Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-26
MOVING FOR CHEAPER ICE
THE PROPOSED MUTUAL PRO
LECTION ICE COMPANY.

Meeting of Subscribers to the Stock nj
Metropolitan Hall Last Night-Dis-
cussing the Advisabflity of Building
an Ice FactOry-What Ice can be Sold
For.
Some fifteen or twenty subscribers to
the stock Of the Mutual Protective Ice
Company met last night at Metropolitan
Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to
organize a cooperative association which
would furnish patrons with ice at price
not to exceed 4 cent a pound.
Savannah is al present being 1urnlshed
with ice by two companies, each of which
charge cent pound. Two years ago these
companies. the Kuickerbocker and Hay
wood. Gage & Co.. reduced the price to .
cents hundred and it is said that the
two lost $1,000 to $4,000 apiece. 1t has
been doubted whether there is room
for a third company, but many OF
the business men seem TO think that there
is. Charleston has three companies
Bayer, Alvin Gage " Co., and Terry. The
first two are having a fight for the GUS
tom, and citizens of Charleston are get
ting their ice at 30 and 40 cents hundred.
Before the competition it cost nearly as
much as is now charged here.
Capt. Flannery was chosen Chairman
Of the meeting, and Mr.. 6. W. Haupt
Secretary. Mai. ID. e. Bacon stated that
one year ago the local companies sud
denly raised the price of ice to 81 per
hundred pounds. The formation OF a
Joint stock company was then agitated,
and correspondence was opened with
large wholesale companies in the North.
One company offered to furnish 10000
tons Of clear spring water ice from Maine
at 81 a ton on board vessel. Another prOpo-
sition was at SO per ton by the car load,
ten tons to a car. The shrinkage was put
at 10 TO 20 per cent. A third correspond
ent entered into details and wrote that 1t
will cost $4,000 to start and run an oppo-
sition company. This firm, which is a
Charleston one, wrote that 1t VII not pay
TO build an ice machine. but to buy ice
and keep in small lots. This firm es-
timated that two teams would sell six
tons a day. at a profit of about 81 ton.
The same house announced that 1t Will
deliver ice in Savannah for 80 70 per ton.
Mr.. Bacon also stated that he had been
informed that ice is manufactured in
Columbus for 81 50a ton. The subscrip-
ton list was read and showed about 20
signers, with amounts ranging from 500
TO $40. The aggregate is between $4,000
and $1,000. most OF the subscribers taking
500 worth Of stock.
The shares will probably be $40 each
Each subscriber agrees to take ice from
the company for four years, the price not
to exceed 90 cents a hundred pounds.
After some further discussion Messrs.
d. c. Bacon. James X. Clarke, b. A. Dem
mark, J. r. Hamlet, }. G. DeLettre, John
Lyons and 5. Guckenheimer were APP
pointed "A committee to formulate plan
and report to meeting of the stock
holders on Thursday night.
A gentleman who is in the ice business
stated last night that the shrinkage is
from % TO 30 per cent. Out OF 1000 pounds
loaded in the North from 500 to 500 pounds
are wasted by breaking and melting in
transportation and the several landings.
The bills OF lading are inspected by sworn
officials, and fraud in shipping is pre-
vented