Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18
MARKET CLOSURE
IN 1929 IS URGED
Smoot Bill Sets January | as
Date for Abandonment
of Center Stalls.

Closing Of Center Market al the end
of the calendar year 1928, TO clear the
path for the Government building
program. is provided for in a join,
resolution introduced in the Senate
Yesterday afternoon by Senator
SmoOt. Republican, of Utah. and
referred to the committee on publ,
buildings and grounds for considera.
lion.
Although Washington has known
for the past year or two that the
downtown retail market between
Seventh and Ninth streets would he
abandoned in the not distant future.
this is the first step toward fixing a
definite date for its discontinuance.
The Center Market was taken over
by the Government five or six wears
ago, and since that time has been op.
Grated by the Department Of Agricul.
| ture. which leases space to dealers
Gives Ample Notice
! Senator Smoot explained that his
/ only purpose in Offering the resolution
at this time was 10 give ample notice
/ To those who viii be affected by The
abandonment of the market. The
/ text Of the resolution follows:
! Resolved by the Senate and
/ House of Representatives that the
/ Secretary of Agriculture he and is
hereby directed to give notice that on
/ and after January !. 1929, the Govern.
ment will cease 10 maintain a public
market on PENNSYLVANIA avenue he.
tween Seventh and Ninth streets. The
land now occupied by Center Market
/ 81 sd H.
! available for construction OF puplic
buildings of the Government.
The general plan Of the Public
! Buildings Commission for develop
ment of the Pennsylvania avenue.Mall
! triangle cOntemplates erection Of the
| new Department Of Justice building
on the market site. and the resolu.
ton indicates that those in charge of
! the program expect to be in a posi-
ton to proceed with that structure
at the end of the coming year.
Leases End i'm June.
The Department of Agriculture
leases the stands in the market for
ono year at a time, expiring in June.
| If it is decided by Congress to make
| January L. 1929. the date for closing
! the market. the leases made next
| Summer would be for six months.
Since the problem of market faciG-
ties i'm general has been under dis
| cussion during the past year or more,
| there has been speculation as to what
would be done with the center retail
| market There have been some indi-
| cations that when Center Market is
| done away with the Government
would not wish TO establish another
/ aforementioned market. In that
! event the retail market facilities for
the future would be a private devel'
| opment.
In any event the taking of steps to
| fix certain date for abandonment of
| Center Market is expected to give
renewed interest to the entire subject.
New Site Is Sought.
1t comes also at time when Con
grass is about To turn its attention 10
! the report of the District Commission
ers concerning the Farmers Market,
in which they recommended placing
/ the farmers temporarily in the Mall,
! south of street between Sixth and
i Seventh streets The farmers must
| move Immediately from the existing
| sheds between Tenth, Twelfth, b and
| Little E streets and District author
| tiles took the position that if possible,
! the permanent site for the new Farm
| ers' Market should not be acquired UNI
| til 1t is known where the commission
| merchants plan to move to.
The commission men, now grouped
| along Louisiana avenue near the
! farmers sheds, also must look for
new quarters as the Government build
| ing program progresses, and the Com
/ missioners felt the farmers should go
/ wherever the commission men decide
! to settle.
The city heads told Congress that
| if a permanent site Is to be bought at
| this time, they favor one in the South
| west section.
! The Public Buildings Commission
/ plans TO accompany the District Com
| missioners on an inspection Thursday
morning of the site suggested as
| temporary stand for the farmers. The
| views of the members of the Buildings
| Commission may have an important
! bearing on what provision finally Is
made for the farmers.