Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-25
Department of Agriculture
Cooperating in Plans for
Model Establishment.
So, 200, 600 IS REQUIRED
TO DEVELOP PROJECT
Committee in Extensive Survey
Has Found Only Two Sites.
Other Is in Southwest.
RY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Washington today is about to relo-
cate it's public market system on an
ideal model plan under which all OF
the allied interests in the marketing
system can be properly co-ordinated.
The plan will meet changes that have
come with the growth and beautifica-
ton of the municipality, and as far as
possible take care of the requirements
of the future.
The United States Department OF
Agriculture is cooperating to have
model market center established here
that will set an example to all the
great cities of the world. The advice
of that Federal agency is based on an
economic study by Federal marketing
during the last year while
they were exercising administration
of the Washington Center Market.
This historic institution, which has
taken an important part in the az
fairs of the Capital for the last 10
years. must soon be moved to make
way for the long contemplated de-
of the south side or Penn
sylvania avenue and the Improvement
of B street to be boulevard of heroes
from the Capitol to Lincoln Memorial.
and the official route of corteges TO
Arlington National Cemetery.
Present Site Must Go.
The entering wedge for this develop
ment is the plan for erecting the new
Internal Revenue Building on the
three pieces of land between Tenth
and Twelfth, 3 and c streets north
west, for which appropriation mas
been made by Congress as part OF the
$50 900 900 Federal building program.
The strip of land between and
Little s streets. on which the founda-
ton work is soon TO be started, Is
new occupied by the farmers market,
or the country line The entire
market system of farmers market,
wholesale market and city market
must be kept intact, because OF the
close relation each bears to the other.' :
Therefore, with plans for finding a
suitable new location for a farmers
market. expert consideration is being
given to plans for an entirely new
market section.
From earliest times the market
place has been the thermometer OF
city's growth and prosperity. II was
the original community center In the
days of ancient Rome.
In the 125 years that have elapsed
since the Washington Center Market
was established residential Washing
ton has grown away from this old
market center. Today the necessity
for establishing a new market center
is not only in line with the plans for
Identification of the Capital. but IS
based also, on economic and utili-
tartan considerations.
Survey Has Been Made.
These facts have been impressed
upon the committee, composed of Maj.
Carey H. Brown, engineer of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission: Lloyd s. Tenny, acting
chief of the Bureau of Agricultural
F,conomics of the Department of Ag-
riculture; C. w. Kitchen, business
manager and superintendent OF the
washington Center Market, ana
George NJ. Roberts, superintendent OF
the Office of weights. measures ana
MARKERS of the District government.
They have been making survey OF
the entire District to see where
market center should be located. with
a view to making recommendations I'd
Congress in December.
This committee is almost agreed
that the following are essential re-
ouirements for model market center
such as they propose to recommend 10
Congress:
First-Railroad connections to elimi-
nate the cost of handling the food
nroducts. This means not only ao-
iacent freight yards but private tracks
leading to the doors of warehouses.
Wholesale houses and TO the coal
bunkers of the central market build
ing.
Second-It must be readily acces-
sible to the greatest number or IN
habitants of the District of Columbia.
Must Protect Consumers.
Third-With particular reference to
the farmers market, which is an es-
sential feature to protect consumers
from commission merchants, the new
market site should be located win
careful thought to the ability OF the
farmers to bring in their produce over
the big trunk line highways without
being forced to pass through heavily
congested sections.
Fourth-Accessibilit of street
railways and bus lines radiating IN
all directions.
Fifth-Space sufficient to accommo-
date all the groups which are an In
tegral part of a model market cen
ter; not only the center market oulid-
ing, in which stands are rented 10
some few dealers. but the whole
sale market, the farmers market, the
warehouses of big wholesale concerns.
and sites that can be purchased by
several hundred merchants in re-
| lated businesses. While the Center
Market now occupies an area OF about
| two and one-half acres, this is but
| a very small fraction of the space
| required for an ideal market center.
Space must be convenient for parking
| of automobiles for the man who goes
| to market.
sixth. To carry out the plans OF
! those who are projecting the model
market center it is essential that
relatively cheap sites can be sup
! piled for warehouses clustering about
I the market center which can be
served by spur tracks.
Two Locations Found.
In its survey the committee has
| found only two locations that merit
! serious consideration.
One of these was the area covering
/ five city blocks which the Southern
Railroad transferred last year to the
new Potomac Freight Terminal Com
pany, which proposes to establish
81. 900, 900 freight terminal facilities
and railroad sidings. This area is
bounded by Water street. Maryland
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