Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-20
Central Municipal Market
Serves Valuable Purpose

To the Editor Of The Star:
w. @. Kent In stating In a recent
letter to The Star his opposition to a
new central market says that WASH
ington has grown so that the present
site OF the central market "is no longer
central, but as much out of the way
as possible, If you judge by the difn-
Guilty in getting there now that the resi-
dental sections are so far away" This
statement should be presented as an
argument for a new central location
for the entire city. The outstanding
fact is that there is not single vacant
stand in this large central market, and,
without exception, the dealers doing
business there desire to remain where
they are, and If that is not possible
they wish to duplicate, as far as pos
slble, the large aggregation of business
stands in another large central market
This should remove the objections of
w. g. Kent to a central market on the
ground that the present site is no
longer central and is subject to street
congestion.
The demand for central market has
received popular support, both among
citizens associations and from present
holders of stands in the Center Market
at Seventh street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. A site for a central market is
available adjacent to the shopping dis
trlct and to railway terminal facili-
ties. This site is zoned as second COM
mercial and its selection would not meet
opposition that would be encountered
IN residential section. If condemna-
ton proceedings should be instituted
Tor q Government central market there
seems to be no doubt that ample space
could be obtained at price that would
be readily justified for market purposes.
Mr.. Kent refers to other small Sec
tional markets and to chain stores as
sutticiently supplying the market needs
OF the people of Washington. He should
remember that, in face of the COMPETE
ton that has been set up between chain
stores, the facilities of the central
market at Seventh street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue have been utilized I'D to
100 per cent and the business has been
SO attractive to the dealers that they
wish to remain where they are, which
is conclusive proof that the people Of
washington are patronizing the present
Center Market.
If the chain stores and scattered
small markets had fully met the de-
mand of the people OF Washington for
central market, 1t is reasonable to
suppose that the Center Market, at
Seventh street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue., would be largely deserted by this
time, because chain stores have beea in
operation long enough to demonstrate
just what they can do to supply market
needs and no one questions the efficiency
Of their management.
The fact is, large central market
Is the best guarantee possible that prices
OF all market products, wherever they
may be dispensed, will be kept in check.
The central market house is the price
and quality barometer that regulates all
chain stores and sectional markets, and
II such enterprises deviate from price
and quality standards the houSekeeper
has recourse to the great central market.
This result alone should influence Con-
greSs to replace. the Center Market with
another similar establishment under
the control Of the Department of Agri-
culture, which guarantees the highest
sanitary and fair-dealing practices.
We should not overlook the fact that
in the history of Washington no one
has ever suggested the removal of Gen.
ter Market from Seventh street and
Pennsylvania avenue, except for the
purpose of identifying the great Ave-
nue. of Washington and providing q
site for needed public building. Our
Center Market has been one of the
notable sights of Washington, visited
by tourists, and, especially since the
Department of Agriculture has taken
charge of that institution, it has been
referred to as an outstanding example
of a great municipal market in which
conditions have been developed to make
1t model for other cities to copy Why
should that work be destroyed now?
CHARLES e. KERN.