The Portland daily press., 1890-08-09
The SERFS OF THE GREAT ICE BARuNS,
DolefuI Tale of the Downtyoddsn
and s"eIterIng New Workers.
How the Big Companies Are said IN
Control the Market.
Relief Promised by a Concern With
an Inappropriate Name.

New YORK, August S.-Four additional
schOoners, laden with ice, arrived at this
port yesterday, from Maine. Each carried
about 400 tons, and some effort was made by
persons outside Of the strong Ice eombina-
tion that is holding up prices to lay hold Of
the supply. 1t was a vain attempt, however,
as the Ice barons had their plans well laid.
All the companies say that there is nothing
IN the talk Of trust to maintain prices, but
'hey do not deny the statement that no ice
comes down here at present from Maine to
the open market.
Inc companies, 1t is declared. have agents
IN all the ice-shipping ports, whose main
business Is to prevent, as far as possible,
shipments TO New York. The plan Of these
asents, as described, is to spread reports
about the glutted condition of the ice mar
ket in New York; the impossiblllty of dis
posing OF shipments, etc, and by this means
TO frighten wOuld-be shippers III these
methods fall, and the owners Of a coastine
schooner conclude to send down a cargo Of
ice anyway, the agents see that their en-
ployers in New York can get control OF the
shipments upon their arrival In this port
On one plea or another the agents induce
the proprietoTs OF these vessels TO eOnsign
tnem ti.s 70 oDe OF the local ice firms In this
cases where this cannot be done, the agents
telegraph to their houses in this CITY about
the departure Of any ice-laden vessel that Is
not consigned, and the men here keep a
sharp lookout Tor her arrival. When she
gets into port their men are the first to board
ner, ana the captain, glad Of an Opportunity
10 sell without delay at fair price, closes
cut his cargo at once. He can be relied upon
not 10 spread the good news at home Id he
gets back 10 time to bring down another
SHIPMENT, as he will want to keep the field
70 MIN self as much as possible.
III tne true state Of facts could be brought
nome 70 holders OF Ice In Maine, experienced
men Propnesy that the market would be
noojed with good Ice, and that the influx
would De SO great that the combination
could not possibly keep up the artificial
prices. On the average daily consumption
Oh Ice at the present artificial figures, the
combination companies are making about 81
per ton over and above their natural margin
of profit.
=, Inc consumers seem TO have been appor-
TONED out by all the companies and there Is
no use Tor them to protest and threaten TO 20
10 another dealer. In several instances
where this has been tried the parties we're
told that their particular dis strict was outside
OF the Dailiwick Of the particular wagon to
Wnlcn the application was made.
Inc New 4 0rk Steam Heating COMPANY
intend to kill the ice barons. III ali goes
well the company will have three immense
ICE M factories erected In this city by the end
OF the present month. The officers of the
company claim that when their plants are
put In working order they viii be able to
manufacture and sell ice at a lower figure
imam u can be cut. stored and shipped at
present