SURVEY of DAYTON PUBLIC MARKETS
Made by the
BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH
for the
GREATER DAYTON ASSOCIATION
DAYTON OHIO
1914
REPORT ON DAYTON PUBLIC MARKETS
In accordance with the request of the committee on health and sanitation of the Greater Dayton Association, the Bureau of Municipal Research, herewith submits the following report upon the public markets of Dayton.
The public markets of Dayton are governed by Ordinance 9231 of the General Ordinances of 1913.
Designation of Markets
Section 1. That the public markets of the city of Dayton shall be held in the following places, which shall be known and designated as follows:
The market house extending from Main Street to Jefferson Street, designated herein as
the “Central Market House”, together with:
The east side of Main Street from Second Street to Fifth Street; the west side of
Jefferson Street from Second Street to Fifth Street; the south side of Second
Street from Main Street to Jefferson Street; the south side of Third Street from
Main Street to Kenton Street; the south side of Fourth Street from Main Street
to Jefferson Street; the north side of Fifth Street from Main street to Jefferson
Street, shall be designated herein as the “Central Market.”
The market house at Wayne Avenue and Burns Avenue in said city, and herein
Designated as the “Wayne Avenue Market House”, together with:
The space in front thereof to the curb on Wayne Avenue, and being about 50 feet
deep, together with a space in the rear there of 98 feet in depth, shall be known as
the “Wayne Avenue Market.”
The east side of St. Clair Street from Third Street to a point 300 feet south of Fourth
Street is hereby established as a “Wholesale Market,” and shall be known as the
“Wholesale Market.”
Merchants have the right to reserve the spaces in front of their establishments and prohibit their use for market purposes.
The new Wayne Avenue market building is 100’ x 60’ with market on first floor, auditorium on second—will cost $60,000 including complete refrigeration system. The latter has not yet been installed.
The Central market house occupies the first floor of the present city building. It is by no means modern, has no refrigeration system, but is fully equipped with glass cases and screens to protect meat and food stuffs from dirt, flies, and handling by the public.
Use of Markets.
Section 2. Except as other wise provide, said markets are declared to be for the sale of
poultry, game , butter, eggs, fruit, farm produce and vegetables in their natural state.
Section 3. That portion of the east side of Main Street in front of the Central Market
House, shall be used exclusively as a “Flower Market”; and that portion of the west
side of Jefferson Street in front of said market house, shall be used exclusively as a
“Fish Market,” and no fish shall be sold at any other place in said central market.
Market Hours.
Section 4. For said central market, market hours shall be between 4:00 o’clock A. M.
and 10:30 o’clock A.M. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of each week from
March 1st to November 1st, following and between 5:00 o’clock A. M. and 10:30
o’clock A. M. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of each week from November
1st to March 1st, following.
For said Wayne Avenue Market, the hours shall be from 5:00 o’clock A. M. to 10:30
o’clock A. M. on Wednesday and Friday, and from 12:00 o’clock noon to 9:00
o’clock P. M. on Saturday of each week.
For said wholesale market, the hours shall be from 4:00 o’clock A. M. to 7:00 o’clock
A. M. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of each week.
Special market days and special market hours may be provided for any occasion of
special importance by the Department of Public Service.
Market Spaces.--------How Rented.
Section 5. The space in said market houses shall be divided into butchers’ stalls for
the sale of meats, and spaces for sale of other provisions; and the street markets
outside of said market houses shall be divided into market spaces, so arranged as
not to include more than four feet in depth of the sidewalk from the curb, and eight
feet in width.
Butcher stalls in said central market house shall be rented for one hundred and seventy
five dollars ($75.00) per annum.
Other market spaces in said central market house shall be rented for one hundred
dollars ($100.00) per annum.
Market spaces for the sale of “fish” in said central market shall be rented for twenty-
five ($25.00) per annum, and all other spaces in said market for fifteen ($15.00)
dollars per annum.
Market spaces in the wholesale market shall be rented for fifteen dollars ($15.00) per
annum.
Bucher stalls in the Wayne Avenue Market House shall be rented at the rate of fifty-
four dollars ($54.00) per annum, and other spaces in said market house at the rate of
thirty-six dollars ($36.00) per annum.
Market spaces in front of said Wayne Avenue Market House shall be rented at the rate
of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) per annum, and spaces in the rear of same at the rate
of twenty-one dollars (21.00) per annum.
In addition to the rates herein fixed for the rental of butcher stalls, market stands, and
market spaces, as much more shall be secured by the Department of Public Service
as shall be bid for the same, as and for a yearly premium over and above said annual
rental.
Such spaces as have heretofore been reserved and exempted by the owners or tenants
of abutting property from their written consent to the establishment of said public
market spaces excepting as the same may hereafter become such by written consent of
the owners and tenants of such abutting property; and until such written consent shall
be given such excepted spaces shall not be occupied for market purposes.
In addition to the $15.00 rate fixed for curb spaces, as much more is received as can
be obtained by public auction of these spaces. The initial bids at the auction sales are
$16.00.
Term of Leases.
Section 7. Leases for such length of time, not exceeding three years, shall be given by
said Department of Public Service to the highest bidders, for said stalls and spaces
which shall be approved as to form, by the City Solicitor.
Provided, that said lease shall contain a clause that not more than one butcher stall
shall be rented to the same person, and that said stall must be occupied by the
lessee.
Provided, further, that such lease shall contain a clause, whereby any lease may be
Terminated by the Director of Public Service for the protection of the city by giving
thirty days’ notice of such termination, and upon such termination such a lessee
shall be paid out of the city treasury, upon warrant of the Director of Public Service,
a proportionate amount of the rent and premium paid.
The present leases all expire December 23, 1914.
Market Spaces.
The Central Market House contains 38 butcher stalls and 52 vegetable stalls.
Wayne Avenue Market House contains 11 butcher and 46 vegetable stalls.
There are 550 curb spaces in the central market.
To Whom Rented.
Upon inspection of the markets it was found that:
32 of the 52 vegetable stalls in the Central Market House are occupied by farmers
who bring in their own produce from the country.
The remaining 20 stalls are occupied by hucksters who sell fruit, bakestuffs, and in a few instances vegetables.
All of the butchers, whether from the city or country, are middlemen in so far as the
raising of their own cattle is concerned; very few do their own slaughtering.
Of the 46 vegetable stalls in the Wayne Avenue Market House, ten are occupied by
country people, who bring in their own produce.
319 of the 550 curb spaces in the central market are occupied. Of this number 62 are rented by hucksters, who live in the city. These hucksters with very few exceptions sell fruit.
At different times of the year, farmers find it necessary, to buy portions of their
supplies from the commission merchants.
Free Market.
The south side of Third Street from Jefferson Street, to Kenton Street, and the west side of Jefferson Street from Second Street to Third Street, are established as a free market. It is unlawful for any person except a farmer or producer selling his own produce to occupy any space in this public market.
Spaces Reserved Exclusively for Farmers.
The spaces along the south side of Second Street from Main Street to Jefferson Street, and on the east side of Main Street from Third Street to Second Street, will at the expiration of present leases, be sold only to farmers and producers.
At the present time all of the spaces north of Third Street are occupied exclusively by farmers.
Revenues Derived From Market.
The estimated revenues for the year 1913, to be derived from the renting of the market spaces as appearing in the budget is $25,600. In 1913, the receipts totaled $25,400. This amount is below the average, because due to the flood conditions of last spring, a month’s rent was refunded to the lessees.
The revenue from the Central Market House when all stalls are rented for their specific purposes is $16,000.
From the curb markets, $7,500 was received in rents.
Wayne Avenue market yields $3,600.
Up to the year 1914, this money went to the service fund; was used for the maintenance of markets. Under the new charter, however, divisions between funds were abolished and the money is turned over into the general treasury, to be appropriated wherever needed, together with the other receipts of the city government.
Rules and Regulations.
While the ordinance makes provision for sanitary conditions, traffic obstruction and the manner in which food is to be sold, all markets and market spaces, are subject to such rules and regulations, as to supervision and management, as the Director of Public Service may adopt.
Note:
It is the opinion of the market master that there will be an increased number of reserved spaces after the present leases expire. He believes that many of the merchants are becoming dissatisfied with the curb market.
The Wayne Avenue Market, while open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, has but one profitable market day, according to the market master. That is Saturday.
Farmers and hucksters sell at this market the produce remaining after the days’ sale at the Central Market.
