Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13

Sc EFORE 1900 that portion OF WASH
ington in the neighborhocd OF
Pennsylvania avenue and Goth
=. street was the scene of some build
ing operations. The fact that the
ground valuation north OF the avenue
was twenty-five cents a foot, and there
had been erected by 1902 buildings on all
the lots fronting I street between 10th and
21st streets save one shows that the prop
erty owners were enterprisng. Above this
point but six buildings had been erected,
and on the squares eastward were seven
buildings on the avenue, and some improve
ments had been made on I street. The To-
callty assumed additional Importance when
the West Market was established at the
northwest corner OF the triangle made by
the lines Of the avenue, goth and I streets,
iE 1893. and the apparatus Of the old Union
Fire Company was located the following
year. In fact it may be said that at the
period when the Irish poet bestowed the
title OF city Of magnificent distances" on
Washington In the early part OF the last
century this section possessed some of the
characteristics of a small town. There was
the well-kuOwn O'Neal tavern, q wood
yard. several groceries. blacksmith and
wheelwrlght shops and shoe shops within
few hundred yards OF 10Th and l streets.
where was located In 1903 the West Market,
with its town hall FOR meeting purposes
The establishment OF public markets was
among the powers granted the corporation
by the act OF May 3. 1902. Under this the
old Center, or Marsh market was erected
IN the latter part Of that year under the
act Of the councils Of October 8. This lat
ter act provided that whenever majority
Of residents west OF the Presidents house
pett!oCed for a market the mayor should
establish one as soon thereafter as a con-
venient market house was erected by them
That the residents soon thereafter had a
market Of their own Is shown by the scales
weights auc measures being provided for
IN March. 1903. with the appointment OF a
supervisor Tor the market days set on
Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays, and
subsequently Saturday evenings for nearly
nifty years. This structure was originally
ABOUT twenty by forty feet the lower por-
l-oa qt Dick piers and the upper part was
1aL f~r general purposes. With the
increase OF population more facilities for
trade We're provided. an extension was
punt on the rea-, and afterward the full
!enRsh OF the building was inclosed by a
ne" renee 10 the north building line Of
feGasy iFania avenue. Mr. PhiItfp VIII
!iams was the first market master ana
tnls position he retained till 1885. He was
also engaged IN the grocery business az his
residence on the south side OF l street he
tween -0-h an1 DIST streets He was sue
ceeced by Mr.. William Siren who lived
south OF the avenue on I street. and he
served until the building was DESTROYED by
FIRE.
There were among the butchers IN the
early part Of the country some who lived
in Funkst0wn. as Hamburgh. the settle
ment southwark, was known before the
city was planned. Among such were M
Eckhart, p. Goodyer. and Fritz Hasar
Other butchers were Eli Palmer Henry
Walker, VIM. Linkins. John Hoover, John
Berry, the Weavers and Emersors. Some of
these men had tEeir slaughter houses but
a few hundred yards away located on
Slash run. Nest OF the fruit and vegetable
gardens, the produce from which was sold
In the market, were northwsrd. usually TAX
ing up entire squares OF ground These
paid well on the investment.
In the early part OF the century so gener-
ally did the residents raise their own prod
uce, milk and eggs that few dealers In
such were required. but with increasing
population the trade increased. Among
those who dealt in green stun were Mrs
Biggs, Mrs. Fullalove. Jack NJ Conkey
Mrs. Shorthale. and john Douglass In the
butter and egg trade were r. Cruitt, John
COburn. Thos. Triplet, and ]. C. Pearson.
Charley Shorter and his wife were promi-
nent here then, the frst-named as a gem
eral utility man, and the wife at the cook
stand. and some today recall that Short
er's Goughnuts have never been excelled.
Tie apparatus OF the old Union Fire