Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-27
D. c. BUYS MARKET,
SITE FOR $4,000;
SG9,6AOF|RST ASKED
Southwest Area Shows De-
cided Price Variance Dur
ing Negotiations.
PURCHASE NOW ASSURES
KEEPING WITHIN $500, 900
Refrigeration Plant Owners Slash
Figure to Bring Farmers to
Section.

ground, originally held for S69,64 ano
later offered at $40, 500, the District
government has completed negotiations
for establishing in Southwest Washing
ton the much discussed Farmers Pro-
duce Market on site specifically
named by Congress, which appropriated
$4,000 for the purpose after extended
and acrimonious debate in both House
and Senate.
The District has just taken title to
a half-square block in the site, the
purchase price of which proved the key
to the vexing problem of carrying out
the mandate OF Congress and at the
same time remaining within the limit
Of the appropriation.
After the Terminal Refrigerating &
warehousing Corporation, which has
large investment In other market facil-
tiles in the section, slasfed s5l,64C
from its original asking price of S69,-
GAO for this portion of the site the
District Commissioners bought it FOL
$4,000. it was revealed yesterday.
Wantcu AOyaoent NAaFhSt.
Desire on the part of the refrigerat-
ing concern to assure establishment OF
the farmers market by the District or
a location only a few steps from pri-
vate market facilities in the section
according to well informed District
officials. led the company to slash its
price on this property by approximately
70 per cent.
Had the District been unable to buy
the site and erect the necessary facil-
tiles for the farmers within the limit
of the appropriation. it is explained
the whole matter might again have
been carried back to Congress by an
appeal for more money.
This was not desired by certain in
terests, since the question Of why tax
payers should be assessed 100000 to
provide business quarters for private
marketing was seriously raised in Con-
gress before the appropriation was au-
thorized There was also protracted
battle over the. site, victory finally being
won by proponents of the area between
e, G, Tenth and Eleventh streets south
west
Pennsylvania Railroad interests were
described in congressional debates as
among the principal beneflciaries of To-
cation of the Farmers Market on the
Ill.
served handily by freight lines of that
railroad. Also, close at hand to the
Farmers Market site are the extensive
facilities of the Potomac Freight Ter
minal Co, along Water street between
Twelfth and Fourteenth streets, con-
struction Of which was started before
the Farmers Market site was selected.
$4,000 May Be Needed.
Potomac Freight Terminal stores for
commission merchants and wholesalers
Col Wrisley Brown. president of that
company. announced that his concern
was associated with the Pennsylvania
Railroad" That was on November 8.
1928 The Farmers Market act became
law March 2, 1929. The appropriation
was made in the 1881 budget enacted
July 3. 1880.
Col. Brown actively urged passage of
the Farmers Market bill
While a Farmers Market is being
established under negotiations now
being consummated. indications are
that the city heads may be forced TO
ask Congress to appropriate perhaps
$4,000 more, in order to round out the
development
Slashing of price by the Terminal
Refrigerating g. Warehousing Corpora
ton, however, has enabled the District
to buy most OF the site and build IA
cilities Immediately needed within the
appropriation.
Further one quarter of a square
block, in the lcwer half of the market
site, owned by the refrigeratLng concern,
Is to be purchased under condennation
proceedings for a price Of So. ST.. this
being the amount of the jury's award
But the District found 1t could not buy
this lot and still have enough Of the
appropriation left to erect the market
structures.
The refrigerating concern, therefore
according to District officials, will allow
the District to use this large lot as q
part Of the market for two years. with
the expectation that the amount Of the
condemnation award can be found
within that period.
Contracts Awarded.
Thus the District has been enabled
to start development Of the $500 0oO
project.
Contracts have been let for the
grading and Surfacing OF part of the
site and fer the erection of sheds Pre-
Nicusly numerous old frame and brick
buildings were razed.
District Building records tell an In
trisuing story Of the negotiations.
The District Commissioners founC
themselves confronted with real prob.
lem when the 100000 appropriation
became available in July, 1890 Price,
asked for the two squares by the variou.
owners totaled more than the appro,
priation, with no allowance for the con.
struction work.
On November OF last year, the refrig
Grating concern asked SOS, $40 for il:
holdings IN square 354, amounting u
about half OF the area between z. F
Tenth and Eleventh streets southwes:
This offer was rejected by the Com
missioners.
Mai. H. L. Robb, Assistant Enginee,
Commissioner, then started new nego
tiatiens and en- April 10. last, the re-
frigerating concern made an offer o
$50 500 for its holdings in this square
Again. however, the District deferre,
signing.
on August II the refrigerating com
pany agreed 10 sell It's property in thi
square for $4,000.
Assessed at $4,000.
The current assessed value OF thi
property as computed for taxation pur
poses. is $4,000.
The cost Of all the property in tn
entire square 354, acquired under pri
vate negotiations, VIII amount to ap
proximately $4,000, District record
show.
Meanwhile, condemnation proceed
ings were resorted 70 by the District Il
ACQUISITION Of The southern half Of tn
site. between F and q rtreets, Tent
and Eleventh southwest The award
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