New-York tribune., 1900-05-12
COLER FOR CITY ICE PLANT
THE CONTROLLER SAYS HE is IN FAVOR
OF IT.
FIRST COST. IT is DECLARED. WOULD BE
GREAT. But PROFITS HANDSOME
ATTEMPT TO KILL AN ICE
TRUST EMPLOYE.

The feeling is growing in some directions that
,rc only way in which the small consumer of
zoe the man who does not use enough OF ii to
warrant huying even the smallest ice making
machine on the market-and his name is legion
can become permanently independent Of the
extortion Of ice trusts and the occasional failure
of the natural crop Is by means of municipal
ownership of ice factories. And this feeling is
by no means confined TO Missionaries and
cialistic enthusiasts. Controller Coler yesterday
announced himself as heartily in favor OF the
plan which he pronounced 10 be feasible as
well as advisable. The Controller says that
New-York City is particularly we'll fitted for
such an undertaking. because II has several
pieces of improbable real estate scattered
about the city. such Centre Market for in
stance which could be utilized ice factories
and be fitted UP with the proper machinery for
a reasonable outlay. Randolph uegenhe,mer
president OF the Municipal Council. and Thomas
l. Feitner. president of the Tax Department
are also quoted saying that a municipal ice
plant would be good thing. Messrs. Coler and
Guggenhemer are both members of the Board
of Estimate. and IL is not unlikely that they
may bring the subject before that Board before
long.
Experts ice making machinery who were
asked by Tribune reporter yesterday what it
would cost the city TO erect plant capable Of
turning out five million of ice year the
estimated amount which New-York consumed
in 1899, declined to take seriously the PROPOSE
tion that any one could be thinking of CON
structing one plant to supply the entire city.
They said that A number OF plants scattered
throughout the city would be absolutely neces-
sary. The principal reason for this is that de-
livery is the largest item of expense in the ice
business both account of the wages Of the
and he
wagons on long hauls They suggested that if
the system of burning the city's garbage in
small crematOries scattered about the city were
adopted. as they said it must be before long, the
establishment of ice factories the same
premises would form a practical solution of two
great problems. for the profit on ice would soon
pay for both plants.
In figuring up the cost of establishing various
municipal plants all over the city the experts
say the proper basis is to allow about 5000 900
Tor each 100 tons Of fee which the plant is ex-
pected 10 turn out day. On this basis it would
cost the city about $27 600 900 to erect factories
caTable of turning out 100000 tons year This
seems TO be prohibitive figure but it need not
be expended all at once. Moreover ice is made
in thousands of factories to-day at an average
cost Of 81 ton, including interest on plant and
wear and tear The city ought to do as we'll as
mat say the experts If IL sold 5.000.O00 tons
OF Ice year al 30 cents hundred pounds lust
one-half the prevailing rate, il would receive
therefor S3o.U00,oUD. Deduct from that the
so,Uotu which II cost TO make the ice, and
pretty margin remains to pay for cost of de-
livery. interest plant and wear and tear
Even at IL cents a hundred pounds the city
would take in S15,o0OO00 a year-not a bad re-
turn from So. 900 600 investment many think
But this problem of a municipal plant is not
looked on wholly from commercial point Of
view Physicians declare that supply of pure
Ice made from Croton water would greatly de-
crease the death rate in summer and also the
prevalence of typhoid and kindred fevers which
al 2 engendered by the consumption of the
nierobe laden natural ice of that great State
sewer the Hudson River, and that account
even if the city only cleared the cost of making
IL would be benefited in the health of its citi-
zens and a lessening of charity hospital ex-
penses. Some may object that a plant
which could turn out over 5,oo0,000 tons year
might not be able to supply the sudden jump in
the demand for July and August But the ex-
perts answer this by ying that the surplus Ice
manufactured in the cold months could be
stored to meet the summer demand. In this
way also the ice factories could be kept con-
stantly running and the city's Ice employees get
steady employment at yearly salaries II Is
urged.
The police regard attempt which made
TO kill an employe OF the Ice Trust yesterday