Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-13
"A City at Market
BY Frederic ]. Haskin

The age Of the system in Baltimore
has had the effect Of obviating certain
objections that arise in cities where
It Is introduced later in municipal pro-
gress. For instance, 1t IL something OF
. problem to reconcile the rights Of the
retail grocer with the activities OF the
stall keeper. The grocer IL tax pay
or, a ront payer. and an employer OF
labor. while the market stall pays no
taxes, very little rent and Is usually
operated BY the proprietor, who thus
becomes something of favored COM
petitor. In Baltimore, however, the
markets came before the grocery
stores. and tho grocers had the compe-
tition to reckon on when they entered
the business. In actual practice, the
neighborhood Of the markets has prov
ed . favorable location for ordinary
retail shops OF all sorts on account OF
the crowds drawn. Some Of the local
grocers 30 farther. and rent and oper-
ate stalls on market days.
Baltimore markets-there are eleven
OF them-are municipal institutions.
They can easily be operated at q pro-
at, not only by tho rental Of stalls,
but BY renting the big halls that some
OF the buildings contain. Over Center
Market for instance, half million dol
lar structure, there are two halls used
for night classes which seat 1900
pupils. and q third hall with capac-
ity Of $500. The profts from this
part OF the markets used to be much
larger than they are today. in the
times before regular theater buildings
became 30 numerous, but they still
have great possibilities. Moved by this
consideration. private company re-
Gently offered to take over one OF the
markets. pay big rental for the site.
put up . half million dollar structure
90 we'll as . huge department store.
The people Of Baltimore however, rose
up in defense of the ancestral institu.
lions with such storm OF protest that
the offer was refused.
The stringent market regulations
have been evolved through years 81
operation. Back In the records you Will
even find an obsolete rule that no stan
is to be rented to anyone who Is not
thoroughly and Internationally union
man" Tho reference 10 not to the !.
w. W. or the American Federation OF
Labor. That ruling was written back
in the sixties, when feeling between
north and south ran high. The Balti-
more markets had system OF pure
food regulations long before the bn.
reau of chemistry appeared on the
scene Controversies ragged over the
activities of the sidewalk vendor in his
relation to the regular merchant This
was settled by combining the operation
OF sidewalk stalls to market days, and
the weeks before Christmas and Has-
ter. Street vendors are not allowed to
sell fish or crabs within Ave blocks of
the market A body Of regulations has
grown up around the system that
makes an imposing mass of law and
ordinance. >syrF
The respective rights Of the city and
the renter were fought clear up to .
Maryland court, which held that the
renting Of q stall was strictly analo-
gous to the renting Of pew In 9
church, and conferred similar limited
rights only. The practice of sub let
ting was upheld however. For time
the stall privileges for term OF years
were sold at auction, netting enough
money to build the markets With. Buy
ers would sometimes sublet at q rate
that brought them ten per cent on
their Investment. Tho general opinion
seems to be that stalls in q municipal
market should only be rented direct to
the bona fide producer or the merchant
who is actually to use them. When the
European war is over. some OF our ex-
perts in international law may well
turn their attention to the statutes
bearing on the Baltimore markets.
Another problem that comes up is
the shift in real estate tendencies and
the character Of certain districts. Oc-
casionally some old market that was
fashionable center century ago 10 LETT
high and dry by turn in the tide OF
building. The better class residence
section moves away. Hanover Market,
Ill years old, is going through some.
thing Of the sort today and It has been
found necessary to rent portions OF us
space to wholesalers and dealers.
Whether the marketing system on
large scale can be successfully intro
duced into big cities where ordinary
retailing practice is firmly established
IA 4 question. The case Of Baltimore IS
not typical for, obvious reasons. In the
old Maryland city, the public market
Il a feature solidly intrenched IN the
regard of the citizen and furnishing
the visitor with unique AND pictur-
esoue spectacle.