New-York tribune., 1900-05-09
POLICE AND THE ICE TRUST
ONE FEATURE OF THE ALLIANCE WITH
TAMMANI.
ACTION BROUGHT TO ANNUL THE COM
PANYs CHARTER -CARROLLS IN
DISCRETION MAY ANGER
CROKER.
CROKER.

houses the Penobscot and kennebec rivers
last week by President Charles W. Morse.
Mayor Van Wyck and John +. Carroll had a
deeper significance than mere relaxation and
change of air for the Tammany lights and the
head Of the Ice Trust. Its significance was ex-
plained in part to Tribune reporter yesterday
at the Office of Melancthon J. Briggs. lawyer.
in the ST Paul Building. who few days ago
started a movement organize cooperative
artificial ice companies.
An independent ice dealer living in Albany
with a large icehouse few miles below the
State capital was of Mr.. Briggs's callers
This dealer has been opposed TO the Ice Trust
for two years. but the opposition has nearly
ruined him, and now he has no more fight LETT
in him To a Tribune reporter he said;
Morse is all right when he's with you. but when
different. He ruin any Independent dealer IN
or two ice bridges Gers) left which independent
81 ThiTtyfourth-st and the North River and there
one or two more but they are s,sil t, ano IN n,
the trust The SCOTS were so hard pressed last
year and the year before that they want hish
But that isn't the feature OF the opposition
the 'i business as he is the trust railroad any
man TO jail that they set out TO crush ana we we an
know it, Carroll stands in with me p9iice, ana AZ ~
isn't possible for small Independent ID dealer to 30 90
business unhampered unless he sells his Ice AT 'he
prices dictated by the trust
Mr. Briggs. The Tribune reporter and two other
men and the reporter learned afterward that
the man who made the statement was one of the
most prominent independent icemen of the up
Per Hudson.
If this means anything it means that the
power Of Tammany Hall has been promised to
Carroll and Morse. and with ii goes Tammanys
well known influence with the Police Depart
ment 1t isn't at all necessary for the police
tha inde
dealers al the two or three piers in the city
where they are allowed 10 get their supplies.
The word has been passed along quietly, and
every one understands that it is the proper
thing to do as Morse and Carroll like.
The outburst of indignation on the part or
the people has made the trust decidedly un-
comfortable. Mr. Morse apparently started out
with the idea that after day or two the storm
would blow over. and the public would go right
on and say and do nothing That is a miscalcula-
ton. There seems to be disposition to make
the fight against the Ice Trust and its exorb-
tant prices q memorable one Mr. Morse said the
day before yesterday that the prices would go
no higher than they now are. but it is feared.
with good reason. that when midsummer comes
the prices will go up while the ice scales will
be made TO do extraordinary things.
fight Will be begun before the State Attor-
ney-Ceneral to-day TO do away with the COM
pany's charter. the ground that IL is mo-
nopoly in one of the necessaries Of life. Elm
stein & Townsend, of No. 81 Pne-st, counsel
for William r. Hearst, Editor of THE New
York Journal" yesterday sent a petition to the
Attorney-General designed to test the legality
of the action of the Ice Trust in doubling the
rates IT did few days ago. The proceed
ing is virtually one to have the charter Of the
American Ice Company forfeited. 1t is hoped
that the trust either will be compelled to reduce
the price of ice TO the basis prevailing before
the trust formed go out of business.
The petition requests the Attorney-General to
begin action against the Ice Trust to prohibit
II from doing business in this State.
Attorney-General Davies arrived here last
night, and papers in the case will be presented
10 him to-day at the Hotel Manhattan.
Mr. Shearn, speaking for the firm said:
The Attorney General granted petition in a
similar se9n % sr9Hgnt in the name th Of the Peope
Tobacco c9mpany and there is every reason to be S
Inonopoizng one Of the necessaries of life in the
same light. We expect that the Attorney General
VIII set a date for hearing after which the
trust Will come into court and will try TO show
cause why Iroeesdlng TO ahnuI It's charter shouid @
tainty that the AttorneyC;eneral will either insti-
DO so IN his behalf An action ike this naturally
MI take - % oyer h oronny % Sases & as II m f
ton
The attorneys for the American Ice Company
Daily, Hoy-t & Mason. OF No. II William-st.
No information was obtainable there yesterday.
Up TO date the trust has been successful in its
litigation with the independent dealers who sold
out TO il at the time of the organization.
number of these Independent dealers signed a
contract to the effect that they would not
engage in the ice business without the pernis-
sion of the trust. Some Of them started in bust
ness again, alleging that such contract was
Illegal and therefore not binding. One case went
to the Appellate Division. Justice Andrews held
that matter how inconvenient II might be,
the contract must be kept inviolate. Justice
Bschoff and Justice Scott handed down similar
opinions in similar suits.
II was announced yesterday that the trust had
determined to prevent the selling of five cent
chunks of ice by the small pedlers to the poor
people in the tenement houses. The pedlers on
the East Side have hitherto dealt directly with
the independent dealers, and the trust has
been able to control them. II is said that the
trust Will break up the five cent trade by buying
out the pedlers. or by running wagons and
derselling them. The trust wants the minimum
price 10 be 10 cents The East Side pedlers hold
nightly meetings al No li3 Suffolk-st and yes
teroay some OF them said that they could buy
artificial ice in Brooklyn and Jersey City in
sufficient quantity TO keep them going and
lower prices than those held by the trust.
The Tammany men who congregate nightly at
the Democratic Club are sore over the way
Messrs, Carroll and Van Wyck are being
roasted" for their jaunt with Mr.. Morse The
Quickness with which the masses have taken up
the agitation and coupled the action Of the trust
with the leaders of Tammany BODIES i'll for that
organization in the coming campaign. Friends
OF Carroll marvel his stupidity in going off
on such a Junket. knowing as he must have
that the Ice Trust contemplated putting up the
prices The action Of Carroll and Mayor Van
Wyck is taken affront to decent public
sentiment That it will be resented by the poor
people who viii have pay double for their
fee there is little doubt No trust ever hit the
working masses Of this city with tenth part Of
the force OF the recent doubling of rates bv the
Ffa-aa -rS 1a.z1r