The sun., 1890-01-09
AN ICE FAMINE AT HAND.
1T WILL BE HERE IN TW0 WEEKS UN-
LESS WE HAZE SOME ZERO WEh TBER

The winter Consumption has Increased 40
Fer Cent., hut Pr,ees Havea't Advanced
Tet-NO Danger or Famine Next Summer.
The supply OF Ice In this town and within
reasonable reach is not sufficient to flll an
ordinary winter demand for three weeks. AS q
matter OF fact the mild weather has increased
the usual winter consumption fully 40 per cent.
Plenty OF old-fashioned zero weather within
two weeks is all that can avert genuine ice
famine. Sergeant Dunn says there isn't cold
wave anywhere In sight, except the one which
was booked for New York. but which is now
sliding Off the Nova Scotia coast
An Ice famine in winter doesn't mean any
groat hardship to private consumers. but IL
means great deal to butohsrG caterers rea-
taurant and hotel keepers, and others who de-
pond on cold storage for the preservation OF
perishable food. The scarcity OF ice has been
threatened so long that many people nave an
idea that there has been no moro reason for
the alarm than that It furnished good excuse
for advancing prices Now that the real pinch
has come there has been no advance In rates
and very likely there will be mono. Dealers will
simply supply their customers rs long as the
ice holds out, and then II cold weather has not
como people must go without, that Is all.
Probably prices would have been marked up
substantially some time ago had there not
been so many promises OF icc-making weather.
Cold wave atter. cold wave has started booming
along from the Northwest, and aimed straight
for the metropolis. but every time 1t has been
switched off TO the north, down tho ST. Lave
The dealers still have hopes that zero weather
will reach hero In time to bring fresh ice, to
some Of them are beginning to got discouraged.
Transient customers are tho only ones who SO
are having all they can do to supply their reg
ular trade and they are not looking for new
1t was said at the Knickerbocker Ice Com
pany's office yesterday that the visible supply
Of Ice would not outlast the month. even Il the
demand were reduced TO the ordinary midwin-
ter eraverage. Generally at this season, butchers
and others using large relrlgetators do not
upon the natural low temperature to piGesorve
meats and other porishable goods. In Decem:
others as well was fully forty rer cent greater
than during the same month Of the previous
out in this emergency, but the stocks of the
larger concerns % arc nroportion4tely about the
completely eXhau, tod their supply. ~
Boston Is as badly oil as New York. and some
o ee eFs ay
been cut In Maine, 80 the old crop is the only
resource; The ieemen from tho Hub went home
discon sol6te.
But while the immediate outlook is declded-
ly bad 1t is said there will be plenty Of ice here
ior the coming summer in any event. The ice
deal ers will not give up hope ol harvesting. a
local crop for fully month yet When they do.
it is simply question OF how far north they
that the Hudson and local lakes will not MI
the ice, houses, everybody in northern New
York who owns even a frog pond will begin
possible that 1t may be necessary to cross the
Canada line for some of 1t, but probably not.
1t takes only three weeks to harvest all the ice
the companies need and although the expense
would be great. the necessary quantity could
be brought from the north within that lenGth
OF time. The price Of ice las, season was high.
but il no local crop is gathered this winter the
cost Of ice TO private consumers will he greater
than 1t ever has been.