Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-17
THE ICE MEN AND SUNDAY.
What the Managers OF the Companies Say
the Subject.

What the Managers Of the Companies So,
the Subject.
THY CLAIM THAT ICE Is NOT DELIVERED OK
SUNDAYS IN OTHER cirIEs-PRovIsIoS xADI
FOR SICKNESS AND EMERGENcIEs-THE IcI
DEALERS SIDE OF SOME INTERESTING oUEs
TIoSs-THE PRICE OF ICE.
For the past few cool DAYS the ice question
has not doomed prominently before the pub
lie as during the LATE hot spell It, however
only needs another warm wave to bring it to
the fore. The ice men themseves-tha is, the
msSnates Of the trade.have at length decided
I TO open their hitherto close shut lips Mr.. &.
b. Church. president OF the Independent Ice
Company. gave STAR reporter this morning a
few phases of the question from what might be
called the frigid side of the affair. The presi-
dents of all the other ice companies in the city
indOrse the views given BIZ NJ. Church. and his
remarks NAV therefore be taken as represent
ing the ice dealers position. further inter-
view with the president OF the Byglenic Com
Janv tells something OF the matters especially
relating to that company.
Last season." said Mr.. Church. twas about
the hottest on record. at least for several wears
ami We made no SUNDAY delivery then and we
heard OF no complaints from our patrons.
This season LOOK for similar scarcity OF
complaints The number of ice wagons all
along the line are being constantly increased to
meet the demand. however great it NAV be-
come Last season oar teams were frequently
on the streets until af.er 10 clock Saturday
nights. and we propose TO render Just "a good
ii not better service to our patrons this season.
Our horses. however. as well as the men must
have Sundays rest we might be unable dur
ing the heated term to meet the demand on us
daring the week davis
Nov. In regard 20 another point there is.
understand. 10 ice delivered or sunday either
in Boston. New York. Philadelphia or Baiti-
more. and 1t seems very queer 10 me that the
medical fraternity of Washington many of
whom hold IN the highest esteem. should say
tina. the citv of Washington with It's popula-
lion of 80 900. with It's wide streets and ave-
nufS. should. a a sanitary measure. require an
al-day delivery on sunday. when the large
cities OF Boston. New Nora. Puilade;phia and
Baltimore find it totally unnecessary. These
gentlemen certainly'do not wish the people of
this city TO believe that the city OF WaShid yton
Is III g-cater danger OF an epidemic than the
other i.rger CITIES have mentioned. and thev
certainly do not wish us to consider that the
only salvation from such an epidemic to be the
delivery o. ice on Sunday.
Then IN regard to prices as compared with
other cities. Our prices have not been changed
since July of last year except in a few cases
where contracts existed. This year oar prices
are slightly above Baltimore prices but they
are not so on the average OF the past five
wears. While our prices this wear are slightly
higher than those prevailing III cities north of
us the profits of the companies in those cities
are great If not greater than o5rs This is
owing to the fact that New York. Philadelphia
and Baltimore have obtained very nearly their
entire supply from home ices. while very
nearly all % our supply has been brought from
eastern points. High freights and heavy
me,tage have way of greatly cutting profits,
and as il is are. assure You able TO make
only small dividends.
Il want 20 say. however. tina: should an cpl
demic develop the ice companies would meet
any demand for ice on Sundays. and like wise
with any case OF sickness where the need is
urgent every one of the Companies viii quickly
respond to any call fo- ice on sundays at any
other time"
THE HYGIcNIC COMPANY.
The relations o. tire HYGIENE Ice Company to
the alleged combine of ice companies for high
pr.:es presents another phase OF tine question.
1t has been charged that the HYGIENE company
at the start seTerl! ago pledged itself to
furnish cheaper ice and either uudersel the
natural ics companies or compel them 20 come
down to sEe H'gienic's terms. Pre- -id1Et 5. ".
Curriden OF the Hygienic Ice Company had
something to say to - STAR reporter today on
this point.
HYGIENE company ever make any pledges -
undersell the natural ice cOnUanleS. We have
SAID constantly IN our prIr ed circulars and ad-
ye-ii>e meats that every season. whatever the
conditions OF weather. sc wonid be prepared 20
i;:rL "a jGst much ice nf tine best quality
aud tna- therefore tne-e need M ,eG ~ any .sar
of All ice famine. We have aid also that We
cGuii furnish TINS ice as cheap any one else.
We harE Heye- said that We would furnish il
more cheapiy- Incidentally. Tor the frs. two
ears We did make cut III ice. This was done
in order to establish the comranv and intro
ouce the ARTIFICIAL ice. II was ioaud that il
financially impossible 10 keep up these low
rates. Ina; IS all there IA to ii. In all our
printed matter We aave constantly and from tine
hrst made Use of the expression. the rates ior
HyCeuic ice are as low if no: lower than rates
for any other zee. At the beginning OF 1892
the HYGIENE Ice Company issued pamphlet
giving Jul! description OF lis plant. and
the entire AFFAIR can be stunned Up
i'll tie following quotation from this
pamphlet under tine head of The Company's
Prospects,: During tie coming season it is
believed there will be developed better I'M
derstanding between the several COMPANIES
than has heretofore prevailed. while at tine
same time there will be no lessening of
legitimate competition. In order to secure
footing the Hygienic Ice Company established
lower rates than had ever before been fixed.
and to these rates all the oder companies were
seasons shows thai the rates SO fixed. under the
fire of the fierce competition Tor business. were
too low. foc after making good the ordinary
wear ard tear there nothing left for
dividends. nor any provision made for the
risks and hazards OF harvesting and storing and
shipping for long distances the natural ice. nor
for the risk O: boiler explosions and breaks to
the machinery required in tie production of
ARTIFICIAL ice
''On the Sunday delivery question l wan.
only to say that in all of sickness We
make every possible endeavor 10 serve any of
our customers. as do also tine other ice COM
panies- We pay our men seven days wages for
six DAYS work and believe they shoul Il have
one day of. IL woald be utter inlpossibility
to hnd men to w0rA only one day. Th:. is
men who would understand the delivery of ice
ard be acquainted with routes and the in
dividual wants and pccuiiariiies OF the different
patrons.
The Capital City Guard Corps.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
In Difference to the wis les of large number
Of the friends and honorary members of the