The New York herald., 1870-07-22
AN ICE WAR.
Brief but Bitter lIOstilities Between tho
KnickerbOckrr and Washington
Ice Companies.
How the War was Brought About, How Il was
prosecuted and How It Ended-Lawvers in
Melting Mood and Court Injunctions Dis
solved by Strategic Compromise, Like
leo BY tho MONDAY Sun-The
Public Get Ice, but no
Benefit from tho War.

the increasing complications Of the European war,
that has been absorbing for the past few davx such
extended interest IN this city. and threatening 20
seriously disarrange our money values pro-
missed to lose Its interest and the excltemenr
feyerish as 1t s die out altogether in consequences
OF war in our very midst, pregnant with moro
vital issues IN its immediate results as affecting the
public at large greatly overshadowing tho pending
connict between those two great European Powers
France and Prussia. The war to which we refer Is
THE ICE WAR
between those two great monop0lies Of our metro.
pos--the Knlckerbocker and washington Ice Com
panies. Here is war that comes home to the
bosoms and hearts of every resident OF our CITY, and
prominently 80 during the prevalence or the present
heated term. In these fiercely raging days OF tls
summer s0lstce Ice is not only vital to human COM
fort, but vital almost to human existence TO think
OF Tes
Ii OUR CITY WITHOUT ZOE
is to think Of 1t bereft OF that making
life cndurabe. We might almost as well be
deprived OF bread and even the air we
breathe. Soda water, milk punches and cobblers,
and smashes and juleps. as arttslicaly prepared In
this progressive era OF the nineteenth century, would
become delights OF the shadowy past to be only
lived over again In memory. Champagne would
become nat vegetables would go to decay meals
become prematurcly tainted with the aroma o anti.
guilty and butter an intractabe, oieaglnous liquid.
We viii go back to the traa
BEGINNING OF HoSTILITIEs
IA between the Ice companies named above
For some time there has been mGnl
fest "lirtle unpleasantness" between tho two
companies. Tho fact is ice is ice ana
separately anxious to realize said profits to the fu
est extent. These two companies have seven depoIs
fore being brought to the New York market has to
be divided, and on the question OF this division the
difficulty began. Each company respectively claimed
that the other was appropriang to its own use the
ice OF the other company. The Knckerbocker kept
shipping unheeding this protest. The Washington
Company got indignant, applied to Judge Hoge-
boom, who forthwith issued
INJUNCTION NUMBER ONE,
restraining the KnickerbOcker Company from ship
ping ice. This estOppel having been placed on the
operations OF the latter company that Is as regards
i; all their own way, and began a lively work OF
shipping on their own hook. From Shaker Village,
one OF the seven depots two car loads Of ice were
brought on Tuesday morning to Hudson, there to
be placed on barges for shipment to this city Sud
denly there appeared
issued by Judge Barnard, restraining tho railroad
company from delivering the ice. The result was the
sS ~ an Se Gs ie Of M
terday morning. 1t would he a matter Of time to
dissolve the latter. Injunction. Meantime the Ice
would dissolve ITSELF The Ice, OF which there was
only about twenty tons, was not OF SO much cOnse-
quence but II was a question OF precedent ana in-
V0iVcu tHe VI Qudnblty Vi Ice
still remaining ut tile several depots. Things had
reached
fact glarngly evident to the most unrenectivo
mind. Something must be done; 1t should be done
Immediately IL would not do to let the Ice go To
waste; 1t would not DO to lose the profits IL was,
furthermore, bad policy TO keep up such petty in
teruicine war. The public. which wants 1t and must
have it, would become disgusted. Other companies
would be likely to spring up and they be left out In
the cold 1t was resolved, accordingly, 70
CONQUER A PEACE,
tP IA md In hal xya IN IN
this was by acompromise The two Presidents and
their respective lawyers met IN council yesterday
morning. They each talked and made propos-
tiOns, and then there was more talk and counter
propositions. AL length everything arranged
amicably ana
THE WAR ENDED.
TIE specifications of this treaty OF peace are
studiously withheld rom the public.
"We have settled the matter" said the President
OF the Knickerbocker Company to HERALD repre-
sentative yesterday. 'and there is nothing to be said
about It,"
ave. have settled the matter, and that's all we
care the public to KNOW" said the President OF
Washington Company.
YHE RESULT
livery OF ice in the city by these two companies.
The war was brief, but bitter while il lasted; hut
the feeling or opposition has cooled down to the
temperature OF the great staple IN which they arc
carrying on such extended and profitable trade.
Reviewing the biOOdess batte-tn this respect 80
sia-thc only regret Is that le was not waged with
sufficient bitterness aud protracted with suilcient
stubborn Obstnacy TO reduce the price or ice to q
poiut so as to make IL available TO all classes and
realize for tho companies good living profit ana
more.