The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-02
BIG PROFITS
OF ICE TRUST.
Maine Expert TestifIes at the
Hearing at New York.
TWENTY CENTS PER 100 POUNDS
Al That Price Captain Abraham nIch Said
the Profits Were Large.
LAST SEASONS CROP WENT TO WASTE
Plenty Of loo Of Good Quality. but Il Vas Not
Harsslsd Cost Of Harvesting Is From II .
10 20 Gents q Ton.
Al That Price Captain Abraham TIcA Said
the Profits Were Large.
LAST SEASONS CROP WENT TO WASTE

New York, June 2.-Another hearing
was had yesterday before Referee Mus
baum In the proceedings instituted by
Attorney General Davies to annuI the
charter OF the American Ice Company.
President Morse was present, but was
excused for the day.
Arthur Terry, secretary OF the City
Trust company. was the first witness
examined. The trust company is the
register of the ice company. He pro.
duced two large books containing the
list OF the stockholders. Objections
were made by coun!>. fN- the defend
ants to admitting this testimony.
but they were overruled by the referee.
1t was decided that the books might be
examined by counsel in IAivate.
Clarence Z. Dunham. formerly OF the
Clasco Ice company, testified concern
ing the sale OF Dhat collpany TO the
American Ice company. Ii was brousN1r
out that William Scott of the Mer-
chants Union Ice company, an inde-
pendent concern. is an uncle OF Secre-
tary Scott of the American Ice COM
papy, and supplied II with ice in this
city. AT this point a recess was taken.
The afternoon session began the ex-
animation of Abraham Rich, an ice
expert from London Hill, Me-. who
gave detailed statement of the ice
production OF Ma ne, the cost of har-
He was formerly in the employ Of the
Consolidated Ice company. In reply
to questions he said that in March,
1899, there was 1.04s,000 tons of ice on
the hennebec in the ice houses. On
the Penobscot rhere was 225.OtO. On
. f.a <.xA f..Ix hafx.
and 10000 tons. Nine per cent. of this
was controlled by the Consolidated and
Knickerbocker Ice company of Maine.
Capt. Rich said that for rs years he
had accumulated data as to the cost Of
ice collecting. Under normal condi-
tions." he continued, II should think
the average cost OF Ice per ton for
harvesting would be from IL, Is to 20
cents per ton" He added i'm reply to a
question that the average total cost
of ice on the scales in New York was
$1.22h per. ton. Capt. Rich said he
sold ice at 81 per ton, the profit being
about 2S0 per cent. He said 20 cents
per hundred gave large profit. In
the city he found the average cost OF
ice delivered TO families was 1854 ton.
What was the total Ice harvest in
Maine this last year?" he was asked.
"On the Kennebecl river 524.531 TONS
and there was carried over $4,000 tons,
Penobscot there was harvested about
$4,000 tons and 137 900 left over. On the
coast about 10000 tons were harvested
The harvest was slightly under the
average. and the witness said .the rea-
son for this shortage was that the
crop was not harvested. He mentioned
several places where the ice was OF
the best quality but was not harvest
Continuing. he said: THE American
Ice company controls now all the
houses that were owned by the Con-
solidated Ice company. / know from
hearing Mr.. Morse say so, from Mr..
Shepard. n superintendent. and from
Mr.. Ballard. one of the paymasters.
Capt. Rich said that he sold ice TO the
American Ice company after shipping
IL for about 10 cents per ton, for 20
cents per ton. thus clearXNg 100 per
cent. profit. II was brought out that
IN 1885 he failed with liabilities of $780,
tendent of the Consolidated ese COM
pany.
The hearing was then adjourned until
Monday next.
PARKHURSTS QUERY.
Before sailing for Europe the Rev.
Charles III. Parkhurst, wrote letter to
Mayor Van Wyck interrogating him
upon his connection with the American
Ice Co. He gave the letter to Henry
r. Parson to deliver to the Mayor IL he
should go on the witness stand in the
ice case. As Mayor Van Wyck did not
go on the stand TO offer his testimony
Mr.. Parson decided to make the letter
public
To the Hon. Robert A. Van Wyck.
Mayor. City of New York:
Sir-under form of government like
our own q public official is answerable
to the people, and not only his lpublic
conduct. therefore but his personal
dealings are proper subjects OF inter
rogation and inquisition. Conformable
with the fact and In pursuance of in
structions given me by the Society for
the Prevention of Crime. write 10 in
quire or you as 10 your connection with
the Ice Trust and to ask OF you wheth-
er you hold stock in the American Ice
Company. or any of the several COM
panies that have been merged I'm that
company. If you could hold such stock
without compromising your personal
character my inquiry might be unwar-
ranted. but the Ice Trust Is n devilish
scheme for wringing shekels out of the
poor and speculating upon their dis
tresses. and no man, yourself or any
other. can become contemplate In
his personal capacity. without n for
feture of all the consideration other
wise due him I'm his official capacity.
particularly when. az in n position like
your own. the grand essential Is per-
sonal probity. dignity and n gracious
shepherding OF the people whose inter-
ests you are set TO safeguard and pro-
mote. You cannot separate what you
are ss MAJOR from what you are as
man. The people understand that and
they want. 10 know what the facts are
in the case. and the longer and moro
obstinatelv YOU evade the issue the
more damaging the construction will
be placed on your reticence. You said
week ago that the people need not
fear that any fact could be proved that
would challenge your official conduct.
Such euphonious gererallties do not
meet the case. What the city wants to
know is. do YOU hold stock In the
American Ice Companv2 Yer or no.
Yours very truly.
CHARLES III. PARKHURST.
Rooms of the society. United Chari-