Evening star., 1928-01-18
MARYLAND MEN
FAVOR LEXINGTON
Proposed Market Site Is Near
Population Center, Says
Advocate.

Truck farmers of MARYLAND who haul
their produce TO Wash n9 on made a
strong plea at hearing before the
House market subcommittee last night
for the selection Of the so-called Eek
ington site as permanent location for
the Farmers Produce Market.
Representative Gamb;ill of Maryland
and r. B. Symons of College Park
championed the interests Of the Mary
land farmers.
The lexington site Is bounded by
North Capitol. First street. Florida ave-
nue and p street northeast.
Mr. Gambrill told the committee that
he and Representative Zihlman repre-
sent between 80 and 85 per cent of all
the farmers who use the present Farm
, crs' Market, and that a vast ma ior-
ity" OF them favor lexington Mr..
Symons submitted a petition signed by
$40 Of the farmers, urging selection Of
lexington.
Near Population Center.
A bill providing for acquisition Of the
lexington site already has been intro
duced in the House by Mr. Gambrill,
who at the outset of his testimony an
nounced that he had no interest fnan-
cial or otherwise, in the Baltimore 81
Ohio Railroad. which has It's freight
terminal in lexington.
lexington has some things in COM
mon with the mid-city site. Mr.. Gam
brill emphasized. chief among them be-
ing proximity to the center of popula-
ton. lexington. he said. is $500 feet
! in an air line from the center Of popu-
lation. while the mid-city location is
. 900 feet closer. but this difference Is
cqualized by the fact that two important
traffic arteries New York and Florida
avenues. converge in lexington. The
Southwest site, ne added. is 5000 feet
from the center Of population and tho
Buzzards Point location is I5,000'feet.
Mr.. Symons said lexington is ac-
cessible TO both farmers and the con-
sumers. has adequate parking facili-
ties and is close to the railroads and
express companies. II also will per-
NIT future growth. he declared.
Room for Over 500.
Mr.. Symons further emphasized that
site which would accommodate tbs
100 farmers now using the market
, should be selected Based on accom-
nodations provided at the present mar
ket. he said. the lexington site viii
care for 52l farmers. the Southwest site
354 and the Midcity site 2i6.
Every farmer on the market. Mr.
Symons said. is anxious 10 see Wash
, ington grow and develop beautifully
and there is ro intention on the!l
part TO interfere in any way with tht
Federal Governments building pro-
gram. But am dubious as 10 whether
the present market location should bt
given up until Congress DEGREES Suct
a step. This market was dedicated Il
the farmers in 1870. and 1t NOW ha,
a value OF about 81 500 900. Keep II
your mind that the farmers are being
forced 10 give up a space valued a.
this Sum for one costing not more than
5000 900 in order not 10 interfere With
The Governments building program"
Mr. Symons introduced a number o.
the farmers who favor the lexington
location. Among them we're Henry A
Friday Of Ianham. Md: Arthur Tucke!
y. Oxen Hill, Md: William I. Thorne
u Aracostia and Henry E. Thompson
OF Prince Georges County.
Backed by Commission Men.
Mr.. Friday said that at a meeting
yesterday OF 81 commission merchant
SIS rer cent OF them preferred Eek
ington.
Col. WTlSitF 6IONNs pESSlGetlt cl t1iE
Washington Terminal Storage Co. and
one OF the champions Of the South
west site, challenged Mr.. Friday
statement.
Mr Brown also submitted 10 the
committee for the record a Uemoran
dunn written By Traffic Director WI
liam H. Harland explaining that the
dow Of traffic III the vicinity of the
Southwest site is lighter than at nj.
OF the other proposed locations with
.ne exception az BUzzards Point. rs
we'll as letters from certain commissions
merchants and the District GTocerS
Soc,niy indorSing the Southwest site.
Mrs Harvey w Wiley submitted a
resolution adopted by the Twentieth
Century Club approving the Southwest
site. She said She represented 400 in
teresied women
The committee now has heard from
the advocates Of three OF the oEtStand-
ing sites proposed Southwest. Midc!'y
and lexington It's final hearing viii
be- held tomorrow evening u, o'clock
when the proponents o. the Bur@@ra s
Point and any other sites will 5e heard