The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-15

wallach would get Off any Percy boy
| who got in trouble with the police. and
the other that Capt. Peter Bacon, who died
only few days ago and who kept 4 gro
3, Gerry store on Seventh Street and the Ave
nue., would never dishouOr a reasonable
| requisition for crackers and cheese II II
! came from the Perseverance Engine House.
| The old Watch House was an attractive
| place to the boys. Any newcomer Vas
! speedily announced at the engine house
: and the crowd went over to see il out.
A Justice came every morning TO the Watch
House to try the cases gathered there dur
irg the previous night. Occasionally Gem
d lie scenes were exhibited but the proceed
/ irgs were mostly hum-drum. The Old
story Of the justice who fined the plan.ifi
| SO. the prisoner 50. the witnesses $3.50
each. and the spectators 81 each. and clos
ing the door enforced the fine, was told
in turn on each of the old justices with
equal falsity. Many nights there was not
a single arrest. DRINKS and vags were net
brought in unless afflicted or suspected.
One week for five mornings in succession
the Justices book had no entries. The
market itself was a busy place only On
Tuesdays. Thursdays and Saturdays.
Many OF the country people who brought
provisions to market to sell were slaves;
most Of them were habitues of the market
well known to the police so that strange
negro was soon spotted" and required to
show either his free papers or the pass
from his master. or else go into custody.
At first only country stuff vas brought
10 the market, but gradually peddlers
wares, dry goods, etc, began to occupy
benches in the market. The cook shops
were early supplied to furnish meals TO
the dealers. and the bakers with their
bread and cakes used the market almost
as soon as they had built their bake ov-
ems. Old colored women with small
beer kept cool by being set in tubs of
pump water and with ''puffs. a sort OF
waffles fried in bacon fat, and with tub
Of smoking hominy early became feature
of the market.
Many Distinguished Patrons.
1t is tradition that jefferson and all
the early Presidents made occasional Nis-
its to this fresh provision depot. but of
later years the Chief Magistrates of the
country were represented at the market
by the White House butler. Members OF
Congress were sometimes entrusted by
their constituents with business in connec-
ton with the market. The writer well re
members that Gov. William Smith, the
ante-belium representative Of the AleXan-
dria district. showed him one morning 4
few years before the war a letter in sub
stance as follows:
Dear Governor: l have sent my colored
man. Horace. to market with a COW for
sale. 1t is an excellent COW and it is pos
sible that his color would stand in the
way of his getting the best price for it.
l cannot come to market myself, but know
you will do me the favor to pass by the
market on Tuesday morning I will tell
Horace to look out for you and he will
obey your Instructions as how to proceed.
Get me good customer for the COW and
will be as ever. your friend, - -
by special Providence which always
favored me-" said the Governor, "a Wash
ington friend had asked me a few days be-
fore where he could get first rate If
ginia COW. On the next Thursday morning
carried him to the colored man Horace.
who was really n sharp dealer. and The
firm of Horace & Smith did. l assure you,
make an excellent business transe ction
that day. But do you know that old fell
low never thanked me. and 1 am not sure
that he will not vote against me ct the
next election"
After 1850 the writer knew little OF The
old market except what he learned while
the old city municipality was going out
and the District municipality was coming
in. In 1S70-11, new market company under
a charte: of May 20, 1870 was organized
and purchased from the corporation of
Washington the ground on which the mar
ket is situated. The old sheds were bum
ed by fire which occurred in the fall OF
1870. and the new market company, having
made temporary provision for the deal
ers put up the present superb market
building on the rear of the old lot, while
the old mud-fi canal was covered in
and converted into the B Street sewer.
and the front portion of the market lot
was redeeded to the District Government
and placed in order On the south side of
the Avenue, as a companion park to that
which exists on the north side OF the same
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