Evening star., 1926-08-27

continued from FIRST Page.D
be an attractive improvement in that
section of the city. and not any Op-
portunity for real estate speculation,
or large outlay by the Government"
said Mr.. Driscoll. We have To-
cation that the public convenience
needs, and to that location we are
inviting the intensive study of the
specialists who know all the require
ments for an ideal municipal market"
AS the municipal market problem
now stands, no conclusive and final
action can be taken until Congress
meets in December and passes upon
the recommendations to be made by
the City Planning Commission. A
specific act of Congress located the
Farmers Market on the site it now
occupies, and another act of Con-
greSs is required to authorize its
removal There is no leCislat tive
provision whatever for removal of
the Center Market, or the commits
sion or wholesale houses from their
present locations.
Separation Is Opposed.
The City Planning Commission has
considered as inadvisable the separa-
tion of the Farmers Market from the
wholesale row" OF commission
houses. The co-ordinating committee
reported that when the Farmers Mar
ket is moved, the commission houses
also should be induced to move to the
same new location. Since these whole
sale houses occupy privately owned
property, the only way to force them
to move to new location is to make
1t advantageous for them to do so by
showing more business at the new
than at the old stand.
Maj. L. S. Grant. Sd. director of
public buildings and public parks. and
acting chairman of the Public Build
ings Commission, stated that it is the
ultimate intention to remove the Cen
ter Market and the entire market sec
ton from the site 1t now occupies.
This carries along the recommenda-
tions made by the Public Buildings
Commission in 1915 after an exten-
sive study of the entire Government
establishment, and with particular
consideration of plans for develop
ment of the National Capital. At
that time the estimated cost Of a new
Center Market building and site was
more than $5.0OO.000. That report
stated:
ITO remedy the unsightly conditions
in that area comprising squares $50.
3S1 and 3S2. that area devoted to
market purposes whether public,
semipublic or private) should be han
died as a unit. Hucksters and coun-
try produce wagons and traffic in live
animals and produce should be taken
off the streets leading to the National
Museum and the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition, and located in a building built
,,v.k. nd ivN< hn ,,s%
should be adequately controlled for
purposes of health and sanitation
So it has long been the plan-(D
to develop a model municipal market
as a unit and (2) that it should be
removed from the triangle between
PENNSYLVANIA avenue and the Mall.
which it Is the intention of Congress
to use for sites for Government build
ings.
With particular reference to the
mid-city location it is argued that this
area is preferable to others.
Site Is Accessible.
The proposed site east of Sixth
street between New York, New Jer-
sey and Massachusetts avenues is
ideal from the viewpoint of accessi-
bility:
First. 1t is outside the congested
traffic district.
Second. 1t is the geographic center
of the city. as well as the center of
population. which is in the vicinity of
L street between Fourth and Fifth
streets.
Third. The street car facilities are
excellent. The Capital Traction lines
on Seventh street and New Jersey
avenue. which skirt the proposed mar
ket site on the east and west. connect
directly with bra nch lines to all parts
of the District. The Washington
Railway and Electric Co. has three
lines serving this locality-along Mas.
sachusetts avenue and two out Fifth
street. the lie Droit Park and City
and Suburban lines.
Fourth. II is bounded by three
broad avenues. which lead TO the prin.
cipsl residential districts and afford