Evening star., 1927-12-18
Place the Farmers Market First

Granting that the District Commits
sioners are correct in their assumption
that the farmers market will be per-
manently located in close relationship
TO the wholesale and commission house
district that will be developed upon
the evacuation of the present estab.
lishments, it would seem TO be just
as logical to proceed with the selection
market now as to wait until the whole
salers and commission dealers have
made their own choice. In this con-
nection, in the natural course of
things it is probable that the whole
salers may he relied upon to place
themselves in the neighborhood of
the farmers market, assuming that
that institution is located with ref
erence to transportation facilities.
Unless the nucleus of a market cen
ter is established by governmental ac-
tion such as the permanent placement
of the farmers market at the most
suitable place. there Is no positive as.
surance that the wholesalers and com
mission dealers will in fact assemble
in comparatively restricted area
They may scatter over a relatively
broad field. each in accordance with
his own views of trade convenience
and advantage.
At present there is a concentration
of food purveying establishments
around the Center Market This is the
result of long years of local habit, but
n recent times there have been several
departures from this area. large ware
houses and distribution points being
erected at a distance, but with ref
erence to rail facilities. which serves
to indicate that there may be no GER
tainty of concentration when the dis
persal takes place with the evacuation
of the area now lying under virtual
Government pre-emption.
1t is thus to be seen that time NAV
be saved by coupling the provision
for a temporary accommodation of
the farmers market with authorize
tion and appropriation for the perma-
nent establishment at a definitely Sc
lected site. Otherwise an element of
uncertainty enters into the situation.
with the possibility of protracted de-
lay in the permanent settlement of the
matter. 1t is not a case Of putting
the cart before the horse to place the
farmers market specifically now on
a permanent basis without waiting
for the commission houses and whole
'salers TO locate themselves, for the
farmers market may be considered
as the horse rather than the private
" owned and controlled provision
stores.
The point of greatest importance in
this matter is TO avoid a so-called tenn
porary emplacement of the farmers
market on the public park. where it
may so easily become a veritabIe fix
ture through procrastination. 1t is
estimated that it will cost approx
mately $4,000 to erect the necessary
sheds and appurtenant facilities for
this establishment on the Mall. The
same amount of money would almost
suffice for a permanent equipment
OF course, site must be bought. and
site buying is not a speedy process. But
IT can be hastened. and if assurance
is definitely given that the removal
from the present location will be ef-
fected before the ground is actually re-
quired for the Internal Revenue Build
ing work. it is possible to reach a final
solution of this problem within a few
weeks. with fair certainty that with
the farmers market as thus finally
placed as A nucleus the prospective
market center will develop through
private enterprise
-S-16N--