San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-13
Old Timers Remember
When 1t Was the Center Of
Village Housewives
Gathered to Buy Produce
and Exchange Gossip;
Will Have to Tear Down
Front Part to Widen Mar
ket Street.

With its great iron gates locked
hard and fast, its windows barred
and its spacious front doors closed,
the old Market House awaits the
day when modern progress shall de-
cree that it's walls must b. torn down :
its place in the heart of San An
tonio's busy streets erased by more
imposing Twentieth Century skyscrap-
er. The Doric pillars, carved long
ago by a pioneer decorator, and the
walls made of native hewn rock must
give way to the square granite or
brick Of the narrow, high buildings
that today proclaim the mightiness Of
commerce, the progress of trade. His
tory will be covered over with a monu-
ment to finance, and the spot that
once sheltered vendors of Wild turkey
in the days of San Antonio's youth,
will be forgotten in the everlasting
push and rush of changing Time.
The Market House will probably
come down, % feet Of its Grecian
front at least, with the widening of
Market street-once a trail that hum
ers rode, with their venison and wild
turkey-to Market House NEAR the
plaza" In the street-widening pro-
gram Of the city of San Antonio, in
order to relieve congestion that exists
on busy streets nearby, Market street
must receive more depth, and the
Market House must pay the price Of
progress.
Wild Game on Sale.
There are people in San Antonio
who remember when the Market
House was the humming center Of the
village trade. Strange things were
sold there: Plump wild turkeys, kill
ed by residents Of San Antonio on the
uninhabited pastures that surrounded
the little town; vegetables grown IN
gardens in the back yards of the vii
lage; venison roasts, wild ducks and
geese. The stalls often contained moth
| ing but home produce, either grown
o. killed in the neighborhood Of the
town of San Antonio de Bexar.
Women Of the community would
gather early in the morning at the
Market House for supplies and gos-
| sip, according to "reminiscences from
those who used TO go along as Riddles.
and according to some who carried
market baskets themselves. News
would change hands almost as quick
ly as vegetables. and the life Of Q
community would be reviewed each
day over the cheerful red beets and
yellow carrots Of thrifty residents
From their irrigated gardens, along
the bitches" that once watered San
Antonio's back yards, housewives
would sometimes bring produce to ex
change for fat wild turkeys and de
lectable birds of the forest. or some
times they bought with their cabbage
and potatoes a share of the herbs
that would cure measles or whoopine
lcough.
Fine Ladies' Came There.
Those who lived very far from the
Market House would often ride or
horseback. or in queer "buggies," tC
the shopping place; and it is sal.
that aristrocracy would go to mar
ket in coaches and four. or in beetle
lshaped cabs, and that the arrival o
one Of these fine vehicles would caus'
the market merchants 10 scramble liz
dustriously to the front. TO exhibit
lmoveable wares TO the naughty wide
skirted ladies who viewed them from
tiny almond-shaped hats. with minin
ture handmade parasoIs held daintii,
aloft in hands that thought it shane
to work.
Slaves helped in the building of tn,
Market House. according TO peoplt
who remember when John Fries
builder and architect, placed the frs
native hewn stone on the foundation
III 1888. There are descendants aliv
ttday Of both John Fries and Enocl
Jones. the children and grandchildren
OF Mr.. Jones have said since tn
movement has been afoot to wide
Market street, that Mr.. Jones, VIII