Tobriner. I wonder if it would be appropriate for me to speak very briefly, and then suggest that their comments be added in the record later, or perhaps you may wish to hear them later. I think they are trying to come here.

Mr. SISK. Yes, and your name is?

Miss WILSON. Miss Mary Faith Wilson.

Mr. SISK. Yes, Miss Wilson, the committee will be glad to hear you briefly. You are authorized as I understand it to speak for the association.

Miss WILSON. Yes, but very briefly because I am not an expert on this matter, and I would ask that their statement be put in the record after I speak.

Mr. SISK. Yes, without objection. Do you have their statement? Miss WILSON. No, I don't.

Mr. SISK. We will hear them or try to give them an opportunity, or at any rate see that they have an opportunity to have their statements made a part of the record.

Miss WILSON. They may come in at any moment, if you can switch them to the end of the witness list.

Mr. SISK. Take your place at the witness table then, Miss Wilson, and the committee will be glad to hear you briefly.

Miss WILSON. First, the association very much appreciates the opportunity to be heard by your committee. I wish to say that our interest in the possibility of having a market that would help to rehabilitate M Street is so great that at the January meeting of the citizens association there was a unanimous resolution passed at the association urging the National Capital Planning Commission to study the feasibility of having a farmers and produce market at the old marketplace on M Street.

The association and its members are working very hard on all fronts to try to preserve the historic district of Georgetown, which the Congress of the United States in the Old Georgetown Act in 1950 also took an interest in.

At the moment we are very interested in rehabilitating M Street from the grip it is now in of a rather crime-infested tavern strip, and if we could bring in new merchants who would rehabilitate a historic building under the terms of the Old Georgetown Act, and who would bring in the kind of patronage and the kind of operation that would improve the area, I think that it would be a very helpful thing.

I think your question with regard to the parking is a key, because the parking in Georgetown has been described as just about impossible, and I don't know where 15,000 patrons would come to and where they would park. But I understand the National Capital Planning Commission's Economic Report would cover that.

I know Captain Belin asked me to say, if he did not get here in time to testify, that the citizens association hopes that the National Capital Planning Commission feasibility report might be accepted before this committee takes any action, so that it could be studied. I think that is all I have to say.

Mr. SISK. Thank you.

Miss WILSON. Except that if the members of our committee, have any statements, if that could go in the record.

Mr. SISK. Thank you, Miss Wilson. Any questions?

Mr. NELSEN. No questions.

Mr. SISK. We have the Hamburg Citizens Association, Mrs. Mary Sanders, president. Mrs. Sanders, do you wish to come to the witness

table!

STATEMENT OF MARY SANDERS, PRESIDENT, HAMBURG CITIZENS

Mrs. SANDERS. Thank you.

ASSOCIATION

Mr. SISK. The committee will be glad to hear any comments you have, or if you have a statement we will be glad to make it a part of the

record.

Mrs. SANDERS. I do not have a statement. This is going to be extemporaneous, because I was only notified last evening that I might be called on today. However, I am very happy to appear this morning before your committee, and to make a few remarks about Western Market and the need for continuing a service of this type to the citizens living in Northwest Washington.

I am introduced here this morning as president of the Hamburg Citizens Association, which was formed less than 2 years ago.

of our first and primary interests was the Western Market. We function in the area from Constitution Avenue to 15th Street, Rock Creek Parkway and up to N Street, so Western Market is almost in the cen

ter of that area.

We began trying to find out what we could do to improve the market when we knew the threat of the sale, and as a matter of record I will say that I as president visited the Commissioners, spoke to several of them, and was promised a hearing at which we would try to present our case for preservation of the market.

We showed how the area was being redeveloped. High-rise apartments were being built in the area. That such places as Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle, that houses were being purchased and renovated, and people were coming back into that area, and that we had no large grocery stores or markets for the sale of food.

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However, the Commissioners went ahead and put the market sale. I was frankly told that it was a matter of revenue for the District. They needed that money from the sale of that property for their own coffers to dispense for other operations.

I talked about trying to put this market on a sustaining basis. This is one of your concerns this morning, and I think it should be a concern, whatever is done, if they move to Georgetown.

As was brought out here by some of the merchants and farmers, that this has been operated, Western Market has been operated a long time on a month-by-month basis, which discouraged any improvement of them that were vacant there. We had an example of the market, of the stands or the leasing of additional stands. There were a number one of the stands that was a very popular stand for the sale of what was a French meat market that had a fire about 2 years ago, and rather than remodel the stand and continue the operation, they gave up their stand there and moved to Georgetown as an individual market, just saying "What is the use of putting in all this new equipment when we only have 30 days which we are promised that we can stay here?"

And so if the District or whatever group operates the market in Georgetown-and I am accepting the sale as an accomplished fact-I hope that something will be worked out to protect these merchants and farmers on a continuing lease, so that they may feel that they can improve their service and their facilities on what any businessman expects.

I don't know what store would move in and open an operation or a real estate office or any company or business organization that would operate on a 30-day basis. I think this has been most unfair to the merchants and farmers in this market.

Since the market has been sold, the Western Market, we can only say that we are glad there is a possibility of these people who have served us so well continuing in Georgetown. Georgetown is not too far away. It will perhaps not be as convenient as this market has been to its many patrons.

We have had parking space there back of the market, which could accommodate quite a few people. Many others have walked to the market with their little shopping carts, and we are going to miss it, because we do not have in that vast area anything but what you would call the corner grocery store. So it is going to be a great loss. But this has not been the concern of the District Commissioners. We have lost it. But we will try to, as some of them have said, certainly follow the market wherever it goes.

Mr. SISK. Thank you, Mrs. Sanders, for a very fine statement. Mrs. Sanders, just briefly, as I understand, your association is very strongly in support of the preservation or the reestablishment of this market.

Mrs. SANDERS. Yes. Since we have lost Western Market and its present location, the next best thing we can do, of course, is to back this market in Georgetown, and I assure you that many of the people that do live in this downtown area will follow the market there.

I hope though my one contribution may be that whoever administers the market there in Georgetown, I hope they give these merchants and farmers a better break than they have received in recent years in Western Market.

Mr. SISK. I am sure you understand the way the legislation is written it would give them some continuity and some assurance of a future, if this legislation should be passed, because it would be into the future, certainly until an act that repeals this act would be passed.

Mrs. SANDERS. That is very good news.

Mr. SISK. Any questions?

Mr. NELSEN. No questions.

Mr. BROYHILL. No.

Mr. SISK. It has been called to my attention that Capt. Peter Belin has now entered the room. Would you like to make a statement, Captain Belin, on behalf of the Georgetown Citizens Association?

STATEMENT OF PETER BELIN, PRESIDENT, GEORGETOWN CITIZENS ASSOCIATION

Mr. BELIN. I would, sir.

Mr. SISK. The committee will be happy to hear you. If you will, take your place at the witness table. I might say Miss Wilson just gave us a very brief statement indicating the interest of your association. Further, if you have a prepared statement, the committee would

be glad to make this a part of the record, and then you may summarize it, or if you wish to read your statement, that will be perfectly all right.

Mr. BELIN. Mr. Chairman, I would rely entirely upon the statement that has been made already for the association by Miss Wilson.

I regret my absence due to another hearing this morning up until this time. I would like merely to put in the record the resolution that our association passed on the 10th of January last, which is the last regular meeting of our association.

Mr. SISK. Without objection, the resolution will be made a part of the record at this point.

Mr. BELIN. Very well, sir.

(The resolution referred to follows:)

Mrs. JAMES H. Rowe, Jr.,

Chairman, National Capital Planning Commission,
Washington, D.C.

DEAR MRS. ROWE: Pursuant to a motion passed at our last regular meeting on Monday, January 10, 1966, I enclose for your most favorable consideration and further action a resolution concerning the Georgetown Market at the foot of Potomac Street on the south side of M Street NW.

The association has been interested in preserving this market since early in 1964, not only because it is one of the oldest markets on the eastern seaboard, but also because the original deed to the District of Columbia, dated 1802, called for the use of this building as a market "forever and for no other use, interest, or purpose whatsoever."

Members of the association are gratified to note the action taken by your Commission on January 6, 1966, recommending the preservation of the Georgetown Market as a landmark, and we urge that the National Capital Planning Commission recommend to the District Commissioners that this landmark be used as a market.

Very sincerely yours,

RESOLUTION

PETER BELIN, President.

Whereas the market house at Potomac and M Streets in Georgetown has been designated a "landmark" by the Landmarks Committee of the National Capital Planning Commission and of the Fine Arts Commission; and

Whereas the site was deeded by Adam King in 1802 to the mayor and council of Georgetown to be used as a market and for no other purpose, and was so used from 1802 until 1935: Therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Citizens Association of Georgetown on this 10th day of January 1966, request the National Capital Planning Commission to recommend to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia that the Georgetown Market House be used as a market, if economically feasible, together with such other compatible uses as further study may indicate; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission and to the Commissioners of the Dis

trict of Columbia.

Mr. BELIN. I have only one further point to make. That, as an association, our 1,700 paid-up members are very glad to welcome the farmers and merchants into this very historic marketplace, perhaps the oldest one on the eastern seaboard.

We believe that we can help accommodate them. We think there may be other uses for the building as well. But certainly this would be one that we would welcome in the area. If you have any questions about the aspects of preservation or aspects of the historic importance of this building, I have with me the committee chairman who is

58-902-66-5

charged with that for the Citizens Association of Georgetown, Miss. de Schweinitz.

Mr. SISK. Does that conclude your statement then, Captain Belin! Are there any questions of the captain?

Mr. BROYHILL. Yes.

Mr. SISK. Mr. Broyhill? Have a chair, Captain.

Mr. BROYHILL. The support of the Georgetown Citizens Association is based primarily on the restoration of this market for historic reasons?

Mr. BELIN. What was the first word, sir?

Mr. BROYHILL. Is the support of Georgetown Citizens Association for this legislation primarily for historic reasons, to restore the market?

Mr. BELIN. Obviously, sir, we are extremely interested in the preserving of this historic district, principally under the terms of the Old Georgetown Act of 1950. This is one of the buildings that we feel should be preserved.

Mr. BROYHILL. Is there any support for the market as such as a matter of convenience or, let's say, as a matter of desire, and would there be much patronage of that market if it were opened, do you think?

Mr. BELIN. It is the opinion as expressed at our meetings, at which we have taken up this matter that yes, indeed, the clientele that would patronize such a market of this nature is considerable in Georgetown. and we would welcome having the Western Market farmers and merchants there, the farmers there closer to us than they are at Western Market, of course.

Mr. BROYHILL. So you would support it. You feel that the people in Georgetown would like to

Mr. BELIN. They would support it also.

Mr. BROYHILL. They would like to patronize and would patronize such a market?

Mr. BELIN. Yes, sir. And I may say that this is not a new consideration that we have had. I have correspondence in this folder that dates back as far as 1962 on this subject. I believe the matter has been up in the air somewhat for some time, and all of our discussion and expression has been that we would welcome and we would be able to support the market, yes, sir.

Mr. BROYHILL. I am not trying to create business for the farmers here, but maybe, with a little enthusiastic support on the part of the citizens association, it may make the market a profitable venture, or self-sustaining.

Mr. BELIN. I think you will find, sir, that many of the clients of these merchants and farmers at their present location are Georgetowners, and will therefore obviously continue their patronage at a location closer to their homes.

Mr. BROYHILL. Thank you.

Mr. SISK. Thank you, Captain Belin, for your statement. I understand that Miss Dorothea de Schweinitz is in the room now. Would she like to make a statement?

Mr. BELIN. Begging your leave, yes, sir.

Mr. SISK. Miss de Schweinitz, would you like to make a further statement on behalf of the Georgetown Citizens Association? The committee will be glad to hear you at this time.

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