The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-19
ANOTHER MONOPOLY.
Who Ice Combination Now HAS the People
o. Roanoke by the Throat.

4
Last year combination Was formed
among the Ice dealers of this city for
the purpose of advancing che price on
Ice. After this was done the proprietor
OF the Salem Ice Company, Mr.. A. Kalt-
hoff, came here, and according to his
statement. agreed to rent the upper
factory on Centre avenue n. W., and
manufacture Ice for the city. The COM
binHtton promptly offered an advance of
$500 on the rental price. which was &C :
cepted by the owners, and the conse.
quenee was that the factory stood IDLE
for the yesr. Mr.. Kslthoff 81 once in
creased the output of the Salem factory
and hAaled his surplus Ice 10 this city
and offered IL to the people 81 40 cents
per hundred pounds. The combination
becsns alarmed and reduced the ''oom-
bine" price to meet tho competition thus
made By the Salem man. In this way
the people Of Roanoke were saved
great deal Of money.
But matters are different this year.
The sce dealers took time by the fore!
look and have fastened the most abso-
lutte Ice monopoly on the city of RoA-
noke that was ever imposed upon o
people. THE Nottingham Coal and loo
Company" and 1.-THE Ice, Coal and Cold
Storage Company" formed q combins-
ton under the name Of 1.-THE CONSOLE
dated Ice Company" and at once pro-
oeeded to raise the prAce Of ioe to the
consumer to 60 cents ger hundred
pounds, which Is out Of all ressson.
The price charged for ice lass year was
somewhat reasonable, but was still TOO
high. a. evidenced by the fact that ice is
now being furnished to the saloons snd
to market men ct 80 cents per hundred.
The combination profted by their
experience Of last year and in order to
shut off the Salem concern, 1t IL
alleged that they purohased the entire
output Of the Salem factory over and
above what ia actually needed TO sup
ply the trade of Salem. This was not
done with the expectation OF the Con-
solidsted Ice Company ever getting any
Ice from Salem, az the Salem people
cou,d easily arrange for their output to
be no more than enough for home con-
sumption. It 10 said that they paid
$500 for this output, which of course
was low price for privilege of ad-
vancing the price on all ice retailed In
the city just even ffty per cent. The
monopoly ct present prices will be
worth thousands to the combinstio
The people should not consider for o
moment that the money will come out
OF the pockets Of the combine. Reader,
just ask yourself the question, "Do
they pay it or do the people pay it?"
This is not all, the service rendered
BY the Ice company Ia not at all sAtis-
factory. and 1t has been impossible for
people residing in the principal resi-.
dence porsion of the city TO get Ice for
three and four consecutive days.
Ii WAS stated yesterday by . GENTLE
man OF unquestioned veracity thst short
weights are generally given and the ice
company always gets the advantage of
the weight Of the ice hooks in " eighing
Much complaint is being made regard
ing the men who deliver the ice, must
especially in the southern section of the
city. Ooe wagon sold ice and refused to
deliver it at distance Of $50 feet from
the wagon. Again, they will not de-
liver Ice unless they are able to make
the correct change-which shows the
accommodating spirit of the hide
bound monopoly.
The monopoly discriminates against
the poor In the way of prices, as they
will sell Ice to families who are able TO
purchase SO worth OF tickets at so cents
per hundred pounds in any quantities
wanted, thus giving the rich or wealthy
an advantage of 40 cents in the purchase
OF 400 pounds of ice.
Truly the hand Of monopoly Ia curse.
Secondhand Knabe Piano, $4,000.
A SPLENDID secondhand Knabe piano
in good order and tune for S125. 90. on
payments of Sc 90 per month, without
interest. Hobbie Piano Co., D. w.
Meadows, city manager.