New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-05
Homp Manufacture OF Ice.

We copy the following interesting ar
ticle from the Bee of yesterday, as every
thing relating to home manufactures must
be interesting to our readers:
We invite the attention of our readers to
the advertisement in another column OF the
Louisana Ice Manufacturing Company,
whose works are on Tchoupltou!as street,
one block above Louisiana avenue. The
seas6p being at hand when the consumption
OF ice will be greatly increased, the occasion
is opportune for bringing this domestic
manufacture to public notice, the more so,
IS determined efforts have been made by
rival interests 10 influence the community
against if, and IN favor OF the Northern
production.
This enterprise has been set on foot by
number of our leading citizens, a. whose
head IS Mr. William 7. Hepn. OF the respect-
able house of A. Rcchereau Il Co. Tney
have in view not only q return for their IN
vestmeut, but TO bring within the means OF
every family, however limited this lndls-
nepsab.e commodity. Hitherto this has not
been the case. The high price Of Northern
ice in this market has precluded many OF
the people of New Orleans and the sur
rounding country from its use. No one
need now be deferred from using ice on ac-
count Of the price, as the louisiana Com
pany are prepared to sell it as low as thlr-
teen dollars per ton at the works, Or fifteen
dollars delivered. The Northern article
costs more than double that price, and 10
times Of scarcity even higher rates.
The ice business. it is well known, has
been in the hands of as close monopoly
as ever controlled any branch of business,
and the monopolists have endeavored, as
was natural. to hedge themselves around
with as many securities as they possibly
could against competition. To this end.
and in return, we suppose, for some lmagl-
nary favor conferred by the Northern ice
dealers, they sought to bind the large con-
sumers of ice in New Orleans not to engage
or be concerned in the business OF import
ing and selling ice in this market. and when
these ice importers had succeeded in impos-
ing this condition upon their customers,
they then tried to make the latter believe
that they had under this contract, bound
themselves not to buy ioe from ally other
dealers than the importers. Such con-
tract, il Is believed, was never entered
intoNby The Ice Consumers Association.
What they agreed TO refrain from doing
WAS, "engagiDg" or being ''concerned' IN
the ice business. so the contract reads;
and the meaning OF this language Is. accord
ing 10 professional opinion, that the Con-
sumers' Association shall not deal in ice as
business-shall not import ice, or make
ice so as to come in o competition with
the importers business. Buying ice for
their own consumption is a very different
thing.
Prior to the existence of the Louisiana
Ice Manufacturing Company, consumers Of
the article know that the price of ic E in this
mark et ranged from thirty-five dollars $3.50
per ton upwards-as high on one or more
occasions as one hundred and twenty dollars
per ton, aud in times of epidemic. as high as
twenty cents per pound. The Louisiana Ice
Manufacturing Company have brought the
price of their manufacture down, as we have
said, to fifteen dollars (Sl5) per ton, and are
prepared to supply consumers at that rate.
We are informed that the Northern ice
dealers are resorting to every device to pre-
vent interference with their business. Be-
sides telling their customers that they have
no right to buy ice elsewhere, the Louisiana
Company complain that they misrepresent
and discredit the home manufacture; that
they create all sorts Of prejudices against it,
and have in too many instances, sue
ceeded in inducing the large con-
sumers Of ice to adopt their ideas
concerning it. When they can accomplish
their ends in no other way, they not only
undersell the home manufacture, but will
almost give away their ice, if they can
accomplish their object in no other way.
Another of their devices is to tell the con-
sumers that our home company can not sUs-
tain itself, and must shortly terminate it's
operations. By these and other specious
arguments the consumers are Influenced to
continue their dealing with the monopOlists,
fearing that if, by any chance. they should
be compelled again to buy Northern ice.
they would have to pay exOrbitant prices
in other words that the Northern ice dealers
would reve1ge themselves hereafter by ad.
vapcing their rates and terms by way OF
Furnishing consumers for their patronage oi
the domestic manufacture.
There need be no apprehension on the
part of the retail dealers that the Louisians
company will cease to manufacture. They
are now making from seventy to seventy
five tons per day, and the demand is IL
creasng.
In these circumstances, consumers nigh
well take into consideration whether or no
it be their interest to encourage this home
enterprise.
Shelby Seymour, real estate agent, No. 4a
Caroudele street, offers for sale cnoic,