San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-04
TIMELY WARNING.
The Breweries and Ice Companies
are Practically a Dangerous
TvnSt

The Brewertes and Ice Companies
are Practically a Dangerous
Trust.
The action of the breweries in de-
clining to furnish free ice with their
beer after Monday next, has caused
considerable discussion, not only
among the saloon keepers of the city,
but among the public who are sharp
enough to see that there is danger
ahead for them. In the first place
the action of the local breweries in
combining with the Anheuser-Busch
company and w. J. Lemp is viewed
with suspicion, for this is quite con-
trary to the usual practice and policy
of the local companies, but it seems
that they are willing to do anything
to attain an end that is for their
benefit and prejudicial topublic inter-
est. This system of supplying free
ice was started by local breweries
who, not having the freights and
other expenses of the outside brewer
les, could we'll afford to do it. The
outside breweries had to do the same,
although it was a great loss to them
to do so. 1t can readily be understood
therefore why, when the local brew
cries proposed a no-ice combine, the
outside breweries gladly concurred,
although there was no "loven lost be-
tween them. People have been look
ing for the cause of this action and
can find only one. 1t is conceded
that the local breweries can afford
just as well now, as they have done
in the past to give ice but there is a
reason for this no-ice policy that Is
not for the public interests and there
fore the LIGHT doesn't hesitate to give
it away. This reason is that the local
breweries are controlled by three men
who control all the ice companies i'm
the city, and by refusing to give the
saloons free ice they expect to throw q
big trade into their ice companies, but
it is sometimes not we'll to count
your chickens before they are
hatched." The saloon keepers will
meet on Monday and consider the
question. Prominent men among
them say that they will meet this
combine by a combine that shall
knock the brewery-ice combine
higher than Gilroy's kite. They have
informally decided to establish CO.
operative ice company solely for the
purpose of supplying saloons with ice
at cost, and they may decline to take
either local and st. Louis beer I'M
til the combine is broken up.
They say that the Milwaukee
and Chicago beer is quite as good, if
not better, and can be got here on as
favorable terms to them and the con-
sumner. In this way they believe they
can make it so very hot for the
breweries and ice companies that the
ice and the profits will be melted in
competition. The local breweries can
not afford to act in the way they have
been doing, for while people are will
ing to support home industries and
to assist them, they are not willing
to allow them 10 domineer over them.
For some time past the local brew
cries, for have gradually been
losing their grip and today
there is more st. Louis beer sold in
the city than has been done since the
local breweries, with the cooperation
| of the citizens, got control of the local
trade, and what is more, the st. Louis
beer trade in the city is increasing
daily to the detriment of the local
| breweries.
The fight between the local brew
cries and the saloon-keepers is APP
parently one in which the public
have no direct interest for the price of
| beer in any case will remain the
same, yet there is some hope of the
citizens deriving some advantage from
| it, for indirectly the public have big
interest in the fight for the combine
that today says to the saloon-keep-
ers we will furnish you no more
ice, may tomorrow say tie the public
you will pay for ice such charges as
we choose to make, and a defenceless
public must submit to an ice famine
on the one hand, or extortion on the
other.
The managers and agents of the
breweries say the furnishing of free
ice to the saloon men, has been a
losing business, which has brought
about the bankruptcy of every ice
factory in the city, as we'll as great
loss of money by the breweries. One
brewery manager said to a LIGHT
man this morning: at is not done to
raise the price of ice or form any
combination, we have been losing
money and were compelled to take
the course we have agreed, and stop
giving away ice, free.n
There is evidently war brewing
between the manufacturers and deal
ers, and it is to be hoped the consum-
er will not be made to bear the
burden. A little time will tell the
tale.