The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-07-27
OUR CITY FATHERS
ON THE ICE QUESTION AND OTHER MU-
NICaPAL SUBJECTS.

Yesterday Mayor Pilsbury received infor-
nation that there was no surplus ice In Mobile
or st. Louis; that it can be bought In Chicago
at So per ton and delivered here In forty
eight hours at SO freight per ton. At Mem
phis 1t can be bought at S14. The Mayor was
also offered an unlimited amount OF the article
from Maine delivered here at 81 per toni An
other telegram from Western city offers
fifty tons at So, and asks what the Mayor will
offer for 1t delivered in New Orleans.
The Mayor has concluded to answer the
last proposition by Offering SIG for the ice
deliverable at the railroad depot.
The result of the prompt action Of the
Mayor indicates clearly that the price OF
ice in New Orleans Is not Pe dlto,c the conse h,t
either woful lack of Judgment on the part
of ice dealers or q systematic scheme to
make large profits by exacting extortionate
prices for commodity which, at this season
of the year and under the circumstances,
mas become an absolute necessity.
The price Of ice at the North, as shown by
the kilograms received by the Mayor, Is in
conflict with the statements OF the Crescent
City Ice Company, made to DEMOCRAT re-
porter on the twenty-ninth of March last,
published on the thirtieth, and there are other
facts In the interview which
CLEARLY PROVE
that the charges of the company are not iusti-
At the interview referred to it was said in
plain and unmistakable terms by the seCre-
tary OF the company that the consumption of
ice in New Orleans amounted TO 10000 tons,
unless the summer were unusually long,
when the consumption might amount to
25, 900 tons. This summer did begin at an un-
usually early period, and there Is nothing to
prove that it will be longer than It's immedi-
ate predecessors.
I'VE cannot presume that the Ice company
are speculating on yellow fever epidemic).
Hence it is reasonable to take 10000 tons as
the probable consumption OF this season.
Very little ice goes from this city to. the
country, according to the statement OF the
secretary of the Crescent City Ice Company.
On the twenty-ninth of March last, the
same authority estimated the stock on hand
of his company at not more than 5000 tons,
and that he did not think that the total stock
in the city would exceed 5000 or 1000 tons,
Mr.. Dugazon, president of the Louisiana Ice
Manufacturing Company, at the same date,
said that during the season the factory could
make from $4,000 to $4,000 tons of ice.
And it was agreed by the dealers that there
was no danger of an ice famine SO the fig
ures indicated; for If we take the minimum
of the estimates of the gentlemen speaking
for the two companies, we find 5000 plus $4,000
equals q 600, or 1000 tons more ice than they
estimate is necessary under ordinary cirCum-
SJdnCpS W supply N6W SI15hlA5 uhA1hsS LnC
season,
SCARCELY FOUR MONTHS
have elapsed, and the people are now told that
the supply of ice cannot last ten days, not
withstandng that in addition to the estimates
made above for six months (which we sup
pose is season several thousands of tons
have arrived, and over $500 tons are on the
way.
The fact is, however, that ice is so dear now
that the poor and even people of moderate
means cannot indulge in the necessity.
AS we have said above, Mayor Pilsbury,
acting in accord with a unanimous City Coun-
Gil, has taken the preliminary steps to secure
the fifty tons Of ice mentioned, and will, as
soon as he finds the necessary assistance on
the part of some Of our leading men, endeavOr
to counteraCt the monOpOlistic features Of the
trade.
The Mayor suggests that such men as John
Phelps, w. G. Black, A. J. Gomila T. Tupper,
A. Schneider and others shall come to the
front and take charge of the matter the city
of course to be responsible for the purchases),
imported, at profit just sufficient to prevent
losses. Whatever profits may be derived
from the undertaking to go to the charitable
institutions of the city.
TO THE DEALERS.
The Mayor also invites the retail dealers
and consumers Of ice Ito the extent Of 100
pounds at least) of this city to call imme-
as to the best means to be adopted for the
distribution Of the ice. In the opinion of the
Mayor the ice which would be imported would
have to be delivered at the railroad depOts,
Just as the Louisiana Ice Company does or
did with the dealers whom they had CON
tracted to supply.
AMONG THE CONSUMERS
the displeasure is very great at the condition
of affairs, and whilst 1t is too late in the sea-
son to organize q consumers association
such as existed until q year or two ago, they
propose that next season they shall not be
caught in the trap which has been set fol
them this season.
Growers at the Louisiana Ice Company are
not few. They claim that they were among
the first to encourage the manufacture Oi
Ice in New Orleans, under a great prejudice
in favor of the Northern article, and believ
them for this encouragement they did not re
new their contracts from year to year, al
though they continued to patronize the fac
tory. They find now that they are entirely
shut out by the
SELLING OUT
of the Louisiana Company to the Crescen
City Company.
The DEMoCRAT, as it's columns will fully at
test has given fair showing to all sides 0
this now alI-important ice question, the ic
| companies having been given full opportunit!
to explain their position. Nevertheless, pub
TIC ODlUlOu is pOSiLip6ly dBdlllSt lupOL gOLt
and manufacturers, and nothing will convinc
the people that q
| CORNER IN ICE
has not been effectually conceived and carrtec
out by them.
| The Markets.
The revenues of the city markets for Angus
we're sold at auction yesterday at the Cit,
Hall. The table published below gives tn
prices obtained:
Fruit and Vegetable, to J. Antiques. ..... $3 35
! French Meat, to Tujacques Il Co*.....- 2,30
] Poydras and Pile to O. Fos* *.............. 29O
/ Treme, to B. BeOube.. .....-...-...... 1,52
Washington and Port, to Jacob Hoth*.... 10
st. Bernard. to J. LarrieuX. Jr...o....-.... q
! leBreton, to D. Dantagnan. .,............
st. Mary's, to John Dies. es.................... AZ
Magazine, to O. Fos. os...............,......... 1,6s
Claiborne to d. MOnleZun. ........... 81
Jefferson City, to John Dies. II
SOrapuru, Lewis Seiser er.'.'-.......''-- u
Ninth Street, to J. @. Lawrence ...... IS
Algiers, to J. Larrieux. ...........
Dryades to J. B. Dumestre. ........... 80. 49,
/
Total. .'''-..,,- '@l0t4t