The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-10
ICE FOR EVERYBODY.
Dealers Sell Below Wholesale Rates and the
Pool Breaker Is Still Under Cover.

The local ice dealers are now, and have
been for the last week. indulging in a gen.
eral cut of prices that will result in a
marked decrease in their profits, while ice
consumers will get the benefit if they do
not lave to pay for 1t hereafter. The his
tory of the war in selling prices is one that
involves a breach of contract hard to locate.
Early last month a movement was started
by one or two enterprising wholesale ice
dealers by which a pool was to be formed
for the purpose of raising prices and re-
tanning a regular rate, but it resulted in
reducing very materially the price to
the consumer. In the original con-
tract twelve firms were represented,
including the Crystal, Indianap-
oils, Northwes tern Lake, New Indi-
pendent pen Snm Sohn Hil nnd Lake eso and r. Eell s GFssk
Shower d Dickson, George w. Pitt, j.. K.
Budd & Co., Allen Caylor and Matthias
Garner.
These firms were all united in the opinion
ply on hand, and it was decided to sell no
lower than 20 cents nor higher than % cents
per hundred pounds, or alta uniform rate of
from 81 to $40 per ton, according to quality.
Everything was supposed TO be settled for
the summer SEASON., When SOm6 lyuA-eNeu
dealer, sharper than the rest, discovered
that some other dealer was cutting just a
few cents below the standard agreed upon,
and in this way, as if by mutual disagree
ment, prices began to creep lower and
for 5 cents a hundred, or 81. so per- ton, at the
city for 10 cents a hundred. I'VE are havo
ing quite a time" said One dealer yesterday,
land | look for some fun before it m to
an end. The trouble started somewhere.
but we can't discover who was the first Of
fender. 1t has been one of the most pc
culiar rate-cuts thai / ever witnessed in
any branch of business. We thought we
had everything settled about a month ago,
when all at once everybody seemed to be sell
ing at a decrease. 1t was a sudden collapse
that can't be traced to any one dealer or to
any adequate cause. AL we know is that
that will take it."
what were the prices at this time last
We'll, good ice sold then anywhere from
s to Is cents a hundred, but then there was
a much larger supply on hand than we
have now"
There is a shortage this year. thenp
loads of ice to bridge over the coming sum
mer's demand, and l don't see how the
firms are going to stand the present prices,
if they continue. Why. / know of men
who are to-day shipping ice In here that
costs $3.50 a ton, and selling it for 81. simply
TO keep up their end of the fight. You see
it costs a great deal to ship ice here. No
dealer can bring it here for less than 1925
or $3.50 a ton, or from IL to II 1-2 cents a
hundred"
"Will the present war in rates continue
any length of time, in your opinionf
mo, / do not think it can. The whole
trouble came about when some of the deal
ers violated their contract; but l think they
will come around soon. AT the start, al
though they all agreed TO raise their prices,
/ am told that some did not, but how true
it is l can't say. Last week we held a
meeting up in the Wright Block. and we
had quite a lively time. Once or twice we
thought the meeting would end in a gen
eral fight. AS it was, it was only a war of
words, while now it is a wal of prices. But
/ don't think 1T will last very long,"