The Journal of the Commons House of Assembly

APRIL 30, 1760537The Council have read a Petition of the Commissioners, of the PublicMarkets in Charles-Town, and also,The Council have read a Petition of John Lloyd of Amelia Township,severally addressed to the Lieutenant Governor, Council and Assembly.And then the Messenger withdrew.And the said Account was read, amounting to the sum of £1020.Ordered, That the Public Treasurer do lay before this House an Accountof the Issues of the Fund provided by the Schedule to the Tax Law lastpast, for contingent Services.Read the Petition of the Commissioners of the Public Markets inCharles-Town, setting forth,That the present Market House and it’s Roof which was long since builtand erected on the Public Ground in or near the Square or Cross of BroadStreet and Meeting Street in Charles Town aforesaid, and establish’d by Actof Assembly as such for the public Sale of Beef, Pork and other ButcheryWares, is now decayed, worn out and become insufficient for the said Purposes.That the Butchers which occupy the Stalls in the said Market-House areexposed with their meat to every shower of Rain that falls in Market-Hoursinsomuch that many of the Stalls have been deserted and are left vacant,while the remaining Tenants murmur at paying Rent for Places that do notshelter them in wet weather.For these reasons the Petitioners in order to render the said Market-House fit and tenantable caused it to be examined by Carpenters, who uponview thereof, reported, that it would be nearly as expensive to repair as torebuild the same.That the Petitioners humbly conceive since the Building of the ParishChurch of St. Michael and the State-House, That the spot of Groundwhereon the present Market-House stands, may be found to be too near andinconvenient to the said Buildings. In which case and as there is still a largepiece of ground belonging to the said Square lying Northward of the presentMarket-House, The Petitioners humbly beg leave to represent the same tothe consideration of your Honours as a Place fit for building the Meat-Marketupon. And if it shall be thought proper to alter the Situation of the saidMarket, the present House may be kept up for the purpose until anothermore commodious and with suitable Stalls therein can be built andcompleated, the increase of the Rents and Income of which might hereaftercontribute to the lessening the Taxes of the Poor as by Law is provided.That tho’ the Petitioners at present find it very difficult to collect theRents of the Stalls in the said Market-House from the Tenants thereof forthe causes aforesaid. Nevertheless they are of opinion that shou’d a New