New-York tribune., 1896-01-02
ICE COMPANIES COMBINE.
A POWERFUL UNION, WITH CHARLES W.
MORSE AT THE HEAD.
CONFLICTING STATEMENTS AS TO THE CONTROL
OF THE KNIcKERBoCKER CoMPANY-AN


CONFLICTING STATEMENTS AS TO THE CONTROL
OF THE KNIcKERBocKER coMPANY-AN
ADVANCE IN PRICES EXPECTED.
combination of all the important Ice interests
in this metropolitan district has been effected
with one possible exception. the Knickerpocker
Ice Company. and from information obtained
Yesterday this large and long-established COM
pany may soon enter into the general deal.
The head and front iof the combination Is
Charles W. Morse president of the National Ice
Companv The first heard of him in this city IN
the ice field wel-informed dealers said yester-
day was four years ago at the time OF the Ice
"famine" Mr. Morse then came down from
Maine with a corner on the ice Of that state lie
was able virtually to dictate his own terms TO the
companies here both great and small. Wheh
the famine" was over, some of these companies
found themselves heavily in debt to Mr.. Morse
and some Of these fell into his hands. because he
had to take their stock to settle his claims
Mr. Morse has gone on conquering In the Ice
oeId since that time. until his only important
rival is the Knickerbocker Ice Company as
match from Ki1cston published in The Tribune
Yesterday. asserted that Mr. Morse had hnahy
secured a controlling interest in that company
also through the purchase of stock held by the
heirs of Eugene Conklin
James Shindler, who has been director IN the
Knickerbocker Company for thirty-hve years
and who is one of its largest stockholders said
Yesterday AT his home. No "a West Fifty-sxth-
OF TT IS not true that Mr.. Morse mas yet Sc
cured the control Of the company. am not pre-
nared 70 s,v that negotiations have or have not
been going on with that purpose in view lhere
has been A sharp contest between Mr.. Morse ana
the Knickerbocker and time may show whch
10 the under dog 1t is not the Knickerbocker
| yet, however.
Mr. Shindler added that his holdings were
such that no transfer Of control in the com
many could take place without his personal
knowledge.
Tho officers OF the Knickerbocker Company
are Robert Macay. president; Littls o. Reeve
secretary. and Edmund A. Smith. treasurer
The capitalization is s2,OOo,Ooo. The trustees
are Robert Mac:ay, Horace and Oren Dennets' ~
James Shnder Moses b. Macias, nqD W,,,i and
| Mccullough. II. p. Farrington' H. NJ Dun GA"
Alfred Barrymore Maclay. -, cou,-
The main Offices Of the National Ice com, IN
pany are at No SO Broad-st The president OF .mc
company is Charles W. Morse and the secretary seady
Alfred Nelson. The capitalization IL s'oV'VgS'
The directors are Charles W. ana nary ,y,rdd r;
Morse William y. Bavier, FRANK bu'h-' H'iiN
Nelson and Eben - Haley. .
The Consumers Ice Company also has its nam
! offices al No so Broad-st The oIlcers OF % ma
company Harry F. Morse president I anu I'm
anG a. 1pl prb"~ies " Morse. Eoen D. Haley. John r
Sproull. william y. Bavier. II: CampDei!, ".
n Waite and H. O. Cheney. The capi'ai Is
$250OoO. .uo p,doo-
charles w Morse is president Of the ridge
wood Ice Company. and its -ecretary Is Jonh /.
sproull The capital IS $iOooo me at
MIR Morse John Clark. Edwin II Close, Grove =
INK lanes H. Cou-ens and William j. Clark
The main Offices are at M. so Broad-st
In view Of the experience Of the ice companies
IN ri his citv during the famine four years ago.
and Of Mr. Morse's characteristics as known IN
the trade the opinion was freely eXpresseu yes
teriay that the present comoi.a'lon m"uu a5 th,
that consumers would be at its mercy ana thal
,bn ,rice If ice would be high next summer
Robert Macay. president OF the kncRer
booker Ice Company. san iast evening. ~, .'in
Morse has been stockholder IN the hhlcAeI-
hncker for four years He has not a control
ling interest is he seeking IT, so tai as
Lrov The consolidation referred TO. so far az
+ ,lnov is only y the companies controlled
bv the Morse interest and this has been going
on for some time. The knickerDocKer' HOW
eyer. is not a party To- IL c,,,h
Charles W. Morse, who lives IN o6een',rt,, % ,'.;,h
ct this city. IN sed New Years Day Wit, with
relatives In Brooklyn. at whose mouse a itlv
une reporter saw him yesterrmy r,, ren"pted
thot ne had bo lght stock in the knicKerpoch
er Ice Company recently held by the heirs OF
Eugene conklin. and Il M ne now he'' 'o''
trolling interest in that company . -,
Mr. Morse replied that he himself dld not
hold q controlling interest, but admitted thdt;
with some of his friends. he dld nave N!itua' ,
control Of the Knickerbocker Ice company.
When asked If any OF the other onlcers Oh tne
consolidated lee Company held stock III .ns
Knickerhocker Company. Mr Morse saiu me
did and he finally said that some Oh t'.oe -,
officers were the friends he had relerfeu ~,
He declined to say how many snates III st ~
Knickerbocker Ice Company he anu ne
friends held but declared that the purcndse. "a
shares Of that company had not peer, e,, .ner'u ~
.'ver,- recently' and that he had helu SUI" III
the company for a Y"ar ,, -
Mr. Morse added that the hnlcke'p'Chi
COMPANY would probably continue to tNis' i an1
Ia de- business as II had lone II heretofore anu
vim the same officers When asked II ne anu
his friends were able now 10 cou'ioi Nv, '.,u,'s
'ornanies and fix th- price OF ice, Mr. Morse
ranlied that there are ';her COMPANIES ~, ~
h,,siress Won know" lie said that ne ala not
know of any reason WHY the price oi zee Siouiu p
h., higher during the next summer season IMAM II
Beyond this last evening he declined 10 say
ANYTHING for publications. A., ,y,,,.r
Iettis o. Reeve. secretary OF the nhicAv,
borLsar Ice Company. was seen last night az MS
h,,n, M a1e Xeap-st.. Brooklyn. Although not
ir,iired 20 tolk he said that the Eugene ConkHh
stock mad been I'm the possession OF MT MorS'
ra, le,st two wears He would not say whether
r nat MIR Mors, held the controlling interest III
mo connanv and said that there had peeh no
cb,nre i'm the board IF directors. lnefe were
,no many ice companies. he declared. for any
ons cnmpanv To name the price OF Ice.
uiSSlCHT SETTS LEGfSLiTTRE.
poTu HOUSES ELECTED OFFICERS AND AD-