New-York tribune., 1903-01-18
FOR NEW FISH MARKET.
DEMAND BY DE4LERS-
Where the Fish Supply Of This City
Comes From

The present agitation for a new fish market
has resulted from tri-cornered fight when mas
gradually been assuming greater proportions
among the fish merchants of Fulton-st Inc
Fulton Fish Market, which stands at the lool
Of Fulton-st on a platform built out over the
East River. was leased from the city In IooS'
for a term of thirty-six years. by the Fulton
Fishmongers' Association AT that time the
market was considered of magnificent proper
ticns. and adequate for the needs OF Ne"-'oih
fishermen for all time to come.
In the wears that have elapsed since lS6S the
fish trade has grown beyond all expectations.
More merchants have gone into business, ano'
unable TO procure room in the Fulton Fish Mar
ket they opened stalls ashore. until the whole
block bounded by Beekman, South and Front
SITS. and Peck Slip became devoted to the selling
Of fish. These newcomers organized into TWO
associations-the Wholesale Fish Exchange
composed Of merchants engaged in the whole-
sale trade. and the Independent Fish Dealers
Association. consisting for the most part OF
small dealers who do business from a stall or a
basket on the sidewalk.
Under Tammany regimes the fish dealers
ashore were not disturbed except TO pay a sort
Of license for using the street. With the lncom-
ing Of the reform administration, the Street
Cleaning Department bore down on these hsh
dealers heavily, and told them they coulo not
continue using the streets for fish stalls Ac-
cordingly. the fish merchants ashore found
themselves between the frying pan and the nre-
They could not CO business on land as they
wanted to. and there was no room for them on
the platfornl OF the Fulton Fish Market
When the Fulton Fishmongers, therefore,
asked to renew their lease of the public market,
the two rival organizations took up arms They
told the Sinking Fund Commission that the
older association was q monopoly; and that, IN
stead of permitting it to renew its lease, the
CITY should build new and larger market, SUI
fcjent TO provide for the whole fish trade OF
New-York Counsel for the Wholesale Fish Ex-
change furthermore, presented comprehensive
plan which had been drawn after study of the
fish market Of Boston and a. thorough canvass
of the needs of the fish trade in this city
As a result of conferences between the rlVal
fish associations and the Dock Commissioner, d
plan was evolved which Will provide Tor tnee
widening Of South-st-, that IL VIII be 1-o
feet from curb to curb; the construction OF d
new platform, $50 feet wide, for the eighteen
members of the Fishmongers Association, along
South-st and the erection of a new pier along
side of the Fulton Ferry slip, when VIII eAleIiu
45O feet into the river. and afford acco1n1noda-
1ions for the Wholesale Fish Exchange and other
dealers now doing business ashore
The Fulton Fish Market was estabnsheo cary
In the history of the city. when the bulk OF the
fish consumed in the city was brought hllneI
tn srna cks and eaten south OF Bleecker-st- Al
the present time only 10 per cent OF the CITY s
fish comes by boat. The rest is brought from
ali naY-ts Of the United States by rail In the
winter months about twenty schooners moor
10 Pier No. 23, which adjoins the tulton FISH
Market on the north. and unload their cargoes
of cod and halibut. In the springtime this neet