Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-27
CAPPER EXPLAINS
MARKET SITE VIEW
Bringing Consumer and Pro-
Queer Together Is Aim of
Committee Head.

The new Farmers Market should be
placed where 1t will be most likely to
bring the producer and consumer to-
gether, Chairman Clpper of the Sen
ate District committee declared yes
terdaH afternoon while advocates of
the midclty and water front sites were
endeaVoring TO persuade the commit
tee of the superiority of their respec
tive locations.
Senator Capper made this statement
after a. j. DrlsColl. leader of the mid
city forces hau testified that the great
majOrity of farmers favor q site in the
vicinity of Fifth and X streets. Mr.,
Driscoll presented a petition in favor
of that neighporhood signed by 444
farmers. He also was supported by
the report of the Citizens Advisory
Council, presented by w. |. SWanton.
Several farmers who appeared be
fore the committee testified that il
they are to dispose of their products
it is essential that they be near the
retail market. rhey said that since
the Farmers Market must move i'm
mediately, whereas the Center Market
may not be relocated for 10 years,
they prefer to move to the vicinity Of
Fifth and X streets because a large
retail market Is already established
there
Water Front Is Favored.
Il. u. Marshall of the Washington
Market Co and the Terminal Re
frigerating Plant. in summarizing the
arguments for the water front loca
ton, told the committee it should
consider the city's food distribution
system as Il whole. He pointed out
that the cold storage plants and the
meat packers have gone to the South
west and that the fish market is on
the water front He argued that
large part of the city's food supply
must pass through cold storage and
declared that unless the various mar
ketS are concentrated in the South
west the cost of handling market
products will be increased.
Others who advocated the South
west location were Salvatore Scalco,
fruit dealer; Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley,
appearing as a consumer; G.. w. Fors
berg. a director in the Norfolk and
Washington Steamboat Co. and di-
rector in the Convention Hall Market.
Mr.. Forsberg asked that while he is
connected with the Convention Hall
Market, he wanted to protest as a
taxpayer against the expenditure of
100000 to buy a site for a farmers
market when the city has an avail
able site on the water front that can
be used when the sea wall improve
ments have been made along Water
street.
Maj. Brown Gives Views.
Maj. Carey H. Brown, who investi-
gated the market site problem for the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, admitted there was space
at the north end of the Washington
Channel river front where a farmers
market could be established He said
this had been referred to as a six acre
tract, but that plans for connecting
bridge between East Potomac Park
and Water street would reduce that
tract According to Maj. Brown, the
sea wall along that site would cost
S250,000
l.. j. Harrison. one Of the spokes-
men for the Maryland farmers, said
the farmers would not be so particu-
lar as to the location of their new
stand if the Center Market was to be
moved also at this time. He said the
great difficulty with the Southwest
site, however, is that Center Market
is not to be disturbed for number Of
years, and that if the farmers alone
are moved to the water front they will
not be able to dispose of their goods
-
keeper living in the Northwest she
wanted to stress the fact that the
Southwest location would not be diff
ficult TO reach and that there would
be an advantage in having the other
markets near the fish, market. Mrs
Wiley said she was surprised to find
that she was the only housewife to
testify on a question that should in
terest all women who go to market.
Midcity Site Preferred.
The report of the advisory council,
presented by Mr.. Swanton, favored
grouping the retail. wholesale and
farmer markets. as at present, and ex-
pressed q preference for the midcity
location.
While Mr. Harrison was teStifying
as a farmer who uses the present mar
ket. Senator Capper asked him if he
thought Government clerks could save
by dealing directly with the farmers.
Mr.. Harrison said he thought they
could. Senator Capper asked other
witnesses the same question, indicat
ing that he thought the cost of living
might be reduced by a proper location
of the farmers market.
The committee expects to conclude
the hearings this afternoon. The bill,
authorizing an appropriation of $780,
600 for purchase of a site for the new
farmers market makes no reference
to location, leaving that to be decided
by the Commissioners. The Senate
committee. however, has gone eXhaus-
lively into the merits and dement's of
the midcity, lexington and water
front proposals and several committee
members have indicated they wanted
to give consideration to the location
before acting on the bill.
1t was pointed out. however, that
the pending measure is merely an en-
abling act and that Congress will have
a check on the purchase of the site
when the money is actually appro-
priated
Maj. Brown reminded the committee
yesterday that half of the present
farmers market is to be given up by
the District in few months to make