The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-25
High Prices Now Charged Are
Beyond Their Means to Pay
Dealers Say High Scale is Due to
Short Crop and High Freight
Rates Demanded.

handle cargoes expeditiously and with
economy.
DEPENDENT ON RAILROADS.
Here we are dependent upon one
common carrier-the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad company!
THAT corporation has cinch,
surer one than lead pipe conduit from
a barrel.
I'VE are held strictly to the regular
freight tariff. and can ger no special
rates. There is where monopoly
counts against the public.
"The Narragansett Brewing COM
pany is making artificial ice and 10
selling II at the same rates we do. for
the reason that II cannot fill orders
under the schedule and pay expenses
I'VE are selling Ice in 100 pound lots
at 40c.; in ton lots at the rate of 30c.
the 100. Last year we sold housekeep-
ers at 35c. per week for IL pounds a day
this year We charge 60c-
ing small boxes We supplied last year
for SO per ton: this year we charge
them So. The consumers who take to
10 tons a week get larger discounts ac-
cording to circumstances.
VESSEL FNREIGHTs HIGH.
"It isn't often that we run up against
such bad winter as that of 1899 1900.
In 1890 we had to get most of our ice
by wster and the vessel owners charg-
ed us 50 per ton for freight The shrink
age then was enough to give one the
heart disease. Sometimes vessel
would be three weeks making the trip
and by the time she got here, IS per
cent of her cargo would have disap-
peared.
"Our company want at least 10000
tons of ice by rail this year. This will
mean, IL the weather Is no hotter than
1t now is. loss to us OF $4,000. If the
heat is greater the shrinkage will be
larger and prices may go even higher
than those now asked.
1--WE are here to stay. We are noe
doing business for year only. We ex~
pect to do the best we can for our cus-
toners and expect that some considera-
tion will be shown us.
1T is folly for newspapers ana ins
dividuals to talk about cheaper ice
rates. They can't be had!
1.-TWO local companies tried to Gus
rates and had to go out OF business this
year."
All OF which may be strictly true.
The chances are that the gentleman
wouldn't have said what he did II he
wasn't sure of his premises.
But this much can. be depended upon
when the root of the story Is dug out.
that ice is going to be luxury. even
to the mechanic who makes fair pay
and that to the poor the ice rate Is to
be a hardship.
'Tis the poor woman. the wife of the
struggling. horny-handed son of toll.
who is going to feel the effect Of the
short ice crop.
'Tis the mother with sick children,
who is seeking to keep milk cool for
her babies. tperhaps has fever-racked
son or daughter for whom she must
provide bits of ice to quench the awful
blood-boiling. soul-broiling heat and
killing thirst.
'Tis the wife who wraps her wee bit
of ice in a rag and puts 1T in a tub
that she may make It hold out over
night and keep her old mans food pail
atable.
'Tis these and many, many more
who are to feel. and bitterly. the scar
city of ice and against whom the pro-
hibtive prices rise like altitudinouS
mountains.
As TO that law Of compensation?
Nature is giving II to US in the neck.
And upon the neck OF the poor the
blow is principally delivered.