The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-04-01
ICE FOR 1899.


The Crop a Large Ons--Advance la Prices
An,icipated-IIsnOpoly the Order of the
Day-An Increased Demand Predicted.
The writing up Of the ice business and the discus
sion OF the question OF prices follow naturally upon
The heels OF the completed gathering Of the crop.
The quality OF the article housed for this seasons
consumption ID said to be inferior TO that delivered
last summer, and companies make loud complaints
that the gathering OF the supply has been attended
with unusual expense, owing TO the needed shaving
u the surface which, II imperfecty done, involves
a certain dsagreeabs faint OF ammonia IN the blocks
housed. These complaints are however, probably
unfounded, and intended simply 10 influence this
market, since the fact must he admitted that the
fan OF snow during the past winter mas not been
heavy. In fact, Judging from apparent data,
the housing Of the present crop has been
attended with less expense than the hous-
ing Of that OF ls6s-s, allowing small
percentage for increase OF wages, which
Is caimed-by the companies. In word, 1t Is the
old story again, with trning variations to
SUIT the contingencies OF the season, and the less
attention people pay TO the clamor the better for
the great public IN general 1t is the month
I0r contracts, and, until The contracts have been
made there will be more or less clamor as 20
expense OF housing and details OF delivery. The
cry has already gone up that prices must be ad-
season, with ice at twenty-five cents hundred; that
large gangs OF men must be kept, at higher wages
last year; that horses expensive creatufes
that cehouses, barges and carts out; that
Lanlcs pay enormous taxes and must have their
money back; that the shrinkage OF ice from housing
10 delivery Is to be unusually heavyat least forty
per cent; that, in word, If New Workers Will take
their summer beverages cool they must submit TO
pay literally for the cooling. These the oicial
arguments Of companies and may be taken with any
number OF grains Of salt by consumers al large. fney
mean merely that couple OF New YORK companies
with an aggregate capital OF IS 0oo 600, have gained
o practical monopoly OF the business, snd tuat ice
companies. hike gas companies, propose TO demand
their price, rather regardless Of the nights OF the
consumer. An
ANTICIPATED INCREASE OF THE DEMAND
Is one Of the nam arguments urged. II Is alleged
that the adjacent cities and villages have not cut
their usual supply, and that TO make up for their de-
HcieDcy, New York companies viii be compelled to
Iun suburban ice carts to an unlimited extent
HayaFx ana Jersey City Hoboken and the villages
nasta u this city are 1t is argued, likely to call upon
the New York dealers for larger shipments than last
season; and hence the mammoth companies, the
offices OF which are located In this city, are IN anti
cpation OF great harvest Of greenbscks this sum-
Iler ana one based upon the hundredfold princ-
pie. Philadelphia and Washington too, IL is alleged,
mast buy in the New York market the Ice compa.
OF the East beng unable to compete with pre-
estimated, will increase the orders for shipment re-
Ceivet by New York companies at least lftS per
cent, increasing the general demand upon the New
York market about ten per cent. The truth Of these
allegations cannot be questioned. In fact the Jer.
sey CITY Company has housed from 5000 to 10000
tons less than usual-its house at West Camp,
with capacity OF $4,000 tons, being only
about three-quarters full. Thirty thousand tons
are OF course inadequate to the local demand. Again
nv n
tons, housed at Catskil creek In single house OF
tnat capacity ana 10000 tons housed at Washington
Point the capacity OF the house being 20 o00 Twenty
thousand tons housed at West Park and 1900 tons
an the hands Of second dealer. housed at the Same
ply. or the two houses located at West Park the
capacity Of the larger 1000 tons aud that OF the
smaller 1000. Seventy-nine thousand tons must be
set down. therefore, as the limit OF suburban conpe.
titi0n which was represented last year by fully
100000 tons. One hundred thousand tons must be
added as the estimated storage OF private Individuals
which however presents only feeble barrier Ia the
way OF wardlng or the exactions Of the monopoly
companies; and that this practical monopoly win be
made the most OF nobody who knows anything of
corporations things having neither bodies to
be Kicked no. cosciences 70 be Appealed to-cau en-.
certain the shadow OF DOUBT. rf
THE gvRNT or THE YEAR FL. '''.
has been constituted by the consolidation OF several
companies In the Washington Ice Company, whica
now represents the interests formerly represented Dy
Ulster County Companies. The lrms OF X. Parker s
CO. and II. J. Bean & Co. have also been swallowed
up Ut hDbOIDeu IN tufo pIOcobs Oh dDeUIptl0u,
the New York trade has hence been left in the hands
OF the two large Canal street corporations. II was
only last year, II VIII be remembered that the Knck
erbocksr Company consummated similar cons0li-
0st0n OF great competing company with Itself,
aud both these events may be regarded az the STEP
ping-stOne OF q second consolidation, merging the
whole interest IN q single company. The Washing
ton Company has also erected two new houses. one
Of these Is located az Rondout, and has capacity of
10000 tons; and the other at West Park, having
equal capacity. The Ice gathered during the present
winter has an average thickness Of 0 foot, which
IL rather less than last seasons strips. The
STATISTICS OF STORAGE
for the season represent supply trne In excess OF
That OF last year, which amounted 10 an aggregate
Of G5O, 600 tons, OF which the knlckerbocker Com
papy stored $4,000 tons This company owns
eighteen houses OF the aggregate capacity Of 100000
tons, ana estimates TIE quantity housed at 100000
tons, Inc washington Company, as consolidated,
has twelve houses, OF aggregate capacity or about
100000 tons, and has cut, III rongh figures, about
100000. Roughly stated, therefore the supply for
the season "a represented bs the following 6gures.-
HOUSES Storage.
Knlckerbockcr OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Is 4J0.0
Washington. ........... ........... II 800, coo
hatiOnai.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 25,OOj
Jersey Nlty...-.. L oy,Oj9
Newark ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1900
Ctlieg dealers. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 5000
Total. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 81 $4,000
" win he seen from these figures that cight-ninths
OF the whole storage Of the winter the hands Of