New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-17
THE HIGHER RATES FOR ICE.
A NOVEL EXCUSE FOR THE INCREASE
IN PRICES.

TUE sr,vrprry OF THE WINTER. IT is SAID. IN
rrRrEREp WITH THE HARVESTING OF THE
cpop-cHARLEs w. MoRsEs CONTROL
OF GREAT BUSINESS
Through the veil of mystery which shrouds IN.
movements OF the Ice combination, glimmer Oh
light shone yesterday, which revealed what .he
comh,nathon Is pleased to regard as an excuse Ioi
uniting up the price Of ice. The Consolidated ice
Company with Offices at No. 10 East twenty '"iu
ST. Is so averse to giving any inrormalion '.ea
ing its movements and its control OF the hhc"
hooker as we'll as other large companies 'na' '',o
utterance Of an explanation yesterday Tor the au,
..oa nr,ces comes as a hopeful indication OF
.br.akne the ice and the dissemination OF much
information which Is awaited by the people Oh '"e
citv who will be required to pay more Tor ice neat
summer than heretofore.
although Ice plentiful last winter sa'o 'ee-
rotary Reeve In the explanation, the cola was 80
severe and the snow blockades 80 many tnat ..'e
difficulty of harvesting the crop that is cutting the
ice and hauling IT, was very great. and this pre-
vented the gathering OF a sufficient quanl'y "
maintain the selling price at last year "sule',
The Increased cost OF production has necessitateu
an advance In prices"
The advanced price, reported peiore III INC
Tribune. Is 40 cents hundred pounds to famines.
instaad Of 10 cents az heretofore-an Increase OF
"a ia per cent Retail grocers. liquor-deaers ana
other trade consumers will have to pay ~ cents
hundred. instead OF % cents. the price which they
paid last year.
Behind these raised quotations appears the per-
sonaity Of Charles w. Morse. the president OF the
Consolidated Ice Company. and the man VINO mas
quietly effected deal which Is one OF the largest
movements recently undertaken by an ndividuai III
the city OF New-York. The plans have been con- on,
ceived in absolute secrecy the details carried ou'
with the utmost tact, and the consummatioh [ea, o
lied almost In hour placing Presldent MOTE w'
in control OF the business which supplies Ne"-iorh
annually with 50. 100000 in Ice. ,..
The Ice king bought outright controlling lnteresl
in the great Knickerbocker company whose presi-
dent Robert Mac.ay, was long recognized as tne
head and front Of the Ice business Iheh slr.
Morse purchased other companies. ana To-Day cney
are all operated from the Twenty-third-st. oincs.
Following this movement to corner Ice. the slheie
hand which has ruled throughout now MARKS ny
the prices which w-Yorkers VIII nave 10 pay
during the coming summer. . -, .,,.,
Mr. Morse has not been unknown IN other pusi-
ress circles He is director Of the Garne.d Ma
tionaI Bank and OF the Bank OF the state or New
York and Is associated with the management OF
other financial institutions. He is also member
OF several clubs In the city. MT Morse mas long
held large interests in coast shipping ana towlng
Of ice and the project OF uniting with them the
business OF supplying the metropolitan dstrict Is
one that he locked forward to some time ago Inen
came his quiet negotiations with the leading stock
holders In the Knickerbockcr and other ice com,
panies and the result Is seen to-day In his control
of the whole trade.