The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-19
THE ICE QUESTION.
WHAT THE DEALERS SAY ABOUT THE
PRESENT HIGH RATES.


to say on the subject. Walking up the stairs
and into the private office, he asked If Mr.
Kranz was in.
Answer-No, sir; he is out of the city, but
may be back this evening.
Reporter is there any one here who repre-
sents him
Al do. My name is j. J. Masicot. / am
president pro tenn. of the ice company. What
can do for your
Rep-I represent the DEMOCRAT. and called
to sec you in relation to q series of interviews
that appeared in our paper on the ice ques-
tion.
Mr.. MI am glad to see you, sir; walk in.
The reporter walked in, and, after being
seated, Mr.. Masicot said: "Now sir, before
we proceed will state to you that will pay
the expenses IL you will go to the different
ice houses and see for yourself about the
stock on hand. ] would much rather you
would do that and then return here, and I
will answer any questions you may ask"
Rep,-I would rather commence with you
first.
Mr. M.-Very well; go on.
ReD-The large consumers complain that
they pay more for ice now than in former
years. Is this so?
Mr.. M-Yes, we do charge higher price
this year than last.
Rep-What.is the cause Of this2
Mr.. None reason is that there vas no
ice made in the West last year and we have to
get all our ice from the East.
Rep.-How does that affect the matter
Mr.. M-Well, the ice from the East is of an
inferior quality and melts much faster.
Rep.-Then you do not propose to lower the
Mr.. M.-we positively cannot supply ice
any cheaper. Why, sir, up to last year ice was
never cheaper than $50 ton,
Rep.-Then you are not making bonanza
out of this business
Mr.. M.-Well Ishould think not AS an ex-
ample, will state that there was from $50, 600
to 100000 lost last year on ice.
Rep.-What is the cause of so much loss
Mr.. M.--Meltage. The schooner Gamewell
brought us some time since an invoice OF CAT
TONS. Out Of this we received only 2S5 tons.
SO you see we sustained a dead loss OF 1862
tons, and on this
WE PAID A FEEIGHTAGE
OF So ton Again, the schooner Potter in
voiced 506 tons, out of which we received only
275 tons. SO you see our loss, even before we
touch the ice Is very large
Rep.-Then you pay for what is shipped
and not what you receive?
Mr.. M.-Certainly; we have to stand the
entire loss,
Rep. You, gentlemen have the whole mat
ter In your hands; so l suppose you do not
lose any more than you can helpY
f.
matter at all; you can go in the Ice business
yourself II you want to-
Reptile consumers complain that you
hold back the Louisiana ice and will sell
them only the Eastern ice. How Is this?
Mr.. M.-We have
NO LOUISIANA ICE
on hand. AS proof of this will show you IN
order for the steamboat Mexico for twelve
tons of manufactured ice, which we are I'M
able to fill, but instead have to give them
Eastern ice.
Rep.-Well, then, how do you account for
this rumor2
Mr.. M.-We have contract with them, 1t is
true. but they cannot supply it, for, the rea-
son that there were contracts made by the
Louisiana Ice Mandatory with small deal
ers prior to ours, and they hardly make
enough to supply them. AS said before, we
have no manufactured ice on hand;
Rep.-Then the only ice on hand to supply
the demand Is Eastern ice?
Mr. M.-Yes. sir; and there Is not enough o.
that to supply the city ten days.
Rep-Does the Louisiana Ice Company
make as large quantity OF ice now as they
Mr.. M.-No. When we commenced will
them they made seventy-five tons day; nov
they only make forty tons.
Rep-What is the cause OF this?
Mr.. M.-Well, 1t Is caused by
THE EXTREME HEAT.
You see, the water is so warm, that the gases
will not condense, | am not scientific man
but that is my opinion.
Rep.-When you discovered that this com
pany could not supply the demand VIVA
means did you take to remedy the evil
Mr. M.-When we found that we could no
procure ice here we wrote to our agents II
Boston to engage all the vessels there, so a.
to be able to supply this city
Mr.. M-Well,, partially; they compiled
with our orders, but could not get as many a.
we desired. We then told /, them to engage
steamship, if possible. This they could no
succeed in doing, and so we have to rely
ON SAILING VESSELS.
Bep.-Ts there any ice on the way now?
Mr. M.-Yes, sir; we have a vessel now on
twenty-five days, the Andrew Jackson, witt
1400 tons of ice.
Rep.-Is that the only Ice you know of nov
on the way
Mr. M.--Oh, no; we have several. TIL
Haskill is coming with 613 tons, the Benning
ton has 1877 tons and the Schofield carrie
about 1900 tons. Then we have the Alexande
with 400 tons.
Rep.-That is all you have on the way?
Mr.. M-Yes; but Mr.. Warner has tn
Zephyr, with cargo Of 14OO tons, now on tn
way.
or Western ice?
Mr.. M.-The Eastern ice costs more none,
than Western.
Rep-How do the prices in New Orlean
compare with other Southern cities?
Mr.. M-Well, in Mobile ice sells at retail a
two cents pound, and in Galveston for tw
and a half cents. Now, in Vicksburg the
are selling it for one cent pound, but it
ice carried over from last season, bough
when there was
BETTER ICE CROP THAN NOW.
Rep.-Then the crop this season was NO
very prolific?
Mr.. M-Well, should say not. There wa
no Ice frozen this side of st. Paul. In s
Louis they are getting their ice from Canada
have 70 coll of ono nd
quarter cents pound.
Rep.-It has been stated that If the ice con
sumers were to club together, they coul
bring Ice to the city and sell it for $40 tor
What do you think of it
ME-, Nit is utterly impossible for ther
TODD so. They cannot buy ice in Chicago fo
less than 81 ton. have letter dated Apr
8, from Huse Lomis d Co., in st. Louis
which says that ice will go up to SIS ton |
st. Louis by August. Reporter reads letter
Now ~ +hfc should occllr how can it b