Evening star., 1927-10-06
IMMEDIATE STUDY
OF MARKET IS SET
Official to Epitomize Argu.
ments on Several Sites SUD-
gested for Farmers.

| "A tHOTouSH SLuuy OIL lne mass OF
data submitted in the interest of the
| various sites recommended for the
new farmers produce market, will be
started by the District Commissioners
Immediately following the public hear
! ings on the subject scheduled to con.
| clude this afternoon with a brief re.
buttal argument by advocates of the
| so-called southwest site.
Aside from the stenOgra phic report
OF the proceedings. the Commissioners
| have vOluminous collection of
| briefs. charts and maps and plates to
consider in connection with their
| study, and it was indicated that con-
| siderable time would he required to
compare the merits of the proposed
sites as outlined by their respective
| proponents and to make a definite Sc.
! lection.
Will Digest Arguments.
Because Of the tremendous amount
OF work attached to this study. the
| commissioners are planning to de-
tail one official, probably an assistant
| Engineer Commissioner, to epitomize
| the arguments advanced by the sup
porters OF the different sites. in or
| der to relieve them of this detail and
| thus facilitate their final decision.
Commissioner Proctor l.. Dougherty
| emphasized that the problem confront
| ing the Commissioners over the relO-
| cation OF the Farmers Market Is an
| exceedingly difficult one, requiring ex.
tensive and mature consideration. The
| selection of sit for the Farmers
Market. he pointed out, is just one of
the factors entering into the problem,
as the one chosen should be available
as a general food collection and gen.
eral distribution centeh. accessible to
both producers and consumers.
Debate on Location.
1t was indicated today that the
controversy over the relocation Of
the Farmers Produce Market is na:-
rowing to the question of whether it
shall be north or south of Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Farmers from Mont
gomcry County and Prince Georges
County, Md, for the most part, favor
one of the three sites proposed in
the northern section of the city, while
farmers from Fairfax County, Va,
and other parts of that State south
or southwest of Washington. and
from southern Maryland, prefer a
water front site In Southwest Wash
ington.
Business men and citizens associ-
ations are divided on the question.
Three locations have been proposed
| north of Pennsylvania avenue-the
midcity site, on the square bounded
by Fourth, Fifth. X and L streets
northwest: the lexington site, west
Of the Baltimore G. Ohio Railroad
tracks, and the Patterson site. east
Of those tracks. Each of these sites
has its supporters, but they all agree
in asking that the market be placed
| north of Pennsylvania avenue.
Several Montgomery County farm
ers declared yesterday at the hearing
before the Commissioners that it would
be a great inconvenience to have to
traverse the congested part OF the
city on their way to market. Similar
reasons were advanced by farmers
to the south against a market in
the northern section. The fact that
the Fish Market. wholesale meat
houses and cold storage facilities al
ready exist south of Pennsylvania
avenue was urged in favor of that
section: while others cOntended that
it would be ridiculous to put the
market SO far from the center of
the city where the retail buyers are
to be found in largest numbers.
The Pennsylvania Railroad and
Southern Railway favored the South
west site. while the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad favors a location in
the Northwest or Northeast. The
two former roads have their freight
yards in the Southwest. while the
latter has it's yards in the northern
part of the city.
l.. J. Harrison of Suitland Md, who
has a farm of 155 acres devoted to the
raising Of green vegetables for the
Washington market, announced that
he spoke for the farmers of the Dis.
trict, Maryland and many from
Virginia.
1--WE have indorsed the mid-city
plan" said Mr.. Harrison, because it
is already a market center. If you
put the farmers market some place
away from the general retail business
it will mean the destruction Of farm
ers' business in Washington. I have
decided that farmers are usually re.
garded as geese, only good to he
picked, and am ready to be picked.
But. I want to make it clear what the
result will be.
I'VE ask for some central place
where we can serve the people. If we
do not have such a place you will be
throwing your money away.
The proponents of the lexington
of the University Of Maryland exten.
sion service, and a member of COM
mittee which made an exhaustive
study of the market situation, began
their arguments when the Commits
sioners concluded consideration of the
case OF the mid-city group. This site
Ia bounded by o and p streets, North
Capitol, New York Avenue and First
street.
At the outset DR.. Symons pointed
out that a careful study Of the market
situation had convinced his commit
tee that the lexington site would be
far more satisfactory, more logical
and more convenient for the welfare
Of the city as whole than any Of
the other sites proposed.
The appraised value of the property.
which is 700 feet long and 354 feet
wide, DR.. Symons said, amounts to
$443 900.
J. w. Jones, president Of the Mont.
gomery County Farm Bureau, said
that 80 or 100 per cent of the farmers
in that section were in favor of the
Eckington site. If the Farmers Mar.
ket were moved into the southwest
section he thought the Montgomery
County farmers would have to go out
of the business of raising produce for
the Washington market or else sell
through middlemen. with a conse.
auent higher price to the consumer.
II. Tucker, who has truck farm near
Anacostia. said he had canvassed
truck gardeners in that section and
found only one who was in favor of
the Farmers Market for the south.
west. He advocated the lexington
site. This site was also favored by
Judge E. w. Sheppard OF Berwyn.
Md, representing the Vansville Farm.
ers' Club. and by Joseph Blandford
Of Brandywine, Nd, past master Of
,khn ARrinno ..k7AocOoa County sGranGn