Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-02
OLD MARKET SECTION
Hiuh Water Occasionally lnun-
dated Reservation
BEFORE CANAL WAS FORMED
Business at the Mart a Century Ago
Was Very Small.
BUTCHERS USE WHEELBARR0WS
Establishment of Commercial Houses
In Sparsely Settled Area Proceeded
Slowly-Land Valuations.
BEFORE CANAL WAS FORMED
BUTCHERS USE wHEELBARR0WS

IN the carry part OF tHS last Century
portion of Washington on which the WASH
ington market stands, the reservation south
of Pennsylvania avenue between 7th and
9th streets became the principal center
for the marketing of the city. This was
soon after the people of Washington had
obtained a corporate existence under the
charter of May 80, 1902, the city council
having passed an act establishing the Cen
ter Market on October q following. Though
the name Center Market was an appropri-
ate one because of its location, the term
Marsh or Mash Market. by which it soon
became known. was more fitting, and even
today, where there are no signs of water
about the place. it is called by the same
term by the elder residents.
The waters of Tiber creek had not then
been made to flow into the canal, and at
high water much of the reservation was
covered. Indeed, the present portions OF
the market fronting on 3 and 9th streets
where the tides ebbed and flowed CEN
fury ago.
1t is true that the project of construct
ing the Washington city canal was based
on a twofold object. the reclamation of the
land and the interest of trade, but at that
period 1t was in allegiance. Authority had
been given for such Improvement by acts
of the legislature of Maryland in 1870 and
1905 and the company Incorporated hav-
ing failed TO complete 1t within the five
years specified, Congress had repealed
those acts. In 1909. however, the project
was revived and company incorpOra ted
through which the canal was constructed
and swampy lands reclaimed, and, 1t is
needless to say, conditions about the mar
ket improved.
Business Gradually Increased.
AS time passed the business of the market
increased with the population and butchers,
some of whom in the infancy of the market
were wont to use wheelbarrow to con-
vey a hog or two the quarters of a beef
to their stalls, provided themselves with
horse and wagon. More than one of the
families of Washington who now enjoy af-
f1uence credit the origin of their fortunes
to the humble occupatio of cart1ng meat
to market on a wheelbarrow. AT first
there was but one shed set on piers, and in
this the butchers benches were rented for
the moderate sum of SO per annum, and 1t
has been said that until about 1926 the
provision was ample for the butchers and
other dealers.
With the reclamation Of the adjacent
ground to the west and south of the shed
through the construction of the canal there
was there a site provided for an additional
shed between Sth and 9th streets, as also
for one extending southwark in Sth street
for the fish market previously held on the
banks of the Tiber or canal at 7th street
1t was about that year, 1925, that the en-
largements took place and between the
wings was erected the scale house and
office of the clerk Of the market, a position
filled for thirty years or more by John
Waters In this provision was also made
for the Auxiliary Guard, Washington's po-
lice, organized under the act of Congress
of 1912, long under the command of Capt.
John II. Goddard. The guard was legis-
lated out of office when the metropolitan
police was created in 1851. Here were also
cells for prisoners and daily. in the morn
ings and evenings, some magistrate tried
criminal as well civil cases. Outlines
was the lash applied there in the cases of
offending slaves, the gratings of the cell
doors serving as the whipping post.
The fire engine for the protection of the
market was kept in shed within conven-
lent distance, small building furnishing
accommodation for the apparatus of the
times-a small hand engine in which the
water was poured from leathern buckets
passed down line of men from a pump or
cistern, to be forced on the fire. few short
ladders and axes and a small quantity Of
hose. That for the Center Market was in
the 2o's located on the east side of 9th street,
a few feet south of Pennsylvania avenue,
and fire company, known as the Phoenix
used II. Former Lieut. James Johnson of
the metropolitan police, now approaching
his ninetieth year, was reared in this neigh
borhood and remembers that among the ac-
tive members of the company were the elder
Bacon, the Bradleys the elder Calf, An
thony Holmead. Gassaway, Pairo and Zeke-
kiel Young.
Fire Company Formed.
In the sos. about 1887. the formation and
location of the Perseverance Fire Company
in the center of Sth street. where the lines
of Pennsylvania and Louisiana avenues in
tersect, gave that section what was a fine
improvements two-story brick engine
house with hall surmounted by fine-toned
bell and a cupalo. The company was COM
posed of some of those noted above or their
descendants or many who resided in that
section. The bell is we'll remembered by the
older Washington people, for it was used
many years as the curfew bell The corpo-
ration laws respecting people of color, slave
or free, required them to be In their homes
by 10 O'Clock at night in summer and
O'Clock in winter. and this bell struck those
hours. Many families made 1t a rule of
their households that the bell should deter
mine the hour of retirement, children espe-
cially being expected to be In the house
when the curfew rang
The hall was used for some years as the
office of the Firemen's Insurance Company
a corporation formed in the latter part of
the 30s by representatives of the volunteer
fire companies of the city and Is yet In busi-
ness here. 1t was the meeting place for
fremen's conventions, social and political
clubs, and II was there that numerous
church entertainments were held in those
days
In the political campaign of 1910 the vi
entity of the market was busy place for
near the site of the Phoenix engine shed
was located the headquarters of the
wings. A log cabin decked with coon skins
with live coon or two and other insignia
or Tlppecanoe contained a barrel of hard
cider which was literally patronized Here
at meetings held every night a fiddler was
engaged in scraping out the tune of Tip
pecanoe and Tyler Too" and others and
the excitement in which the Tppecanoe
Club took the lead continued until the eve
of the election.
1t was to be expected that the sparsely
settled vicinity of the principal market
house would soon become dotted with busi-
ness houses, but such improvements came
slowly. North of the market beyond the
reservations, was the line of c street, but
this there were but four original lots
on each of the two squares These were
however. cut into smaller parcels and some
business houses established on what long
has borne the name of Marsh Market
Space. for many years the dry goods CEN
ter. 1t was not, however. till in the thir-
ties 1t became a mart for hides and leath-
er. fancy goods, groceries. etc.
Little Enterprise Shown.
Where now nearly the entire square is COW
cred by one mammoth establishment C
street. or Market space between It'll and sth