Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-15

HENDERSON ON MARKET HOUSE
Denies That He HAD Anything 60 Do
with Action OF Police Board In
Market Matter.

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OMAHA. Aug. Ito the Editor Of The
Bee: As a rule l pay no attention to false
or misleading statements in newspaper
that concern myself. believing that they
carry their own refutation, but 1 depart from
my custom for the reason that Mr.. Lee
s~pratlen has Just called my attention to an
article in The Bee of late date that does
him and myself an injustice. Some anony-
nous liar informs the reporter, and without
inquiring as to the truth Of the statement
the paper publishes, that the action Of the
police and FIRE commissioners in regard to
the market house on Capitol avenue was in
stigated by me through Mr.. Spratlen, and
that gentleman feels that It is due him that
l should state the facts. l never exchanged
a word with Mr.. Lee Spratlen on the subject
Of the market house until q few moments
since, when he spoke to me Of the paper
statement, and suggested that 1t was I'M
fair to him as a public %oficial. and l have
never spoken to any other one of the COM
mission or to the board collectively, on that
subject, and have had nothing whatever to
DO with the market house location since the
ordinance establishing It was passed over
the veto Of the mayor by the city council.
In a letter published. l think In The Bee.
many months ago / called attention to the
great need Of q market house in this city.
The cost of living here is enhanced probably
one-third because Omaha is without one.
The modern market house is an essential
adjunct Of our present civilization, and the
municipality that is without one is provin-
cial and behind the times. In both the
greater and the lesser cities, where they
are established, the retail grocers and
butchers nnd them advantageous and not a
1r4~lrnnnt g. 49, --c~~,-ntw. .,-~ $500
them maintain stalls that are well supplied
on market days as an adjunct to their reg
ular places OF business. This is notably SO
in ell eastern cities. and / am particularly
familiar with the condition in Philadelphia,
Baltimore and Washington.
But whether the retail grocerB favor q
market house or not the greatest good to
the greatest number. to-wit: the consumers,
demands its erection. An uncovered market
place on a public street, exposed to sum-
mer's storm and winters cold. Is an imposi-
tion on both the seller and the buyer and a
disgrace to the city that maintains 1t. Did
we have a well locate4Rnd convenient mar
ket house there would be, a great increase
Of truck gardens, to the advantage Of the
consumer and to the substantial benefit Of
the outlaying real estate and waste lands
about Omaha.
The ordinance having been passed and
that law requiring the maintenance Of 8
market place on Capitol avenue, temper
arily until a building could be erected, It
was the sworn duty of'the executive officers
Of the city. and especially the chief execu-
tive, to see to its enforoement-but we have
ceased to expect the enforcement Of law In
view Of the regular and continual disregard
Of enforced obedience to both state and mu-
nicipal statutes and ordinances made for
the correction Of far greater evils than the
lack Of q market house. So long as open
gambling and offences uncomfortable are to
go unpublished, and the offenders be fostered
by the guardians Of the law. 1t is a violent
and unwarranted presumption that the
minor requirements shall be obeyed.
Ny desire is that Omaha should have a
market house and 90 that It Is centrally To-
Gated l have no choice as to site. That
paved and unused desert Of asphalt known
as Capitol avenue. from Seventeenth to
Ninth streets. affords the opportunity 20
build market houses without paying money
for real estate. and In the present state Of
the city finances this Is desirable. I own
the northeast corner Of Capitol avenue and
Fourteenth street and years ago erected a
valuable brick block there. Every
room in IL is tenanted and 1
do not think its value would be
increased or It's rents advanced by the
location Of q market house there. II any
other location can be found l hope It viii be.
and that speedily. II the market house
should be built on Capitol avenue within
one year / stand ready to be one Of any
number the Commercial club may designate
Cnot less than nTel 10 give $500 to the city
to aid in its erection, but II a market house
can be erected elsewhere and not on Cap
itol avenue l stand ready to be one Of the
same number to donate twice that sum.
What Il needed is a market house, and I am
ready to render material aid and give,
rather than receive. to bring about that de-
sirable result Truly yours.
CHARLES +. HENDERSON.