The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-19

What the Companies VIII Charge for
Frozen Water this Year.

Ice is to be high this year and the peo-
pie who have, made q necessity OF what
was once luxury are sorrowful in conse-
quence. The demand for ice has been
sna snswins at iisss0iy isss it eisry Sas cS%s Ssss
TO a point where the companies are
unable to meet the needs of the people
unless the winter Is marked by long and
steady cold spells. A catchy, snappy
winter like the one that has just passed Is
anything but what is needed by the ice
dealers, and as a result their houses are
not nearly filled.
The experience of Earl Carpenter 4
Sons at the Mashapaug Pond ice house Is
the experience of all the dealers. The
pond skinned over during the tirst week
in December. BY the time that the ice
was three inches thick snow storm
was piled on top of the
ice. Ten days later 1t rained,
and when the mass of slush froze again
there were about two inches of snow Ice
on top of the other ice. If the weather
had remained cold this would have been
all right, but IL continued TO fiuctuate
for nearly ten weeks before the ice could
be cut.
The present capacity OF the Mashapaug
Pond ice house is "a, 900 tons. Seven
thousand tons were left over from last
year and during the past season 5000 tons
have been cut, SO that the house is little
more than half filed.
The company has no record OF time
when the pond has frozen over so early in
the season, has held so long and has re-
suited IN such small output. The Ice
also Is OF poor quality aud Is nothin z
like that which was cut at the ponds some
forty or sixty miles distant. Here. how
ever, the distance is so great that the
freight charges are from sl.40 10 80 cents a
ton, and II is this item OF expense that
will largely increase the cost OF the ice
this year.
1t is this matter OF expense that is Of
the greatest interest to the people. Those
who paid 80 cents week for II pounds OF
ice daily last year will now pay 49 cents
for the same amount, and this increase
will be carried through the entire schedule
OF prices, AZ cents becoming 56 cents; 40
cents, 63 cents, while the wholesale con-
sumer will pay "a instead of 80 ton for
his frozen water.
1t is still doubtful, however, IL the pre-
sent supply OF ice will be sufficient to
meet the demands OF the people and there
Is scarcely dealer in town who has not
obtained refusal for a certain amount OF
ice in some part of the country. III 1t Is nee
essary TO use this extra ice the rates i'll
have TO be increased again, the additional
expense OF freight and shrinkage making
II necessary for the company to increase
the price.
1t has been some time since the people
have been made to suffer 10 any consider
able extent on account of the lack OF ice.
In 1865 Earl Carpenter was compelled to
pay $4,000 for 1000 tons of ice and in
1870 the same firm paid s15 a ton for 200
tons of ice.
Such prices as these are very unusual,
however, and there is no reason to believe
that any such rates will be demanded this
year. During the GO years in which the
firm now known as Earl Carpenter Il
Sons has been in business it has happened
but three or four times and from the pres
ent outlook there is no doubt but that
the new schedule card will be the price
for ice during the present season.