The evening times., 1899-11-18
MORE MARKET TROUBLES.
The Orders to Remove street Stands
Extended.

The recent letter of the attorney for
the Riggs Market Company. calling at
tention to the violation of the law which
are going on at TWO of the other markets,
seems to have directed the attention OF
the Commissioners TO these places. and
orders were issued today for the clearing
away of all street distractions by the
police. The order was directed more par
ticularly TO the produce dealers whose
stands are near the Georgetown market.
The market people have already com
meuced to protest against this action Of
the District authorities and Commissioner
Wight received a personal call from one
of the dealers. who protested yehemently
against the ruling that would drive him
from the place where he has sold his
produce for number of years. The
Georgetown market has been in conflict
with the Commissioners on several occa-
sions. and the present dissatisfaction is
the result. they say, Of the Commissioners
own action.
When the rapid transit cars were frs:
placed on VI Street it became Il problem
with the municipal officials as to what to
do with the countrymen who stand in front
OF the market These men had perfect
right to place their stands where they
were situated. and had done SO { many
years, while the market company. with
the police, had thorough control of the
sidewalks The street cars. however. in
terfered with the backing up of the wag-
ons against the curb. and there was not
space enough left in the roadway for car
riages to pass to and fro along the street.
There are streets on b0tn sides of the
market building, but these were already
occupied.
After Tong consultation the COmm.s
sioners decided to place the stands on PO-
tomac Street, a small thoroughfage which
runs between Thirty aad Thirty
third and NJ Streets and Prospect Avenue.
The market is on the south side OF NJ
Street between Thirtysecord and Thr y
second Streets and the entrance ID Pot0-
mac Street is on the north side of NJ Street
a short distance from the market.
The stands were fixed on the west side
of this street By the police at the direction
of the Commissioners, and the cOuntrymsE
were allowed tc occupy the entire block to
Prospect Avenue, while in some instances
they placed stands On this avenue. The
residents CT the nsighborhcod protested
against this arrangement, but their pro-
tests were in vain. as the Commissioners
stated that the ccuntrymen were entitled
to a place somewhere, and it must be there
Several complaints were received about
the manner in which the owners of the
wagons Uttered the street with the refuse.
Cabbage leaves and decayed vegetables
covered the sidewalk and the street, these
complainants stated. Then the Commits
sioners ordered party from the workhouse
to go to the market every day and clean
the street after the produce dealers had
fed then, but the Commissioners would net
order the removal OF the wagons and they
were compelled to keep quiet.
At the Riggs market the same trouble
was encountered. and the same complaints
were made. AT this place. however. there
was no space for the countrymen to stand
except directly in front of the market
building, a space of net more than loo
feet.
Stands were established in the street on
both sides of the building therefore. and
we're maintained up to a few months ago,
when one of the residents of the neighbor-
hood complained and the police were
ordered to drive the countrymen away. 7
number of the residents of the vicinity
protested against the driving away of the
produce dealers, and the Commissioners
were repeatedly petitioned to allow the
merchants to remain. but they refused TO
listen TO the requests. Ine law must De
the Commissioners stated. and
the law strictly prohibited the occupation
of public space for private purposes.
1ne attorney for the market company
then visited the Georgetown and Eastern
markets and discovered that produce deal
ers there were allowed to occupy the pub
lie space. He then wrote to the Commits
sioners. calling their attention to the vio-
lation of the law at the Eastern and
markets and requested that
his clients be allowed the same privileges.
He did not care to have the Government |
do the street cleaning for his company,
but requested the, allotment of sci ing |
space on the same principle.
The Commissioners refused 10 do this |
and issued the order against the George |
town dealers. This market is one CT the !
oldest in the city. having been established !
before the city was built. and the country
men who attend on the regular market |
days have always been accorded the privi |
lege of standing their. teams against the |
curb in some place adjacent the market. |
They are .yery much aroused at the Com |
missioners' action and. Will probably not |
give UP what they regard as their just |
dues without a struggle