The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-04
MORSE'S COMBINE.
A Man From Maine Who is Cutting
a Lot Of Ice.
SAID TO BE IN CONTROL OF THE
BIG KENNEBEU COMPANY,

Morse Already Controls Many Companies
and Practically Admits That He Has
| Shares in the MISUNDERSTANDING
| Company's President Denies 1t, How
| Ever.
| A combination of all the important ice
interests in this metropolitan district has
been effected with one possible excep-
ton, the Knickerbocker Ice Company,
and from information obtained yesterday
this large and long established company
may soon enter into the general deal.
The head and front of the combination
is Charles W. Morse, president of the
National Ice Company. They first heard
of him in this city in the ice field, we'll
informed dealers said yesterday, was four
years ago. at the time of the ice "fam-
i me-" Mr.. Morse then came down from
Maine with corner on the ice of that
State. He was able virtually to dictate
his own terms to the companies here,
both great and small. When the ''fam-
ine'' was over, some of these companies
found themselves heavily in debt to Mr.
Morse, and some of these fell into hi.
hands, because he had to take their stock
to settle his claims.
Mr. morse has gone on conquering in
the ice field since that time, until his
only important rival is the Knickorboo k
er Ice Company. A dispatch from Kings
ton, published in the Tribune asserted
that Mr.. Morse had finally secured con-
trolling interest in that company also
through the purchase of stock held by the
heirs of Eugene Conklin.
James Shindler, who has besn q direc-
tor in the Kniokerbocker Company for
thirty five years. and who is one of it's
LARGEST stockholders, said Yesterday at his
nome, NO. o. West Fifty-sixth street: sit
Is not true that Mr.. Morse has yet Sc
cured the control Of the company. l am
| not prepared to say that negotiations
have or have not been going on with that
| purpose in view. There has been a sharp
contest between Mr.. Morse and the
| knickerbOcker, and time may show which
is the under dog. 1t is not the Knioker-
booker yet, however.
| Mr.. Shindler added that his holdings
were such that no transfer of control in
the company could take place without his
personal knowledge.
The officers of the Knlckerbocker Com
| pany are Robert Maclay, presidents Littis
Q. Reeve, secretary, and Edmund A.
Smith, treasurer. The capitalization is
50, 000 600. The trustees are Robert Mac
lay, Horace and Oren Dennett, James
Shindler, Moses B. Maclay, Robert K
Mccullough, 81. p. Harrington, R. NJ.
Bull and Alfred Barrymore Maclay.
The main offices of the National Ice
Company are at No. 80 Broad street. The
president of the company is Charles W.
Morse, and the secretary Alfred Nelson.
The capitalization is $3.50, 900. The direc-
tors are Charles W. and Harry f. Morse.
William n: Baiver, Frank Burns, Alfred
Nelson and Eben D. Haley.
The Consumers Ice Company also has
it's man offices at No. 81 Broad street.
The officers of that company are Harry
T. Morse, president, aud John P. Sproull
secretary. The trustees are Harry T. and
Charles W. Morse, Eben D. Haley, John
7. Sproull, William N. Bayier, N. II.
Cheney. The capital is $3.50, 1000
Charles W. Morse is president of the
Ridgewood Ice Company. and it's score
tary is John 7. Sproull. The capital Ia
$40, 600. The directors are Mr.. Morse.
John Clark, Edwin H. Close, Grove P.
Clark. The main offices are at No. so
Broad street,
In view Of the experience of the ice
companies in this city during the
famine" four years ago, and of Mr..
Morse's characteristics as known in the
trade, the opinion was freely expressed
yesterday that the present com filtration |
would mean that consumers would be at
it's mercy, and that the price of ice would |
be high next summer.
Robert Maclay, president of the Knick |
erbocker Ice Company, said last evening:
Mr.. Morse has been stockholder in |
the Knickerbocker for four years He
seeking it, SO far as l know. The CON
solidation referred to, SO far as know. is
only of the companies controlled by the
N orse interest, and this has been going
on for some time. The Knickerbocker.
however. is not a party to it,
Charles w. Morse, who lives in Seven
tieth street, this CITY, passed New Years
Day with relatives in Brooklyn, at whose
house a Tribune reporter saw him yester-
day afternoon. Mr.. Morse was asked if
it was true as reported that he had
bought stock in the Knickerbocker Ice
Company recently held by the heirs of
Eugene COnkiin, and if he now held a
controlling interest in that company.
Mr.. Morse replied that he himself did
not hold a controlling interest, but ad-
mitted that, with some of his friends. he
did have virtual control of the Knicker-
booker Ice Company. When asked if any
of the other officers of the Consolidated
Ice Company held stock in the Knicker
booker Company, Mr.. Morse said they
did, and he finally said that some OF these
officers were the friends he had re-
ferred to.
He declined to say how many 81 shares
in the Kniokerbocker Ice Company he
and his friends held, but declared that
the purchase OF shares of that company
had not been effected every recentlr .,