Evening star., 1868-02-22
CITY ITEMS.

WASHINGTON AND q KoRerrowN len Con-
RkY.-1 he card of the Great Falls Ice CJm-
pdny calls Tor a reply TO the changes made
against Us. We shall commence It by stating
- Is that are fresh in the min ds OF the comma
nifty, OF that can be proved by documentary or
oth.r indis pntable evidence. On January 18th,
i6s, We received from the two leading Zoe deal
ers in Boston. telegraIns stating that the pros
pett was that their crops would be 50 small
that they would be unable to furnish the trade
q iull supply. In consequence of this we
opened nei otiations with the tireat Pals Co
for their ics. Offering, under ample security. TO
take II as n"eoed, paying for all Of IL, whether
taken CT not Thoy declined this offer, as also
one that we should take theirs and also ship an
equal quantity of Northern ice, giving casto-
rners their choice. Thinking we could OH
an the requisite supply from no other
source, exc pi at high rates, we entered
into the only agreement TO which they could
consent, viz: that we .>shouid not purchase
rom any other person or company, for sale or
use IN the District, any ice, 50 long they
should continue TO urnish and supply ice un-
der this con tract" We were obliged 10 enter
INTO bonds OF twenty thousand dollars 10 carry
oral, Was ever asked for, looking TO the inter-
ests OF the consumers, either in prices or
prompt delivery. Their terms regarded their
own payment and the compulsory sale of their
ice only.
Is not the inference from this irresistible.
that they were determined 10 drive Northern
ice from the market, and force their own ex-
clusiyely upon consumers, and that in their
oplnIon comparison would be fatal TO the
latter
Which party appears assthe monoplists, those
who Ch'r or those w no refuse their customers
choice, and require heavy bonds 10 prevent
others from doing sol
So great was the public dissatisfaction with
the ice supplied by us under this contract. that
In July We seriously contemplated paying the
penalty IN the bond and letting their ice-the
IafeHiotaCer called II sluSh-melt rather than
longer endure the complaints which Were pour
ing IN upon us from our customers and the
press. But as this involved loss of SlO,OOO
we did not feel able TO do so, and the ice con-
sumers in the District suffered the conseq uen-
ces. Will they be likely this year voluntarily
10 use the Ice that their and our necessity, yield
ing 10 the hard terms of the Great Falls Com
pany, could scarcely force upon them last
year
That the rates at which that ice was sold were
high We then freely admitted, but our books
VIII prove that owing 10 its perishablc nature
they were barely sufficient 10 save from loss
That he never sold il as northern ice. our
repeated public announcements and written
communications abundanily testify.
Our experience of last year led TO deter
mine that undrr no circumstances would We
again buy or sell Potomac ice. This year We
shall supply northern ice only, from fourteen
TO twenty inches thick, and all of parest quail
ity. Through our efforts consumers are offered
choice between this northern and POtomac
ice, which last year the contract with the Great
Falls Company denied them. We have ne
doubt what will be the decision of those who
we rely upon the quality and price of our ice
alone. Let the public examine i; and judge.
q. I. MCCLELLAN, President
l.. j. MIDDLEToS,)
I. 7. FOWLER, Directors.
WALTER GoDBY, \