, 1863-08-14

LEG 1oHoRlnE correspondence explains IT.
self:
Editors Chicago Tribune:
Early in the Spring several articles appear
were not at all complimentary to the Ice
dealers.
When We presented reply you willingly
gave it O prominent insertion In the TRIBUNE.
We handed the following article to the edit
ors Of the Journal (wto hayc lately 'fAken q
which they refused to publish. We therefore
wish you to give 1t place in yout columns.
WADH1Ss, s, WILLARD & Co.
Editors Chicago Journal:
Ever siuce the opening OF this years. Ice
season, the daily papers hare not ceased to
persecute and yilify The ice dealers as "Whole-
sale Robbers" and " "Unscrupu1ous monopo.
lists" Early In the spring We gave in the
columns Of the TRIBUNE: some of the reasons
for the high price, among which were, that
owing to the unusual lnildnes5 Of the winter
We were compelled to build new set of ice
honses north Of chicago IN order to get any
are built two miles from the railroad, and the
ice has to be drawn that distance In wagons
to tue depot before shipping to this city,
which involves an expense and waste, Of
which 5eT people hare any idea; The freight
cago Is more per ton than We have formerly
charged our large customers for ice, delivered
in their boxes. Lastly the supply Is small
and the demand unlimited So fast as the
people become acquainted with these tacts
become so general, we were much surprised
In your issue Of Monday, to fiud ourselves
(baing old Ice dealers) spoken Of as the Old
Monopolists'' who had been left in tho shade
and the public nre than informed "there hns
been no abatement in the unprincipled tgoug-
ing process.n Nov We consider such an at
tack upon us as unjust, and unbccomtng
public journa1. and directly calculated to cEe-
now exists in the districts supplied
blythe new dealer most complained Of
As for combination existing between us and
any other dealers, We state upon onr honor
that VIC hare no understanding or agreement
whatever with any person or persons, except
In the matter Of districting the city, the rea.
appreeiate as they become better acquainted
with the necessity that suggested 1t. The
city papers notified the people that they
werc being swindled, and that one way to
remedy It IN future was to give the dealers
tie !" cold shoulder md that certain can
vassers wonld can upon them for their SUBJ
scriptions, &C. Every few days the public in
general were notified how nobly the matter
was progressing, and Ice dealers were told
that this was their last year. We, however,
noticed that the best business men "could
not eee'' the advantage gained BY cutting
to new ones, at price even higher than had
ever been charged by rs previous to this ex-
traordinaly season. Nevertheless many did
subscribe, and We understand that list Of
some fire thousand nanes were opened out
to the Chicago Ice Company as SO many Sig
had said they ought not to live, and the pco-
pie had said they should not. And under
such q pressure they sold out, and who will
say they acted unWIsely? Certainly not the
o5est es to- eg 81 PIfs Is conduct of
disapproval is in the fsct tLat We did not t sci
when the same arguments were presented to
and tSlf t%Shfen Il 9aSStio, 9Sd VIC
purchased, be proposed to reduce the
price one-haE We yielded SO far as TO accept
the proposition made for our whole stock,
provided he would give bonds to supply our
customers at the proposed reductions. Upon
bis noncompliance VIC ceased further nego-
tiataons. Had we for occe supposed that the
articles OF which we complain had expressed
the honest sentiments Of our patrons. we
should either have accepted any one of the
many propositions We hare received for our
whole stock Of ice, and been better of by
many thousand dolla5s, or Te would y nov a.
latc the price for Chicago; in which caselafge
consumers would pay one dollar per hundred
and tamil1es two dollars per week. But In
stead Of 60 doing, TIC fixed the rates az 1eas-
enable as possible In the spring, and although
from fifteen to twenty dollars per ton for all
our Ice, VIC still continue to deliver to our
customers at the reasonable rates established
In the spring, bearing ell the ehrlnkage Of
stock and the expense Of delivery beside.
When We first came into the market as Ice
1.-f - TAAM