The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-04
THE BIGGEST THING ON ICE.


Cocrccd sub-DcaIers Command the san 20
Melt the Knickerboclter Ice Company,
which RiRidly Rules the Market-Thc
"Bu1P' Pressure Most Seriously OPP
presses Private Families-Let us Have
Another Independence.
1t takes about 500, 600 tons Of ice per nnnum TO
keep the people oftls city cool The Knickerbocker
leo Company furnishes 100000 tons. Last winter,
however, they laid up only $4,000 tons because
larger quantity WIS not at;ainobe. They sent agents
all over the country TO buy ice, knowing that the
price of it must necessarily advance They got cor
rect measurements of the ice in all the large houses
in the country Their Investigations showed them
that, with their 900 tons, and 900 additional
the property Of other parties, there only 10000
TO meet the annual demand OF 10000 tons. Toere-
fore there was deficiency OF 620,000 tons. But
they had been in the habit Of sending abroad about
10000 tons per annum, which they will not do this
year.
An INTERVIEW on ICE.
On Saturday SuN reporter interviewed the
Nice-Presidont OF the Company He stated tn hin
that computations from highly respectable per-
town hard ware arm. had been received. saying that
the knickerbockcr Ice Company were controlling
mss p,reuary aer manner soa'
The officers OF the Company were ut first not
inclined .,T to be somp1ncatlyo but Wien the e.
view In seeking light on tile subject. the officers
melted and the Nice.President spoke. He said that
they knew perfectly well how 10 conduct their bust.
ness; that " they charged teo high for their ice
they would he undersold that they wanted 2TsOO0
tons to meet the demand. but that that was not In
the country. However, he thought that the con.
sumers OF ice would be careful of IL this year and
that consequently they would get along with less
quantity than heretofore The reporter invited tine
gentieman's attention to the fact that II was charged
that the Company had
BuLLgD THE PRICE OF ICE
TO such an extent that private families who fire.
quently also received light weight. bad to pay ~
certs pound for IT, while ice was sold to outward
bound vessels, and packed on board OF the vessels
by the CompanN's own employees. for u cents q
pound, and sold to the butchers and others for cent
pound. Besides, That there now n cargo OF $40
tons In the market hnt the owner wanted TO dispos
OF for y a cent pound, but THAT the butchers or
steamship companies. or the owners of other vessels
could not buy Il, because II they did. and the Kuck.
erbockor Company heard OF the tran action, they
would cut them of. the Company was de
tertnired to rule the market, and, buying ice
at q low figure, resell II for a high price. and
that thelr wealth and tie methodca manner In which
they held the market afforded them the power
to fully carry ont their wishes The Vice President
wOu,l not specifically answer the chirgcs lie said
that they we're bringing ice from Portland AMI that
the wlstaTc or II was heavy that they had re.
Gently lost 5000 tons 81 ice by fire and DdricYidry
nat NJ peopf shoHif feel MdEkfm nat Mey an not
rW ne price OF ice higher than II Is. He thought
that mar uactured ice could not be ptotably sold in
this market aud that their Company had no reason to
lear successful competition from that direction.