New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-10
LETTERSFROM THE PEOPLE.
CHEAP ICE FOR THE PEOPLE.

CHEAP ICE FOR THE PEOPLE.
TO TIE Esi,Or Sf Izs y. T. Triosn.
SIR: The subject OF cheap ice may lot, at this sea-
son Of the year commend tself to the general public
with that sppreoatlye force which few months later
10 the year would be the inevitable result OF circuD
Stances But although /. is that have, in the
past winter, had pretty severe suret OF ice yet the
necessities OF the dog days dem and that due provision
shsll b- made for their sllevistion.
Ice in Jsly il as necessary to the comfort OF the
poorest Ms "a the nost wealthy IN the immunity, ana
therefore, should be placed within the reach OF all
cssts: but ike all other commodities IN gensrdl use.
This fri id confor and uxury subiec tO great f1c
traitors in price and these huctustioos are not s,
much the re-u of the scarcity or plenf-od'ness OF
the supply OF the mschuations OF capttists, VINO
~, u, poiZe the sale OF the s'ce, by cpn,rouuS tne
sources OF that supply wi such power IT IL not I'M
natural that they should aud DO demand Tor Ice, When
ever the opportunity presents Itself price altogether
be ord the limits OF jnst proh upon tue cost Oh oo
t,ir ing and pr serving his article
TIE importance Of obtaining cheap ice may oest %
shoxn by brief exhibit Of TIE eSteptot the trade In
thi. CITY Last year the dea tored no ZONE where
about $50 600 tuDs of Ice quantity more thAn enough
10 supply all the wants of Nes-lork, IN mus re"pecti
and The dealers CONGRATULATED themselves upon sving
secured rich harvest from the pnolic purse. when
all their q h. mes suddenly defeated oy an aole
sxeo OF The sggreg gate qusnty housed for the mar
bet End the modes Ie-orred TO by the srgs de tsrs 20
obtain monopoly OF that market The consequence
IVES ibst tor the people OF Ms y York eo'
jy.o be luxury OF really cheap ice; tor during ths
GUNNER il cod 70 mall consumers for is cents
cw'., and fome we believe, gave no more thtn ID
cents a cwt TIE aggregate quantity cut and hoased
for The New Yo,k mari summer Is no less than
800 600 tups or % per ceo more than lst year. anu
TIE L.. itiu result should be that the people OF
N,w-Yoik should he charged no more FOR lie tals
year tn they paid in season when the supply was
90 u ucb less. We say this would be th6 reasonable
COZ cUsion TO which common sons, folk would come;
-, .tnb uv nst IA. M n AIR
have decided Utner~iss few days ago, IN accord.
sDoe ~uh their snpusl CUSTOM three OF tho leading
deslers met in ct concave and then aDd there re-
solved Tia, t1p retail price Of ice duriag the next
sUuuer sball be 80 ceu>s cwt t. purchasers Of suc1
qusbtities srd Of course 70 families. who will need
only few pound. day, the rate will be much more
aovaIced Ano TO carry ihto effect their resolution,
all 81 dealers In ice who are dependent Don them
for their supply, are compelled to pehgs themselves
10 eel at that price, AID lees At the risk Of having
their supply cut oft, or Of being undersoh by the
mopol POLITE and ruined.
lee Ill 1884 sold tor ls cents a cwt. in this City,
when the crop did not exceed 2JO 900 tuns now win
crop 90 per cent larger they have resolved - raise
two-tbirds upon the price of last year. Can any
Dopey be difgraeeful TO the men engaged in it,
OF more Ocious to hose who must be the victims OF
lis arbitrary res rictoIs and exsctonsl Surely this
despotc duct deserves the severest reprehonson
from those ~ho consume large Quantities Of this
modify AID also from the public az large, whose inter
Gets thus glapgly 0ui ragged And unless some sub
star tsl check be given TO their cspscty the monop
oily will continue 10 draw tighter the of oppres
sioD, aid finally their i'll gotten gains ~ render them
upregDsble to any asssplt thar may be made upon
their iDter.sts We do not doubt but this year they
will compel those who purchase for domestic use 10
pay them at tho OF 80 cents cwt for ell that
they consume, and this will be- bat the beginning Of
the end. We know Of q case where gentleman p1r-
chased large quantity of ice last year TO bs deiv
cred this s.ssoD, at e. tun, who was informed by
the monopoly, Ii At unless he came into the agreement
to S. bis ice for 80 cents q cst-monopoly price
be 'hould rot have it at all. He defed them IN re-
cede from their contract when they replied that il he
got the ice and attempted 70 sell for less they would
bresk up bis bu.ness by supply ing his customers at
rate beO~ his ability, and work hls ruin. These
facts that can be vouched for facts 80 notorious
that they presented here only to keep them fresh
before the public.
The ice business is lucrative one; IS cents cwt
i'll yield the seller nearly so per cent. of profit and
if with $50 900 tuDs in store the dealers cond last
year sell tee for Is cents cSf and even for IS cents
what sbsdoW Of prefext they have for De 4ndinx
Of the public ths year With an increased supply Of 20
pr cent, an advance Of twotnrds on t1e price Of
lort yesr
The ruth is the monopolists thinking Themselves
secure 10 their monopoly, do not know where ~ stop
at Every grasp their greednets increases until like
The old woman ano her goose, they longer con-
t.pt With the golden egg bat, in seeking undds gsia
nst XII themselves and the business altogether Tne
Only way for the people Of Ne WORK escape from
there exrortions Is TO take the matter into their
tands and furnish themselves With this od spenssble
pecesary at sr rate of advance upon the cost Of pro-
ducton This they will shortly he enabled TO do BY the
New-fork Legislature vho have nov under considera-
tiou and will no doubt shortly grant Charter - the
New.York ard Brooklyn lee Company. TINS Com
paDy h to ssue stock 10 the amount OF $3.50 900, VITO
the privilege Of il crsasiIg the sane to $500 Co., ine
shares are to be at slO each thus enabling each lce
The sdss epoandi Of ihe.s speeus.ou and nonoposts
thus form b. unef 10 Ihs NJ" fokk
TRlsuSE and Oil bold good 81 sn uartsoa now;
consultation then bold bet~een certain leading teal
ard &c promise nsde sns dealers are .ossnof
into ceiling Then state meas are furnished 20 the
public lou nails and desle' ehacse d7st th9s
utupsy ttrosp into the public eye The usual announce
Of large erops hsvinz been sted email dealers
brk . OF DO use for them any more the sba1d
cf the crop has already made lee drus in the
This goes urt April when ice either fest or tho
crop larse expected Add Ice foes No.
Son rprsp J. urps. gets hold Of .stsicx
forth real quantity Of s. In hooss; snd fnts.y
th- drs, dosn In Maine advised ship iee for th,
nskt for sale s luss prees' This serves dou,s
pupose he Nome mechsbs pact ice m.rset
raive prices; 20 the hop dealers have aothnx I,
fear tbs. hie the public gued int the belief
that ie. 'ssAv seuce md pay for h4adsonsiy w,hoat
psntIirs'" Fox THE Coop sT rHE PsoPLE