The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-08-07
THE GHOST IN
The MARKET
Some Queer Sights Seen by the
Saunterer
AT THIRD AND MARKET SITS
Recollecti0ns Of Merry Scene as the
Farmers Arrived With
Their Wagon Loads
of Produce.
AT THIRD AND MARKET SITS

1t was on the corner of Third and
Market streets and the clock was strik-
ing four -Four Il. M. mind you. But
you sleepy heads must not think stood
ilone. There was /, bastling settlement
wagons backing up to the cub, .iorsas
stamping voices of CHEEKY farmers CO :
.ng greeting to each other. Prettf
.ountry wives in their fresh prints, the.-
pink cheeks aglow, We're arranging thes-
wares, patting the golden butter. or some
younger one full of sentiment, arranging
the pretty bouquets of old-foshioned gar
len blossoms.
You've already looked at me incredu-
ously. Market people driving up Ut
our in the Notwithstanding at Third
mi Malket-one Of the busiest business
narts of the town. Yes, but that was
ears aud years ago Some of your
;randsires may recall it.
| and, my friend, the Ghost, took
walk about. He is fine looking fellow
ix feet and sturdy. dressed in rough
lomeSpun. br0ad brim straw hat. soft
hirt and his smile would melt anything
,ut that deliciolisly hard yellow butter
he sold.
This. he said as we passed Front and
Market street, lis where the first mar
:et was. Old William Shipley erected
| t his own expense here a shelter for the
| farmers who drove III to sell their pro-
| luce. This was in 1886. There were but
| hirty-three houses il the town then.
| But soon rivalry began between that
| larket and the old Fourth street market
which was built before Wilmington vas
| Incorporated and when We called our
| own Willingtown.
| Yes, lust as the fair women vie for
1 = - l. 10Th
j acn in the other, and he looked ut me-.
/ or Won see am a woman and liked to
| ,e called fair.
We'll. these two markets We're rival
1 actions for years and Governor Penn
| vas called on often to settle the dis
| nlte-and- well-you know Fourth street
Won. | suppose, for Front street malkat
lied early Of Il broken heart and Fourth
| trent market tiourished for one hundred
nd ten wears.
Now here then at Second street.-the
id market here was built i'll 1887.
Rut it was along the street here where
used to come,' and dreamy smile
passed over his wrinkled face. Here
III Market street from Front to Eighth
jlnd anti. the street railway came ana
rove us eastward to King street.
stood just in front of that old bank.
I'VE were then at Sixth street, do you
Know the old bank | mean? There was
Twelfth street market later but It
,cyer prospered and later Third street
mark, was opened in 1875. The custom
II curbstone markets, as they are called,
distinctly a Southern one and such
In market is seldom seen il the north.
: As far back as 1903 the city ordinances
passed Il law protecting the market but
i wns not until 1885 that the curbstoha
icrnSe was required
We had now reached Tenth and Kine
;trpets and in the morning sul-lt was
! now well on to seven. AS far as the eS,
! could reach were rows OF farmers
wagons backed up TO the east sid" of the
treet-shafts of all conditions raised u
! The air, some peri0usly ut an anglt
, | which means danger to pasSersby Ant
! this is the market of 1901 my ghos
, friend said IAN the way to the rall
I ,old he'd yon'll ihd the cheerful farlhe
!, II farm wife with a tempting array q
! Ioro,iuce before them: butter as yellow
: IS gold and sweet aS nuts. lSelGl
'ruits--yegctahles with The morning dc7
1T on them-and pyramids Of pink egg
:, hat tempt the gourmet. All along here
:, 100. town ana country meet t--delicat
;, lanes of society jostle elbows with III
: plninest houSewives-:n the up-to-daf
!. golf girl parleys with the fresh countr
!, maid who rivals her in rich coloring
i "rhe Bi-weckly Four Hundred "
! aalled ourselves hut now we have swelle
!. ur numbers to five hundred and nifty.
!, "Does it cost muchg i asked II
i iicense?- 1925 for space each side /,
/ he street. You see we stand facing u
!. aSt in summer and in winter use "
+, west side of the street
- When said we We're five hundred an
i ffty | counted our brother farmersto
= Madison street miss many of II
n Old faces Poor old Joe Miller wi
i, anne to market rain or shine, hot or 60
!. !. sor-well. can't say how many yea!
- md among the old comers now are T.
ralleys and the Peirces--hut | car
bc name individuals. they are all my frien
r. ma a tr,isty faithful lot.
Good Morning. John N ornl'
;s lsphraim'' the chatty Ghost bow
H.. light and left. and as | started to n
n1 mother question. 10! be disappeared u
found myself asking a kindly old v
a. nan the price Of eggs.
=, The Saunterer.