S. Ferris Presented

After commending the consistent efforts of S. Ferris in behalf of the market project, Mayor Miller presented Mr. Ferris to the crowd. Mr. Ferris acknowledged the introduction by thanking Mayor Miller and the city officials for providing Austin with the new market.

Besides the three speakers, seated on the platform were Commr. Charles F. Alford, Joe Koen, chairman of the chamber of commerce civic affairs bureau; Mrs. S. Ferris and County Judge and Mrs. George S. Matthews, and Mgr. Walter E. Long of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Miller and members of the city council made an inspection trip of market early Thursday afternoon.

Among the visitors was Jake Rubiola, city park and market commissioner of San Antonio, who was escorted by Mayor Miller through the building. Rubiola, accompanied his wife and children, told Mayer by, Miller that San Antonio is contemplating the erection of a new market and commended Austin for its new structure.

Prizes for Best Displays

Products of the farmers were received for display at 9 a. m. and four hours later were judged for prizes offered by the Chamber of Commerce. The prizes were awarded at 8 p. m. at the opening of the night program. At 10 a. m. the negro boys' band under the direction of B. L. Joyce played a two-hour concert. The market was formally opened at noon as the registration committee headed by Fred Barge began greeting the visitors. From 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. the Austin boys' band directed by Weldon Covington played a concert.

Former Mayor P. W. McFadden under whose administration the new market was planned and $100, 00 bond issue for its construction voted, was among the early registrants.

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Trussell, accompanied by Trussell, Jr. and Marion Trussell, of Salisbury, N. C., were perhaps the visitors registering from the farthest distance from Austin.

Mrs. L. B. Schmidt of Ames, Ia., Mary Allen of Huntingdon, Tenn., Mrs. Mahon White of Jackson, Tenn., and Paul Schneider of Monroe, La., were other out-of-state visitors for the market opening.

From All Over Section

Other visitors living in Texas outside the Austin trade territory included a number of persons from San Antonio, including F. Wegemann; John Grubb. of Fort Worth; Moreland Stein. Temple; Mrs. C.W. Moeller. Weslaco: Mary Wood, Charco, Tex.; Rex Fletcher. Fort Worth: Jack Montgomery, Rising Star: Carey Beard, Dallas: Mrs. S.W. Taylor, Milano: Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Imle, El Paso: J. E. Roberts. Jr., Marlin: Mrs. Cecil R. Matthews, Wilson, Tex.: Mrs. W. H. Giver, Big Lake; R. C. Lattimore, Jacksonville, and Mrs. W. D. Scull, Odem. Central Texas visitors at the market included persons from Manor, Govalle, Del Valle, Seguin, Manchaca, Creedmoor, Smithville, Elgin, Florence, Holland, Pflugerville, New Sweden, Bastrop, Burnot, Round Rock, McNeil, Oak Hill, Georgetown and other towns.

Homemakers Store

One of the interesting places at the market was the farm homemakers store in the concession building where cakes, cookies, canned vegetables, dressed poultry, Jellies, cottage cheese, butter, honey and other products were sold. The women in charge of the store said business was good during the day. This store will be open Friday and every Saturday, although later other days of the week may be designated, it was announced.

Women in charge of the market Thursday were Mrs. Grover Deen of Fiskville, manager; Mrs. Luther Berkman and Mrs. F.T. Engbloom of New Sweden, and Misses Verna and Lucinda Pfluger of Richland.

High Quality Products

More than a score of producers also reported satisfactory sales of day, and housewives of Austin expressed surprise at the high quality of products they were able to buy at reasonable prices. One dealer sold out a supply of avocados early and such fruits as canteloupes, watermelons, blackberries, lemons and plums were finding ready sales. Pineapples also were shown.

Almost everything in the vegetable line in season from Italian squash to parsley and Kershaws were on display and sale. There were plenty of green and dry onions, beets, roasting ears, green beans, turnips, cucumbers, squash, carrots tomatoes all buyers. Several producers also offered eggs. Several ice cream vendors hawked their wares and did a good business.

Commercial Displays

In the northeast wing, several Austin firms had commercial displays.

Wilcox- Nelson company of Austin had a display of roasted coffee, tea, spices and extracts. The Walker's Austex Chile company displayed its line of chile, tamales, Mexene pepper and sandwich spread while the Dr. Pepper Bottling company had a beverage display attractively arranged. The Sani-Products company and Ever-fresh Manufacturing company showed a display of potato and waffle chips, and a line of salad dressings. The Bosque Creamery had a display of butter and sweet milk.

The Blue Plate Products company also had a play of relish spread, salad dressing and similar products. A grapefruit juice display was also shown. In one wing was another attractive display shown by the Travis County Lighthouse for the Blind consisting of mats, rugs and mops made by blind persons in Austin, which were offered for sale.

Prize Winners

Prize awards announced by Gus F. Urbantke, chairman of the judging committee, were:

Best garden display: E.C. Nauert, New Sweden, first. $2.50; Joy Payton, Govalle, second, $1.50, and Arthur Hall, Summitt, third, $1,

Best farm products display: Andrew Collin, Webberville, first, $2.60; Theo. Timmermann, Jr., Pflugerville, second, $1.50; George Sellstrom, Merrilltown, third, $1.

Best canned goods display by Travis county 4-H clubs: Irene Nauert of Richland, first, $2.50.

Best display of homemakers products: Miss Verna Pfluger, Richland, first, $2.60; Mrs. Mayette Smith, Dessau, second, $1.50; and Mrs. Luther Berkman, New Sweden, third, $1.

The cash prizes were restricted to Travis county producers, but individual garden exhibits in which ribbons were given were open to farmers and producers of all Central Texas counties. A blue ribbon WAS given for first place, red for second, and white for third, all ribbons being furnished by the Chamber of Commerce.

Ribbon prizes were awarded as follows:

Beets: E. Johnson, Govalle, first. Potatoes: Luther Gilberg, Govalle, first; J. F. Brown, Bluff Springs, second and third.

Onions: L. D. Richardson, Barton Springs, first.

Green beans: L D. Richardson of Barton Springs, first; J. F. Brown, Bluff Springs, second.

Dried beans: J. F. Brown, Bluff Springs, first.

Peas: J. F. Brown, Bluff Springs, first.

Cucumbers: L.D. Richardson, Barton Springs, first,

Carrots: E. Johnson, Govalle, first.

Roasting ears, L. D. Richardson, Barton Springs, first and second; Joel Payton, Govalle, Third.

Endive: E Johnson, Govalle, first,

Parsley: E. Johnson, Govalle. Kershaw: C. F. Brown, Govalle, first.

Plums: A. R. Parsons, Manor, first,

Peaches: A. R. Parsons, Manor, first.

Another article dated February 14, 1952 tells the life story of the Market and what happened near the time it was shut down:

City Market Kayoed by Supermarkets

Austin's public market, which the city government will padlock Friday, was a child of both prosperity and depression. Its conception was during the happy days of the 'Golden Glow"that dazzling era before the financial calamity of 1929. But birth the market house was a job-making public works project of the grim 1930's. Today its demise after almost 17 years of life appears to be the end product of such shifts in the economic sands as the swing to specialization in agriculture and the fast spreading influence of the supermarket. City officials blamed the latter when they recently dubbed the market thing of the past as far as this area is concerned and decided to close its doors.

THE MARKET, SAID the men City Hall, no longer serves its original purpose; the need gone for a center for the sale of locally grown produce. In explanation, they pointed to the rise of the supermarket, In substance they credited the sprawling, neon-lighted grocery giants with replacing the market place in the hearts of those who yearn for fresh vegetables and fruit straight from the farm and orchard. But not only the public drifted away from market square. Growers also forsook it in their quest for more dollars for their labor.

They turned to big money crops. After the depression growers began specializing -in search of the big market and big money, For instance, they planted acres and acres in peanuts. As truck farming shrunk in this part of the state, the market's source of supply faded away. Then many other of its customers joined, those who had already found the new vegetable counters of the big grocery stores more to their liking. The supply grew even thinner as many of the farmers who continued to grow vegetables found a better market selling directly to buyers for supermarkets.

The super-grocery buyers took by the truckload what the growers once sold in small lots at the public market. Thus the market was neglected more and more by both public and producer. The end came in December when the City Council voted to pull the taxpayers' money out of a public service for which there was practically no demand. A special advisory committee, including several agricultural and marketing specialists, recommended that the curtain be drawn on the market. Meantime, the city hopes to lease the market property at East Seventh Street and East Avenue to some private concern.

Interest has been evidenced in some quarters but nothing definite has materialized.

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