AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 321 



dam in New-Netherlands, this 12th day of September, A. D. 

 1656. Signed by the Director-General and councilors of New- 

 Netherlands. Attest, 



C. V. EUYVEE, Sec'yy 



In 1676, the first market-house was built by the people, upon 

 land given for the purpose, and that continued to be the case up 

 to 1800, or later. The object throughout has been to provide 

 conveniences for the country people to sell their produce free 

 from taxation or hindrance, directly to the consumers, up to a 

 very recent period. 



Among the first ordinances passed to regulate markets, it was 

 enacted that " No person shall engross any provisions or victuals 

 which is in the market, or by the market, to retail there again, 

 especially such as be known as huckster, butchers, or other peo- 

 ple occupying their living by such provisions or victuals as they 

 shall so engross, under pain of such provisions and victuals so 

 engrossed," and "No unwholesome or stale victuals sliall be sold 

 in the market under the pain of forty shillings." "No blown 

 meat or leprous swine shall be sold, under pain of forfeiture of 

 the same and forty shillings." "That there be a person appointed 

 by the Mayor and Aldermen to be Clerk of the Market, who is to 

 take care that the above orders are duly observed, and present 

 defaults, and set out and appoint convenient booths, stalls and 

 standings for all persons that come to the market." 



In April, 1735, a law was passed for the better regulating the 

 public markets within tlie City of New- York, showing where the 

 country people and others may stand or sit in such part or parts 

 not appropriated and allotted to other persons by leases from the 

 Corporation, &c.; and be it furtlier ordained that (in regard the 

 markets are principally intended for the benefit of housekeepers 

 who buy for their own use) that the hucksters and retailers within 

 this City who buy to sell again shall not enter into any of the 

 aforesaid markets to make their provisions, &c., until the after- 

 noon of every day, to the end that the housekeepers may provide 

 themselves in the forenoon of every day at the first hand with 

 provisions at moderate rates, &c. 



What if this state of things existed now 1 What if Fourteenth 

 •street, that broad avenue from river to river through the center 

 of the City, was open to country wagons to come and stand every 

 day from early dawn till noon, selling the produce of the country? 

 Then might housekeepers provide themselves atjirst hand with 



[Am. Inst.] 21 



