 14s
until after 1t had passed the Senate, and
therefore have had no opportunity hereto
fore to report thereon. The proposition to
revive an old and obsolete city ordinance,
pass ID many years ago when the Center
market was public market. and to con-
Ger upon the clerk of a private market
company the powers which were formerly
under said ordinance exercised by an Off
clal OF the municipality solely In The in
terests OF the public, to be now exercised
for the benefit of such company, and. in
c1dentally, to take away from the control
OF the Commissioners a considerable por-
ton OF street, and place it exclusively
under the clerk of private market COM
papy, Is one that has never been heretofore
authorized by any law in force in this Dis
trict. and would, In the opinion of the
public interests.
Nor Is such legislation In the interest of
or necessary for the protection of the farm
ers. or to carry out the manifest intention
torney for the District, the protection of
the farmers and truckmen in all the rights
and privileges heretofore enjoyed by them
on b street and the preservation of all the
market
company Is all that is desired, 1t can be
completely accomplished by the enactment
of the substitute prepared by him, which
the Commissioners urgently recommend
may be done. But that the market COM
pany is not satisfied with maintaining its
existing legal rights and the privileges
heretofore enjoyed by the farmers and
truckmen, and seeks to acquire new and ex-
tended privileges for ITSELF Is evident not
only from an examination of the scope of
s. H. 14S. but also from the fact that said
company rejects the proposed substitute,
which would do full justice to all parties
concerned.
IF a considerable portion of the public
street Is to be turned over to the Wash
ington Market Company and new powers.
which, in the Judgment of the Comm!s-
sioners, would prove very injurious to the
public interests. are to be conferred upon
I said company, the Commissioners express
the hope that 1t may be done understand
ingly, and not under the title Of an act an
parently intended for the sole purpose Of
protecting the farmers.-ss.
War DeDartnent Changes.
| Promotions In the. clerical force in the. Of
| foe of the chief Of engineers u. a-A.. have
been made as follows: George G Tkomas
Of the District Of Columbia from 81 coo q