Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11

ignored in this way, and prepared to remove
the obnoxious tracks. However, anticipating
the usual injunction, 50 the story goes, on the
night he intended to make the move, he invited
the entire judiciary Of the District of Columbia
to dinner at his home, north Of Brightwood,
which was then far out i'm the country. The
200 laborers had hardly begun their work be-
fore the judges were sought, but not one could
be found In the city that night, and when
morning came the tracks were up-and Shep-
herd was victorious. This same story is told In
connection with the removal OF the Northern
Liberty Market, which may or may not have
happened, Is q matter Of fact.
Nevertheless, he proceeded to remove the
buildings on the evening Of September 3. also
In 1872, for although the Board Of Public Works
did not last but few years, it surely accom-
plished q whole lot while it was in existence
and had the power to function IN the manner
1t wished to.
I IKE the Center Market and the old Western
Market SITES the ground upon which the
Northern Liberty stood was public property and
Its removal was sought for the purpose Of im-
proving the looks of the neighborhood. Per-
haps the majority Of US only recall this site -
q beautiful park, inclosed with chain fence
and with q magnificent fountain in the center,
but no doubt there are many who can recall
the old market that once stood there made up
of two more brick and wooden buildings.
The writer's esteemed friend, Washington
Topham, who has written entertainingly on the
subject is more specific In his description o.
the market buildings, and says:
THE market when first erected, was q small
brick structure on the west line Of Seventh
street, when it was opened In 1885, but 1T was
afterward enlarged by the addition Of q similar
one-story brick building on the south side, and
did duty as the market place for the northern
section of the city, till under the Board Of
P71l1l in neF1Od
just as years"
Naturally, just as today. the merchants did
not care to leave their stands, where they had
an established trade for q place elsewhere,
which could be only speculative at the most.
But the saddest part Of the removal Of the
structures was the accident which caused the
deaths Of two persons by the falling of a brick
wall. One was butcher with q stand IN the
market, while the other was q boy whose only
excuse for being present was that he had
good rat dog and wanted to see him work real
hard.
OF this accident The Star Of September
says:
This afternoon at about half past o'clock
the remaining walls, the southern gable end
of the main building, of the old Northern
Libertys Market, the demolition of which was
begun last night, as stated elsewhere in The
Star, fell, killing two persons-John Wild
mayer, aged about 49, and lad named Mil
lard Bates, aged about IA years. Mr.. Wild
mayer, who was a butcher in the market, was
engaged in removing some hooks and other
fixtures from his stall, south Of the wall, at
the time it fell, and the lad, Bates, was near
him, employed with a dog in hunting rats
among the debris. The workmen had just
removed the props which held the wall from
the inside in which direction it was supposed
it would fall, when it commenced to sway to
the southwark and a mo- nent after fell with q
crash, with the fatal result mentioned A
large force Immediately set to work to remove
the debris, and in about is minutes reached
the bodies Of Widmayer and Bates, who were
found to be crushed terribly, and quite dead.
The head of Widmayer was smashed into a shape
less and unacceptable mass, and several of his
limbs were broken and crushed. The injuries
received by young Bates were mainly about
the body his neck and back being broken. He
had also received frightful confusion on the
left side Of the forehead. The body Of Wild
mayer was carried to the undertaking estat-
hshment Of Mrs. FREEZE, on Seventh street, just
shove the market, and that Of the lad, Bates,
TO the sixth precinct station house. The father
Of the latter, Mr.. e. H. Bates, who for a long
time has been . justice Of the peace In this