Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-30
MERCHANTS TO
FIGHT CONTRACT
FOR NEW MARKET
Commerce Street Produce Deal
ers Hold Private Meeting to
Protect Interests.
MAYORS SIGNATURE
Is NOT YET ATTACHED
Work Now Under Way Started
Under Sanction of a Build
ing Permit.

Four property owners on Commerce
street, who are members of the
Newark Fruit Trade and Produce
Dealers Association, have called a
meeting for this afternoon for the
purpose of safeguarding their inter-
ests in regard to the city's new Centre
Market plans.
1t was stated that if the present
plans for the new market include
changes in Commerce street. which
might depreciate the value of their
property, the merchants will employ
counsel.
An injunction restraining the city
from carrying out the present mar
ket plans may be sought.
The merchants say they propose to
| engage former Sheriff Frank H. SOM
mer as their counsel. An attempt to
| interest Mr. Somfner will be made
at the meeting this afternoon.
c. e. Barker & Co, E. E. Berger,
De Bow & Co. and Quinn SS CO., all
of Commerce street, are said to be
| leaders in the movement.
H. V. Holman, of G. E. Barker &
| Co, 3S Commerce street, was the only
merchant interested who would talk
freely of the plans today.
First of all we want to see the
city's plans for the new market" :"
/
attempts to see these plans so as to
report to the other merchants and l
called at the office of e. NJ. Waldron,
architect to see If he had the plans.
/ Mr. Waldron told me that he had
turned the plans over to Mr.. Hooper,
! the architect employed by the city,
| but stated that it was quite likely
that the city's architect might not
] consider himself privileged to exhibit
the plans to us.
"I did not call at the City Hall
to see If the plans could be investi-
! gated there" continued Mr.. Holman.
| But here is the proposition we face:
| Mr. Waldron gave me to understand
that the present plans for the market
| include provisions for the loading and
unloading of goods and refuse on the
market side facing our property.
"If that is true properties valued at
| 100000 and $4,000 now will depreciate
until they are worth only about half
of their present value. From the in
formation we were able to get so far
| it looks as if such a thing would
happen.
Yesterday few merchants went
! out to see how many of our neighbors
we could interest in the project to
enter protest against the present
/ plans of the city in relation to the
new market. I was not among the
| tourists, and don't know how they
| made out, but the result is that a
meeting mas been called for some
| time this afternoon, at which we
will formulate a definite plan of
action.
eff necessary we will seek a re-
straining order or injunction to pre-
vent the city from carrying out the
present market plans until we can be
heard
Mr.. Barker declared that the meet
ing would be private conference be-
tween the property owners, mer-
chants and their counsel. He added
that the plans of the property own
ers would be given out for publication
after the meeting.
The papers for the award of the
contract to the Essex Construction
Company for the new Centre Market
building have not as yet beeen ex-
ecuted. Mayor Haussling has signed
the Common Council resolution
awarding the contract. but the docu-
ments representing the contract it,
self have not received his signature.
These papers must be approved as
to sufficiency by the finance commit
tee of Common Council and by the
law department as to legal form.
This work is merely detail in its
nature. The mayors part in the
matter at this stage is purely minis
terial. He signs contract papers pre-
sented by the law department
The contractors now engaged in
operations at Centre Market are
working under building permit and
largely on their own responsibility.