The times., 1899-04-23
THE OLD NORTHERN
LIBERTY MARKET
RccOllections of a Landmark
of Former Days.
Occupied a Site in the Centre Of
the City.
Its Demolition by the District Cow
ernmcnt In the Days When
Shepherd wax Governor.

| Now that the claims against the Cow
ernment for the destruction OF the privats
property contained in the old Northern
| Liberty Market are to be paid the history
| Of the building and the exciting events
leading up to its destruction will be OF
particular interest. The building IVES
erected in 1856 by the corporation o; tie
District of Columbia for the benefit OF
the people who had goods to dispose OF in
the market places. II was first built for
the convenience of those living in Sec
ton of the city distant from the Centre
Market and was Immediately occupied by
the tradesmen for whom il was built
The ground on which the building was
erected belonged to the United States
Government and was leased by the Dis
trict for term OF years. IL was situated
on the square bounded by Seventh, NiLth
and X Streets and New York Avenue
northwest The first building covered tho
whole OF the immense space and vas en-
tirely filed with stands for the vaIiogs
produce dealers. The Ninth Strest wing
was used as fish market and the Seventh
Street side was devoted more particularly
to meats and vegetables.
The merchants having stands in the
building were said to have been doing an
immense business when the building was
torn down. The lease for the plot OF
ground which was said to have been for ten
years, ran out in 1866. but the events di-
rectly following the civil war and the war
itself SO occupied the attention of the Gov
eTnment officials that they did not make
move to reclaim the ground until fS72
when Colonel Babcoek, who was then SD
perintendent OF public buildings and
grounds, made demand on Gov. Alexan-
der Shepherd, who was then at the head
OF the Board Of Public Works. This body
was engaged at the time in improving the
city and the destruction of the market Is
one of the things that engaged their at
tention and has made the memory of the
acts Of the board live for long time aft
er ii had ceased to exist. Governor Shep-
herd ordered the market to be torn down
September 8, 1872 and between and
o'clock of that morning the work OF de-
stroying the building was commenced The
structure was not torn down directly. but
the supports of the roof were removed
and the roof was allowed to cave in and
cover the stands.
It SOON became noised around town that
the building was being destroyed. and
number of persons gathered on the side
walks on the opposite sides of the streets
surrounding the market to watch the work
of the wreckers. Much valuable property
was stored in the building at the time of
its demolition and no attempt was made
to save this. Some of the stands in the
building cost as much as $1,000, all OF
which were a total loss to the owners.
Beside the property which was in the
building the produce and various other
dealers had just paid their licenses for the
year, and no attempt was made 20 adjust
matters with them.
The scene around the building when tho
dealers found that their stands had been
destroyed was indescribable. Many threats
were made against the men who engaged in
tearing them down, and they had difficulty
in keeping the crowd out of the way OF fall
ing timbers. The merchants were enraged
at what they regarded as unwarranted
treatment, and they were not at all back
ward in expressing their opinions. In some
cases all the property they had in the world
was thus ruthlessly destroyed, and they
were left without penny. Some of the
people became insane as result OF the
destruction of their property. and others
were driven from bad to worse until finally
they ended their days IN abject poverty
In order to calm the angry passions that
had been aroused by the destruction of the
market a corporation was formed TO build
another and the city erected shed on 4
vacant lot between o and and Sixth and
opened soon after the destruction Of the
market and the dealers who engaged stands
in the place were all compelled to pay a
new license. This was what they consid-
cred new outrage, but there was no re-
dress and they were compelled to pay or
stay out Of the market
In 1873 the present Northern Liberty
Market On the corner of Fifth and X
Streets was erected This building was
the property OF corporation composed OF
the people who had held stands in the old
building and was headed by John Hoffman.
a butcher He was elected president OF the
corporation and assumed charge OF the
building of the market. The ground on
which the building was placed was pur-
chased from George Savage at cost OF
$780, 600, and the building which was erect
ed cost an additional sl50.0e0, making the
total value of the property quarter OF
million dollars. The stands in the new
market were among the handsomest in the
city and sold for as much as $4,000 piece
At the time of its construction the build
ing was a marvel of mechanical engineer
ing and even is at the present. The i'm
mense floor space in the second floor is
probably the largest in the country and the
arches that support the floor cost very
large sum OF money.
The building is now in as good condi-
ton as il was when it was first built and
the second floor will stand almost any
strain that can be put upon IL. Last
spring the hose show was held there ani
thousands of people attended the show.
while at still earlier date the Moody and
Sankey meeting drew over ten thousand
people to the hall each night. The st4l
in the building are still occupied and the
market is considered one OF the best in
this part of the country.
Almost all of the people who had lad
stalls in the old building engaged space in
the new and the stands were soon filed
UP. The company which erected the build
ing did not keep it,. however. as in 1894 il
was sold under deed OF trust to another
corporation which now controls it.
Immediately after the destruction OF tho
old building claims were presented to the
for property which was de-
stroyed when it was torn down These
claims were pushed forward several times
and a great deal OF trouble was expert
anced in getting them allowed.
\ bill was passed by Congress in 1897,
which was supposed 10 cover ali of the
,laims. but il was necessary for more leg
Station before the claims were allowed to
90 through. They are now held up by the
,ction of the attorneys for the claimants
md it will probably be 1me time before
hey are paid. Solomon ]. Fague we'll
,nown lccal attorney. has made it his busi-
less 10 look after the claims. and the
say that but for his untiring en-
.rgy they do not think they would ever
ave received the benefits from their loss
II property. No one was killed or injured
Il the time OF the demolition OF the build
ng but the day after two men were killed
Ohm Widmayer who had n valuable stand
n the market, entered the building to try
md save some Of his property. While he