Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-21
BOOSTS MARKET
4: !: Z; e: ON WATER front
Chairman of Southwest Com.
mittee Advances Arguments
for Proposed Site.

Urging the establishment of
wholesale terminal for dealers in
perishable food products near the mu-
nicipal fish wharf on the river front
and outlining how such a terminal
should be laid out, Salvatore Scalco,
chairman of the Southwest Boosters
Committee, today submitted a letter
to the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission in support OF
the proposal.
IF the planning commissioners would
recommend to the District committee
a wholesale terminal for all merchants
who deal in fruits, vegetables, poultry,
eggs. and even meat packers ana
wholesale grocers, and were to locate
this plant in the neighborhood of the
Municipal Fish Market, where two up
to-date cold storage plants are located
and to which point five railroads
bring freight, it would add greatly 10
the appearance of that section If the
farmers market were to be placed IN
the mid-city section, 1t would spoil the
plans to make Washington the most
beautiful city in the world. already
planned by the Fine Arts Commission.
The following is an outline OF now
] think this wholesale terminal mar
ket could be built: 1t should have long
platforms. with each space numbered
off and rented to whatever concern De
sired to locate there, and have sub
cellars for dry storage for products
such as apples, onions, potatoes.
bananas, etc.
THE floors above could be used for
the cold storage of meats and other
vegetables The live stock and poultry
merchants should be in one section,
vegetable merchants in another sec
ton. The railroads could run switch
tracks or sidingS to this building,
where the cars could be unloaded I'M
mediately on arrival. With this Ell
fciancv I believe we could get at least
two more trips out of each car per
year. and by unloading promptly ana
returning same to railroad would pre-
vent a great amount Of food from
being wasted at the shipping points
while shippers are waiting for empty
cars
THE switch tracks would eliminate
all dravage. Under the present condi-
tons. drayage alone costs about $3o
per car. When car of fruit arrives
we first haul it to cold storage ana
later we haul it to our places of busl-
ness. where it is sold. and hnally
hauled to the retail dealer. When you
stop to COnSlQcr tlldL lIleIe oiC avn
200 merchants doing this, 1t ADDS quite
an item to the cost of food.
The reason some OF the farmers
do not want the waterfront location
Is that if it should go there, they
would have strong competition from
Eastern Shore. southern Maryland
and Virginia farmers. who would DE
able to furnish produce much cheap
CT than the others. on account OF low
cost of transportation by water.
THE money that would he spent
in erecting such a building, | feei
sure. would be returned and the build
ing paid for in the shape of rents b:
the occupants. or stock company
could he formed and the shares sold
IN the open market.
Another thing that | would ike 10
call to your attention Is that some
times we overestimate and take too
much fruit out of storage: If we can
not dispose of it. it lays on our hands
and decays Now If the storage were
ON the premises, We would only take.
out samples. and when sale ~ ilaue
we could deliver from the cold Stor.
age room thereby avoiding waste.