Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-17
FARM MARKET SITE
VACAT|NG IS ASKED
Treasury Calls on D. c. Heads
to Find How Soon Area
Can Be Cleared.

Relocato of the Farmers Market,
4 problem that has been waiting for
the return of Congress, loomed as an
urgent matter today when the Treas
ury Department asked the District
Commissioners for information as TO
the earliest date on which the land
| now occupied by the farmers can be
vacated in order to permit work to be
started on the new Internal Revenue
Building.
The sending of this query to the Dis
trict authorities not only brought the
market question into the foreground,
but revealed at the same time that the
Treasury is ready to make start soon
on the triangle building program.
Wants Entire Space.
When the moving OF the Farmers
stand was being considered last Fall
the understanding was that at the out
set the farmers would have to vacate
only the west half of the site, which
extends from Tenth To Twelfth streets
between b and Little Il streets.
In his letter to the Commissioners
today, James A. Wetmore, acting
supervising architect, advises the city
heads that the Government is now de.
sirous Of having possession Of the
entire space at the earliest convenient
date.
District officials were not prepared
to state today what reply they would
be able to make to the Treasury. The
market is operated by the office of
weights and measures, and in view
of the fact that Commissioner
Dougherty, who supervises that de-
partment is on vacation, IL was not
certain this morning what immediate
step the District Building would take.
Earlier Hearing Probable.
The city heads intended TO hold
hearing some time in October to con
slider the market problem, in ac.
cordance with the direction given
them by the last Congress to recon-
mend definite site for a new
farmers stand. but the query from
the Treasury Department today in all
proba bility will cause them to give
earlier thought to this question.
The urgent feature of the matter
as it appeared today. Is. what tenn
porary provision could be made for
the farmers if the entire space from
Tenth to Twelfth has to be given up
before Congress has time to provide
funds for a new farmers market?
The controller general ruled some
| time ago that the appropriation made
by Congress to begin the Internal
Revenue Building can be used to take
down the sheds which shelter the ex.
listing farmers row, but cannot be
| used to erect them again at some tenn
porary location.
George NJ. Roberts, superintendent
of weights and measures, said he
would refrain from discussing the
problem until the Commissioners have
time to consider this latest develop
ment.
Contest on Sites Developed.
The commissioners last Winter sent
bill to Congress which would have
authorized them TO select the site for
a new Farmers Market at cost of
| 5000 900 Hearings at the Capltol,
however, developed into keen con-
test between advocates of different
proposed localities, with the result
that the Senate finally took the posi-
tion that the Commissioners should
recommend a definite location to Con
| gress in December Of this year.
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission last year recon-
mended three general localities from
/ NIlItH III tJlOcSH Il HItt, Iut1S III
, the vicinity of lexington, in the
| Southwest section near the water
| front. and r. mid city site. generally
regarded as near the market at Fifth
and k streets. AT the hearings be-
| fore the Senate District committee
proponents of the water front and
| those favoring a site somewhere be
| tween mid-city and lexington made
earnest efforts to have their respec-
| tive localities approved.
/ Even if Congress should enact
/ legislation soon after it meets prOvid-
| ing funds for new Farmers Mar
/ ket, ii would take some time to pre-
| pare plans and complete construction.
If 1t should develop that the Govern
inent wants possession OF the present
market site by the end OF this calendar
year or early in. 1928, it appeared
today that the District authorities
would have to give some considera ton
to providing a temporary arrangement
for the farmers
Trade Best I'm Last Summer.
Records at the District Building in.
dicate that the sale OF produce is at
It's height a the Farmers Market dur
ing August. September and October,
followed by a decline from November
to March. In the fiscal year 1926. for
example, there We're 9,90S loads of pro.
duce on the market in August. 1895
in September and practically the same
c*acent.ausa on Page q, column a. I