The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1950-04-06
HORSE AND
BUGGY DAYS
by
Ida 10 Martin
Glitch up Mike"

Time: early saturday morning, anu
the family is getting ready to go to
market. Mike, of course is the old
reliable family all-purpose horse,
the most dependable for tending
market. Into the wagon-and 1t
was the type called Market Wagan"
with doors at the rear, and sides
and top, much like the panel trucks
of today, only more lightly built, and
not streamlined, has been piled a
ouantitv of home cured meats,
smoked and not smoked, besides
applebutter, cheese, and many other
farm products. And last, in go the
people who will sell. BY this time,
Mike is "hitched."
So off they go to Hagerstown. The
tall building standing at the south
east corner of Franklin and Poto-
mac Streets, is the destination. This
family does not have stall inside
the market house, so they drive half
wav between the Square and the
Market House corner,-and 1t does
not matter which way they drive on
Potomac - and pick spot along
the curb. Already, the curb is we'll
lined with wagons, backed to the
curbs, rear doors open, and the sell
ing being done from the rear of the
wagons.
1t is really no surprise to find the
sidewalks crowded; fact is, they're
damned. But perhaps it is sur
prise to find the Market right out on
the streets. No doubt there are
many who saw those days, and tend
ed Market in that way, but there are
many too, who did not know that
Hagerstown ever had an open-alr
market.
Let's look at the city Ordinance.
Tt appears as follows in the codlfi-
cation by ]. Augustine Mason in 1908;
Market Regulations. Section l.
Be it enacted and ordained by the
Mayor and Council of HagerstoWn,
that in addition to the Market House,
at the corner of North Potomac and
East Franklin streets, in HagerstoWn
Potomac street, in its entire
breadth, from Franklin to Washing
ton. and Franklin Street in its en-
tire breadth from Potomac to Lo-
cust-are hereby appointed during
market hours for market purposes,
as hereinafter set forth; Provided,
however, that nothing herein con-
tanned shall be constructed to inter
fere with the rights or privileges OF
the property holders binding on SAID
streets. or with the free passage. OF
the footways, or to authorize the
placing of stalls, stands, benches, or
other obstacles on foot-ways bord-
ering on private property"
In those days there were three
market days: Tuesday, Thursday, and
Saturday. Section three of the same
ordinance provides that during these
market hours: mo person shall sell
or cause to be sold any provisions
in any other place in said town than
in the market space" This was eX-
cepting the groceries, bread, and
other articles usually found IN
grocery store.
In section we find the following
wording: persons who have rented
stalls or stands, or have duly OBJ
tanned a permit from the market in
spector, may sell and deliver peaches,
grapes. melons, berries, green corn,
cabbage, tomatoes, and green beans,
at any and all times, except during
market hours, when they must sell
within the market space"
Over in section we find the dis
position to be made of old Mike:
During market hours all persons
occupying market stands outside OF
market house and selling from wa
CONS or other vehicles shall back his
or her wagon or vehicle against the
curb stone and remove his or her
animal from such wagon or vehicle
as soon as practicable, and either
raise the shafts or tongue in per-
pendicular position, or remove and
place the same under the wagon or
vehicle"
Section IS is rather odd: mo per-
son shall expose for sale any fresh
or salt fish within the market house
building"
And section Is is of interest: mo
person shall lie upon the stalls or
side benches, in or about the market
house, or loiter about, or make any
disorderly noise in or about the
market house or market space"
Section Is prohibits the setting up,
pasting, lacking, or leaning against
the building any kind of bill, no
tice or advertisement. And section
10; mo person shall sell any hard