Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-04
MARKET QUESTION
NOT TO INTERRUPT
REVENUE BUILDING
Treasury Will Start Work on
Western Half of Site
by January |.
CITY HEADS AGREE TO
VACATE BY THAT TIME
Final Decision as to New Location
for Farmers Will Be Reached
in October, Bell Says.

The Commissioners have personally
agreed upon plan of procedure on
the market question which will enable
the Treasury to take possession of the
western half of the farmers markes
at 18th and B streets for the Federal
building program by January l. witht
the understanding that it will be pos
sible by that time to move the farmers
directly to the permanent site for a.
new market. This was learned today
from Engineer Commissioner Bell.
Although there has been no formar
action by the Board of Commissioners.
Col. Bell stated that James A. Wet
more, supervising architect Of the
Treasury, has been assured. as a re
suit of the conference yesterday after,
noon. that he can proceed with the
plans for the Internal Revenue Build
ing on the assumption that it will be
possible to vacate the western portion
of the farmers market in January.
1t developed at the conference that
that date would he satisfactory to
the Treasury officials.
Select Site I'm October.
In agreeing to this arrangement,
Col. Bell said it is expected that the
final decision as to location of the new
market will be reached at the October
meeting of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, for two
reasOnS: First. so that the Commits
sionersAwill be able to go to Congress
as soon as it meets in December to OBJ
tain whatever action is necessary &c
oh nf fCV 1nt.C'
ket directly to the permanent location
as they are taken down at Twelfth
and Il streets. and secondly, so that
private commission merchants. who
will be required to move to make way
for the building program, may know
by October where the new market
center is to be as guide to them in
relocating their business.
The Engineer Commissioner gave
this outline OF the situation after he
had devoted several hours this morn
ing to close inspection not only Of
conditions as they now exist at the
farmers market and wholesale row.
but also of the proposed market site
along the water front in the South
west and the area surrounding the
Convention Hall Market, known as
the Mid-city site.
Col. Bell carefully refrained from
committing himself as to his own
choice, since the decision is not to be
made until October, but discussed
some of the things which he believes
necessary. He concluded by stating
that II any one can suggest de-
sirable location not yet mentioned. he
would be glad to consider it.
Mall Site May Be Eliminated.
rrLo r,.oood,,,o ~. ,,n,,. ,,lon,ad 20.
allowing the Government to begin ex-
cavating at the western end of the
farmers market i'm January and
making a determined effort to have
the controversy over the permanent
new location settled well before that
time will, II successful, eliminate the
proposal to move the farmers market
to so-called temporary place in the
Mall. a scheme which has met con-
siderable opposition.
Col. Bell explained that the steel
sheds now covering the farmers
markets from Tenth to Twelfth along
B street are in perfectly good con-
dition and can be re-erected at the
new market site as they are taken
down, providing prompt action Is
taken in settling the question OF To-
cation. One of the important factors
in this connection Is whether land
will have to be bought for the new
farmers market. or whether II goes
on land already owned by the Fed
eral or District Government. This
is one of the matters the Commits
sioners want to be in a position to
submit to Congress In December.
Ample Space Desired.
After viewing the farmers mar
Iyof In at
of o'clock this morning" said Col.
Bell. II am convinced that the new
farmers location should he large
enough 20 provide at least $4,000
square feet of space for the covered
sheds and fully 100000 square feet
of available space for the parking of
the numerous trucks and vehicles.
not only Of the farmers, but of the
commission merchants and large
buyers who concentrate to trade In
the early morning hours"
Bell Cites Advantages.
Referring TO his trip to the water
front a short while later, Col. Bell
tages Is the fact that the Govern
ment owns the water frontage for q
distance Of 1000 feet from the end
of the fish market at Twelfth street
toward Fourteenth street. and that
railroad trackage facilities are near
by. He explains that farmers from
Virginia could come across the High
way Bridge, which is close to the pro-
posed site: that those from southern
Maryland could enter by the Ana.
costa Bridge and travel through NJ
street from the southeast to the wa
ter front. and farmers from Montgom.
cry County could in the future use
the boulevard that will come down
from the northwest and around the
southern extremity of the city. Col.
Bell, on the other hand. said there
were disadvantages that could be
cited, one of which would be that
many people would have to travel
considerable distance to get to the
waterfront site.
The Commissioner also looked care.
fully over the area surrounding the
Convention Hall Market at Fifth and
X streets and studied its advantages
and possible drawbacks.
Linked With Commission Houses.
Col. Bell said that his trip to the
Farmers Market this morning dem.
onstrdted TO him that the farmers
space and the commission houses are
closely linked and that IL 10 essential
to let new market site where these
two branches of the marketing busi.
ness can be close together. He said IL
10 not so essential that the Center
A CONTINUED on Page .. Column u :.