The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-24

without delay. Provided funds can be OBJ
!alhed without the Issuance Of bonds; but
IN case IT Is found that no funds are avail
apie that such an ordinance be passed that
public market |-e :
O.. j. Reynolds introduced a resolu-
ton providing that it was the sense
Of the meeting that the city have q
pubic market and, in case the coun-
ell could not furnish the same, that q
franchise be granted to private parties
or corporation for a term of fifteen
years under proper restrictions. -
In the discussion which followed
George Benz opposed the private en-
terprlSe proposition. His idea was that
the city should secure a site and con-
duct the market
Aid. Shepard, as a member of the
Commercial club and not as a city Of
f1cial. recited what the committee from
the club had done in the matter in the
past few months. There was no ques-
lion put that a market was needed.
The best plan presented to the com
mittee was to give a franchise Of from
nfteen to twenty-five years to private
parties under proper restrictions A
place suitable and in a proper location
TO accommodate from 300 to 500 teams
was what was needed.
Ii company was formed with the
commission men. grocerymen and
farmers combined a market could be
found and members from the three
bodies could run it to good advantage
The council had struggled with the
proposition for the last three years and
the only solution that he could see was
to form corporation such as mention
ed. The sheds would not cost to ex-
coed $l5,000. and proper ground could
be leased for $4,000 or purchased for
about 100000. The city had no funds
to purchase a site or erect sheds and
the market could never be run by the
city as well as it could by a corpora
ton of private persons.
The market master was elected, Aid
Shepard continued, not for his qualifi-
cations as market master, but, on
his qualification as vote getter rather
than anything else. 1t was a political
job and there was a change about ev-
cry year.
G. G. Emmerson, as a commission
man, agreed with Mr. Shepard. The
council had no funds. Private enter
prise was the only way immediate re-
lief could be secured. The commission
men and grocerymen were interested in
the question. Many farmers and gar
deners objected to the accommoda-
tons offered in ST. Paul. and the re-
suit was that many went to Minneap-
oils to dispose of produce The city
must have something in the way of
market sheds in the next six months.
= Mr.. Shepard called attention to the
fact that the Minneapolis market was
a private enterprise.
E. S. Chittenden stated that in
Washington. D. c., the largest market
was run by private parties.
j. A. Wheelock concurred in what
Mr.. Shepard had said A determined
trial should be made to solve the prob
lem by private enterprise and If the
thing could not be done, then fall back
on the city council. He had examined
carefully all the vacant property which
could be used for a market some two
years ago and decided that the best
site was the block bounded by Frank
lin, Exchange, Eagle and Chestnut
streets. The property at the time he
made the investigation could have been
purchased at very low figures and he
felt confident the increase would not
be such as to prevent private parties
from taking hold of 1t. He was OPP
posed to the city furnishing the market,
as this could be done only by the issu-
ance Of bonds. and the citizens in gen.
eral were opposed to this action.
b. F. Beardsley said there was no
question but that Minneapolis was get
ting the best of it owing to having a
market which would accommodate the
farmers and gardeners He had been
In business In Minneapolis and knew
that many farmers and gardeners took
their produce to that city, and travelled
five miles farther simply because there
was better accommodations He sug-
gested that the commission men, gro
GERS and farmers appoint committee
TO meet with the Commercial club com
m1ttee and consider the proposition To
form . corporation to secure a fran