Evening star., 1928-03-22
MAY PICK MARKET.
4, SITE NEXT WEEK
Senate Committee Closes
!. Two-Day Hearing on
Various Sites.

altefiloon LWO~OdN uSaililk NJ HAlSI
.the forces Of the Southwest and tht
advocates of a site north of PennSylva
.nia avenue engaged III another spirited
debate over the merits OF their reSpec
tive localities.
The final hearing yesterday was al
,lotted primarily to the Southwest ad'
vocatss to enable them to answer th'
arguments for the site north of Penn
&ylvania avenue. Before the meeting
adjourned. however. speakers on botl
sides Of the question took part in ar
Mnpromptu exchange of views.
Led by Col. Wrisley Brown, support
ers Of the Southwest site near the river
front based their case chiefly on The
ground that the Farmers Market /:
essentially a unit of the wholesale fooc
system OF the city rather than a retail
center, and that. therefore. it should &C
10 the vicinity of the cold storage plants
snd the Municipal Fish Market, below
Pennsylvania avenue.
Wholesale and Retail
From the start Of the hearings, Chair
man Capper asked all witnesses to en-
tighten the committee as TO whether
the Farmers Market is generally re-
gardeG as a wholesale or retail place,
and lust before adjournment yesterday
he called George NJ Roberts, superir-
esndent of weights, measures and mar
ketS, and questioned him carefully on
this point.
Supt. Roberts answered that the
Farmers Market is regarded as COM
bined wholesale and retail, and that
the effort of his department has been
10 build I'D the retail end
Senator Capper asked the Superin-
tendent 10 comment on the testimony
OF the Southwest advocates that 90 per
cent Of the business Of the old Farmers
Market has been wholesale and 8 per
cent retail.
Mr.. Roberts took issue with the testi-
mony. giving it as his opionion that
out of about $4,000 900 in produce
handled annually. approximately 90 per
cent. or 100000, is sold to consumers,
leaving so per cent wholesale.
so, what we need Is q wholesale mar
ket?" questioned Senator Copeland of
New York
No. SIR the witness replied, what
we need Is first class Farmers Mar
ket for both wholesale and retail, and
we should encourage the retail busi-
ness"
Mr.. Roberts refrained from specifying
q preference for any site. but said that
in the past 10 years there has been a
substantial growth of the retail END of
the Farmers Market business, and this
factor should be considered in picking
the site.
Charges Coalition.
Col. Brown told the committee at
the outset that the case in support of
the Southwest site near the river front
and the Fish Market had been covered
50 completely before the Commissioners
and the House committee that he would
merely submit those records and con-
fine himself TO answering new argu-
ments advanced Tuesday by his oppo-
ncntS
He declared that the proponents of
various sites north Of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. have formed coalition only for
the purpose OF defeating the Stalker
Dill. already approved by the House, for
purchase of the Southwest location. He
predicted that II they succeed IN beat
if1g that measure, they will once more
begin separate advocacy OF dinerenl
sites north OF Pennsylvauia avenue
thereby throwing the question back to
the starting point.
senator Bruce interposed suggestion
that II could be left to the Commission
ers to choose a site from among the
several suggested north OF the Avenue.
Stressing his point that the market :
primarily wholesale u character, CoI.
6FOWn IEckl4iEN kAAC AAOb-AO 1N~S ONe.~"
large buyerS favor the Southwest site,
and conteuded that since they are heavy
taxpayers in the District. they are en-
titled 70 as much, IL nos more, con-
sideration than Maryland and Virginia
farmers who come in and rent space
at the market,
There was further DISCUSSION yester-
day as to whether majority OF the
commission merchants favor Southwest
or a Northeast site near the Patterson
tract.
that commission merchants who favor
the Northeast have put up deposits
totaling $4,000 In connection with an
option on the Patterson tract, Col.
Brown told the committee his irfornna-
ton is that only 5000 Is involved in
the option and that the $4,000 figure
includes checks put up by commission
merchants toward stores TO be estab-
lished II they decide 10 go to that site
Says Farmers WIN Not Go.
J. o. Harrison, commission mer-
chant, who testified Tuesday concerning
the option on the Patterson tract. re-
iterated yesterday that $4,000 has been
raised. Questioned by Senator Cope
land as 70 how much Of that sum
represented an option on the property
and how much was for establishment OF
business places, Mr.. Harrison said he
did not have all the details with him.
but could furnish it TO the committee
later.
Asked by Senator Glass of Virginia II
he believes the commission men would
90 ahead with the Patterson tract plan
II the Farmers Market is placed South
west, Mr. Harrison replied he thought
tney would because we have the back
ing CT 400 or 500 farmers that they will
not go Southwest"
George f. Harrison, Virginia farmer
replied yesterday 70 intimations made
1UeSoay by Maryland farmers that they
Would stop kringing produce TO Wash
Agton II they have 70 go 10 a South
west site. Mr. Harrison told the com
raiitee that II such a course is followed
tne Virginia farmers would supply
washington with the produce 1t needs
Martin 7. Webb. another Virginia
tarnef, also took issue with testimony
given Tuesday 10 the effect that there
u sentiment among Virginia farmers
for Northeast site
w. Carlton Eacho testified thai ths
water front fish market does a large
amount Of retail as well az Wholesale
business. The Southwest site also wal
urged by Salvatore Scalco and r.. II
Phillips.
Milton D, Campbell and Cary p
Quinn outlined the arguments for ths
BuzZaFd Point site at First and r
streets southwest laying stress on ,hf
possibility Of building up Washington.
food supply by boat from the TideWatel
regions of Maryland and Virginia.
A.. J. Driscoil Of the Md City Citizens
Association renewed his plea for q
central location for the market. north
of Pennsylvania avenue q N
Koogkogey. president OF the Trinidad
Citizens Association, renewed the arpii,
n1ent that Northeast citizens want ths