Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-03
MARKET DEALERS
FIGHT PROPOSAL
Plan to Move Closing Day of
Center Mart to June 30
Is Opposed.

If the date for closing the Center
Market is changed from January /,
1881, to June 80, 1890, as suggested
yesterday by Senator Smoot of Utah,
chairman of the Public Buildings Com
mission, the result might be disastrous
to market dealers and to the buying
public, In the opinion OF market men
and of private interests now planning
the erection of a new $4,000 market
house in the downtown section.
THE plan to keep the Center Market
open until, January /, 1881, would give
time for the completion of the proposed
new Market" said Joseph Wells Of
Charles H. Javins & Sons, fish and
poultry dealers, yesterday afternoon.
eff the date is moved up the time
will be too short for the erection of
mean the failure of the entire market
project"
Three Sites Considered.
Mr.. Wells is one of those interested
in the project, which is backed by
banking interests in this city and New
York, to build a new market house
in the downtown section of the city
on a site yet to be selected. Three sites
have been under consideration and an
announcement of the chosen site may
be made this week. A corporation
known as the Downtown Market Co.
has been formed to finance the project.
Senator Smoot said that the proposed
date for closing the Center Market has
been advanced to June 80 because OFF,
Gals in charge of the Government
building program expect to be ready to
start the new Department Of Justice
building soon after that date.
The new date is not definite how
ever, as the House has not passed upon
a resolution already approved by the
Senate which gives the Secretary of
Agriculture authority to cease operation
of the Center Market at the end OF
next June and provide for the vacating
of the building on or before that date.
Market dealers and others interested
in the plan to erect $3,000,000 private
market in the downtown section hope
that the House will withhold approval
of the resolution and insist on keeping
the Center Market open until January
/, 1881.
All to Move simultaneously.
Several market dealers pointed out
yesterday that the present plan is to
move all the dealers simultaneously
from the Center Market to the new
building.
Even the closing of the market en-
tirely for one month might make 1t
dificult to give the new market a prop
err start" one of the dealers declared.
Mr.. Wells called attention to the fact
that the present market does business
of about $25 100000 year and SAID
that it would be physically impossi-
BILE" to construct new market building
and have it ready for the transfer of all
this business by June 80 next. He said
it would take at least IA months to COM
plete the proposed new building.
TT will be unfortunate for every
body doing business in the Center Mar
ket," declared Mr. Wells, "if a new
market is not ready to move into as
soon as the old market closes. IL also
was a1laounced Yesterday by Frederick
J. Rice that the new market at Four
tenth and Buchanan streets OF which
he is owner, will be open for business
about December of this year; The
building, designed by Milburn. Hester
a. Co. and built by the Wardman Con-
struction Co., rapidly is nearing COM
pletion.