The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-28
THE BIG ICE COMBINE.
Officers of Local Companies Deny
That They Are to he Absorbed.

officers of both the Independent and the
Great Falls Ice companies positively deny
that they are to be absorbed by any gigan-
tic ice trust whatever.
A Geographic story originating in Gardi-
ner Me-. was published in many newspa-
pers of New York Washington, and else
where Yesterday to the effect that the
American Ice Company which has just
been incorporated in Maine, is to absorb
all the important ice companies in Amer
lea including the Knickerbocker Trust OF
New York and elsewhere. the Consolidated
Ice Company OF New York and elsewhere,
the Independent and Great Falls companies
OF Washington, and many others. Hints
of a Capitalization of $50, 200, 900 were
printed in some of the newspapers as also
vague surmises that the old man of the
trusts the Standard Oil Company, is be-
hind the vast deal.
II has not been learned II the Knicker-
booker Trust has itself become a part Of
another ice trust. but ON the best author
ity it may be stated very positively that
this story is untrue as far as other large
Washington companies are concerned.
Mr. Bartlett president of the Great Falls
Company. when questioned regarding this
new development in the ice trust fiction,
said TO a reporter for The Times yester-
day:
THE Great Falls Ice Company will not
be absorbed by any trust. 1t will do bust
ness this year, as last. for itself. The
company Is controlled by ten stockholders
and am in position TO state that these
gentlemen would not sell out TO any com
bination for $3.50 share
The present price of the stock of this
company is about half of $3.50, and it will
be seen that Mr.. Bartlett puts his figure
a long way from any that is likely TO be
offered, apparently for the purpose of max
ing it very clear that there is no possible
ity OF the company selling out.
President Church, OF the Independent
Company, expressed himself in much the
same way, but did not desire to be quoted
further than 10 deny that his people have
any intention 10 sell out TO anyone.
The Knickerbocker Ice Company, which
entered the Washington field several
months ago by acquiring the HYGIENE
Company has been endeaNoring since that
time to induce the other companies OF the
city to be absorbed. Some of the details
OF the progress of its quest have been pub
lished in The Times. There has been
rate cutting everywhere, and promises of
cheaper ice for years TO come II customers
will only desert the old companies. Ii
is stated by officers of the old companies
| that the Knickerbocker has also endeav
ored to get their drivers by the same
methods. Other plans have been tried,
| but all, it is believed, with Indifferent sue
| cess. Al any rate, the chief object of
! the crusade to secure control of the i'm
portant companies. has failed entirely. as
recited above. Nothing further in this
direction has been accomplished by the
Knickerbocker except that the little Home
Ice Company has been absorbed, as stated
heretofore in The Times.
One of the surmises regarding the
American lee Company described in the
dispatch from Gardiner is that the Knick-
erbocker Company failing to accomplish
Its purpose OF getting control of the ice
business in Washington and elsewhere.
may have concluded to give up the at
tempt and has sold out To the new tr!st.
1t is known that in Baltimore where the
knickerbocker was supposed to have OBJ
tanned complete control of the business,
there is already forming a strong Compel
ing company. The same is also true
with regard TO the New York field
The reason given bv Baltimore people
for the failure of the trust to hold its
monopoly is that it Immediately raised
prices as soon as the other concerns had
been crowded out. and thus made new
competition easy.