Evening star., 1926-10-16
Decision on Farmers Center
May Be Reached Tonight
by Commission.
PROPOSED WATERFRONT
development APPROVED
$3, 900, 900 Estimated Cost Of In
provements-Body to Visit Wash
ington's Birthplace.

Washington's market center prob
lem, brought to the fore by the public
buildings program, which will drive
the farmers market from its present
location, is being considered today by
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission during a seven-hour
cruise down the Potomac to Wake
field, Va, and a decision Is expected
to be reached tonight at a dinner at
the Princess Anne Hotel, in Fred
ericksburg, Va.
Although the commission received
the report of its committee, which
has been considering the problem,
late yesterday afternoon, it gave it no
consideration because of the pressure
of other business. The commission.
however, did approve the plan for the
development of the Washington chan
mel waterfront as prepared in the of
fee of Maj Brehon Somervell. en-
gineer officer in charge of the Wash
ington engineering district.
Shortly after adjournment last
night, Maj. Carey II. Brown, chair
man of the market committee, made
public a. part of his report to the COM
mission which is being considered to-
day on the engineer launch Chicago
on the trip to Washingtons birthplace
at Wakefield, where the commission
will examine the site and the plans
developed for improving it.
Would Delay Market Removal.
The substance of the committees
recommendations is that the farmers
market be allowed to remain where
it is until the commission merchants
have located themselves, although
hot ov~f Of 10 10
does not indicate what points are sug-
geSted for commission house location.
The report does say that lexington
will permit of development of Il
central railroad terminal necessary
for such handling of produce. This
matter, however, it was pointed out,
will come up at the April, 1927, meet
ing, when the commissions program
on railroads and terminals will be con-
sidered, and it Is recommended that
the substance of the present report
be considered in connection with this
study now being made. a ~.
The committee reported that II had
given further study of the situation,
as result of the directions given by
the commission at it's August meet
ing, and had conferred with the
proponents of various sites and others
interested, including representatives
Of the farmers and of the commission
merchants.
"It must be remembered that while
very probably a new Farmers Market
will be provided at public expense, the
commission merchants are free to
choose their own location and must
and will go where, by private enter
prise. suitable facilities will be pro-
vided for them.
Center Market Location.
"As to the retail Center Market"
the report continued, 'it is the belief
that from the standpoint of &C.
cessibility and convenience to the
public there is no better location than
the present. No matter where the
commission houses and the wholesale
farmers market are moved, a certain
retail business will develop, great or
small, according to the accessibility
Of the location. and possibly succeed.
Ing to a large part of the business of
the present Center Market. On the
other hand, with the removal of the
present wholesale Farmers Market
and commission houses, it is possible
that the retail market business will
gradually distribute itself among the
chain stores and various more out
lying markets. public and private.
making an effort to establish a Center
Market elsewhere than at the present
location inadvisable and uneconomical.
For these reasons 1t Is believed in
advisable to move Center Market at
least until the effects Of the removal
Of the wholesale market have been
observed.
THE committee, therefore. considers
q tA
site suitable for the commission
houses and the wholesale Farmers
Market, but not necessarily suitable
Tor the retail business now conducted
at Center Market.
"As to such a site, the following
points seem most important: % High.
way and parking facilities; (2) Rail.
road Tor rail and water) facilities: (3)
Locality - convenient suitable for
business-unobjecti (4) Cost of
land.
Highway Facilities Essential.
Highway facilities are, of course,
absolutely essential both to farmers
and commission men, as all produce
is trucked from. If not both to and
from, the market. Space must be
available about the market for several
hundreds of vehicles, and highways
permitting distribution of traffic in
all directions are needed.
Railroad location offers obvious ad-
vantageS and economies to the COM
mission houses. The direct cost of
hauling produce from the railroad to
the commission house under the pres
ent circumstances here is about 2 or
3 per cent Of its sale value, TO which
may be added indirect costs due to
damage and loss in handling, to loss
Of time and to congestion.
'In considering a railroad location
three lines Of railroad approach are
to be considered--that by way os a&s
Long Bridge from the South: that by
way of the Pennsylvania fr@yn .he
North and West, and thaa by way OF
the Baltimore and Ohio from the
North and West. For the year 1926
the-relative traffic in fruits and vege-
tables was: South, 46 per cent: North
and West, 81 per cent. This does not
include meats. poultry and dairy prod
ucts, which come mainly from the
North and West. Under present con-
ditionS the commission men prefer
the Pennsylvania to the Baltimore
and Ohio, as the haul to their stores
is shorter.
1.-THE proportion coming into Wash.
ington by the southern approach Is,
however, decreasing. due to: Q) a
growing tendency to ship from Missis-
sippi, Louisiana, Texas. ETC., via 81.
(Coutinued on Para q Column a.