The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-09
TOUTING FOR A SITE
MANY PETITIONERS FOR A MAR
KET LOCATION WEST OF
WABASHA STREET
THE RETAIL GRoCERs' UNION

Has No Especial Site to- Favor, but
Is Opposed to the West Third
Street Location, Between Frank
lin and Exchange Streets, Because
1t Would Be Too Small to Accom-
mediate Farmers and Gardeners.
The special joint council committee on
markets held a meeting yesterday after
noon and went over the propositions sub
mitted as to several sites for a market.
Present Of the committee were Aid. Bell,
Reeves and BIomquist; yAssemblymen
Benson and Craig, and City Engineer
Claussen.
A petition. signed by over 400 names.
was presented by Gustaye WilliuS ask
ing that the market be located west OF
WapaSha street, on or near Third street.
for a number of reasons, set forth among
them that:
Real estate values in the city at large,
ana on Ih1rd street in particular, are just
beginning to settle down to more normal
conditions than have existed for the past
seven or eight years, the income of tho
stores is probably just about sunicient to
pay the taxes, and a large class OF
worthy citizens, encouraged by many
signs of returning prosperity, are prepar-
ing to re-enter the field of business ac-
of better days.
We claim that the removal of the mar
ket into an entirely different direction
will not only tend to destroy the values
of real estate on Third street almost
without hope Of reparation, but it will
check the activity in real estate all over
the city, which has just commenced to
develop, for the reason that it will dem
onstrate the instability Of our affairs, the
shifting of business localities from one
direction to another, the unreliability-o Of
Inv
attention to cities where pledges are kept
and where capital is protected.
West Third street, between -Wabasha
street and the Seven corners. is the most
central location in the city, equally con-
Ven1ent for the people on the western and
eastern nils, as to the residents of the
northerly district and of West st. Paul,
and VIII, In the opinion of the undersign-
ed, nave the unqualified approval of a
greater number of citizens than any 9TH
er locality.
There are several blocks of land avail
able on or near Third street which will
not cost more (probably less) than the
proposed Ninth street property and will
IN every sense be preferable. Indeed it
would be very strange if q single market
gardener, or any person having the best
interests of the city at heart, could be
found to object to it.
Secretary Tenvoorde, of the Retail
Grocers' union, informed the committee
that the organization which he repre-
Commercial club had advocated the Benz
site, on West Third street, between
Franklin and Exchange streets, and this
the retail grOcers We're opposed to for the
reason that it would be too small to &C.
commodate the farmers and gardeners
and leave any room for the grocers to get
through with teams. There were about
315 grocers, and of this number 200 visited
the market every morning between and
i ra1T
to be erected on the Benz site it would be
impossible to have the Accommodations
either for the farmers and gardeners, to
say nothing of the grocers. What was
needed was a square with four streets, sc
the market could be approached on all
sides. The grocers had about decided
that the question of particular site was
what was keeping the location of L mar
ket back and had decided to drop any
ideas as to location. All they asked was
that the question be settled soon and that
a central location be selected.
In reply to a question by Aid Reeves
Mr.. Tenvoorde said the grocecs had nc
objection to the Eagle street site in fact
that was the second choice o. the asso-
citation, the first being the block la front
of the high school or the one south. Rep
resentatives from the gardeners opposed
the Benz site, on West Third street. on
and, while 1t looked good on paper. the
plan was not at all practical.
H. S. Fairchilds said the most impor-
tant consideration before the committee
was the location of the market in the dis
trict suggested by the petition presented
by Mr. Willius. The plan of having q
platform market on West Third street,
between Franklin and Exchange Mr..
Fairchild characterized as the most
crazy idea that had ever been presented
to body of intelligent men. There would
be but one outlet to the market, and,
aside from the place being too small, there
would be the utmost confusion in getting
the teams in and out of the market. The
expense would also be large to build the
retaining wall and platform, and no one
had ever ascertained what the land could
be purchased for. c. w. Horn advocated
the selection of the Constans site, at
Tenth, Jackson and Temperance streets
which could be purchased for $47, 600 and
could be made ready inside of a week for
market, and at an expense of less than
81, 600, without any of the litigation which
would follow If any of the other sites
were selected.
M M Sanford, in letter, advised the
purchase of the block bounded by Tenth
Sibley, Wacouta and Spruce streets
which could be had for 100000. The com
rnittee adjourned to this afternoon at
o'clock, when the question will be con-
sidered probably a an executive session
Several of the committee favor the con-
demnation of the block bounded by Third
Fourth, Washington and Market streets
as the most central and convenient site
for all interested, and 1t Is not unlikely
that the committee will recommend the
purchase or condemnation of this block
The only valuable improvements are the
brick houses at the southeast corner OF
Washington and Fourth streets, and
these could be allowed to remain and
the balance of the block used as a mar
ket.