The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-08-07
THE GHOST In
THE MARKET.

1t was on the corner of Third and
Murke. streets and the clock wus-strK-
Ing four -Four II. H., mind you. But
you sleepy heads must not think | STOOD
alone. There was a buStling escite.nep,,
wagons backing up to the curb, horses
stamping, voices of CHEEKY farmers ca
ing n greeting to each other. Pretty
country wives in their freSl, prints, thee
pink checks agloH, were arranging the
wares pattnly he golden butter. or SOM.
younger one full Of sentiLx1lnt alr;ngi:s
the pretty bouquets Of Old IDsilOnrd gar
den blossoms.
You've already looked at HE inclcdu-
lousy. Market people driving up at
four in the morning standing ut Third
AMI Mnlkct-one Of the busiest business
marts Of the town. Yes. but that WAS
years and years ago, Some of your
grandsircs may recall it.
and my friend, the Ghost, took
walk about. He Is fine looking fellow
six feet and sturdy, dressed in rough
homesp,m. thoAl brhn straw hat, soft
shirt and his smile would melt anything
but that deliciously hard yellow butter
he sold.
"This,' he sad as We passed Front and
Market street "is where the first mar.
ket was. Old William Shplcy erected
At his own expense here II shelter for tn"
farmers who drove in to sell their pro-
luce. This was in 1886. There were hut
thirly-lhrce houses il. the town then.
But soon rivalry began between that
market ahd the OLD Fourth street market
Which was built before Wilmington was
L..
town Willingtown.
Yes. just as the fair women vie for
rivalry's sake anu see nothing good
each in the other, and he l,okrd 1T me-
for You see l am Il woman and liked TO
be called fair.
"Well, these two markets wrr" rival
factions for years and Governor Penn
was called Oh often to settle the dis
utc-and-well-yo know Fourth street
won, SUPPOSE for Front street market
died early OF Il broken heart and Fourth
street market houriSEcd for one hundred
aud ten years.
Now here then at Second Strrct-th.
old market here was built in 1857.
Rnt il was along the street hero where
] used to come and q dreamy smile
passed over his wrinklrd face. "IIrrc
on Market street from Front to Eighth
and anti, tn" street railway came and
drove us eastward to King street |
stood just in from, of that old bank.
eve were then at Sixth street. do ynu
know the old bank mean? There WAS
n Twelfth street market later but it
never prosprrcd and later Third street
market Was opened in 1915. The custom
lT an .l.,t, m ,,Nfs thpv az al
is distinctly Il Southern one and such
a market is seldom seen in the north.
As far hncli as 1903 the city ordinances
passed law protecting the market hut
il was not until 1885 that The curbStoi.,
license was required"
We had now reached Tenth and King
streets and in the morning s,ln-it was
now well on to seven. As far rs the eye
could reach were rows of farmers
wagons backed up to the east side of the
strrrt-slaftS of all conditions raised in
til" air, some perilousy ut an angle
which means danger to pAsserShy. "And
this is the market Of 1901" my ghost
friend said. ".tll the way to the rail,
road bed yon'll find The chrcril farlhrr
or farm wife with a tempting array Of |
produce before them; hutter rs yellow
as gold and sweet rs nuts. luscious |
fruis~-vcgctahles with the 'norning lcw
yet on tl.em-and pyramids of pink eggs |
that tempt the gourmet. All aloil!: here,
too, town ana country mect-dclicatr !
DANES Of society joStlr elbows with the
plhineSt houscwivcs-;lnd the up-to-dhc |
golf girl parlrys with the fresh country |
maid VIII" rivals her in rich rolorng.
"Tho Bi-wcrkiy -Four Hundred We