The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-02
If Schedule Of Prices is Fixed
VIII Stop Supply.
THAT 10 POUND CHUNK
Users Who Buy Ten Pounds
Pay a Cent a Pound.
Those Who Purchase Coupons
In Advance Have Advantage.
VIII Soon Be Official Report on
"The Trust.n


pointing a committee TO investigate the
Peoples Ice company and the passage
of an ordinance regulating prices may
precipitate an ice famine in Topeka
The Peoples Ice company. a com
pany which is commonly called the ice
trust controls the entire output of ice
here.
If the council tries to make US con-
form to schedule of prices which they
FIX said Manager w. L Dickey this
morning, I'VE will ship all our ice out
OF the city We can make more money
by doing that"
If that is the CASE was asked, why
do you not ship out your ice now. 50
that you may make a larger profit2''
Well he answered, I'VE are here
to serve our people, and we want to ac-
commodate them in every way pos
sible.''
Continuing he said: IF the council
wants to regulate the prices of the ice
sold by the ice company can repudi-
ate my contract with the ice company"
Who are the shareholders Of the
company" Mr. Dickey was asked.
Il am" he answered.
The council committee, which Is COM
posed of Councilmen Nichols, TrOutm an
and Clancy, was instructed in the
council resolution to make an invesu-
cation to determine whether the ice
company is combination or trust un-
lawfully and unjustly controlling the
price and terms and conditions of de-
livery of ice in the city of Topeka. and
what measures can and ought 10 be
taken to break up such combination II
the same exists, and to regulate and
control the price of ice in said city"
1t has been argued that the condi-
tions imposed upon customers OF the ice
company kork a hardship upon the
poorer classes of people. who do not
and cannot afford to use ice regularly,
inasmuch as on the cover page OF the
coupon books issued to regular GUS
a. - q a.
Persons not using coupon books viii
be charged as follows: One cent per
pound for 10 pound deliveries; so cents
per hundred for % pound deliveries.
This rule" explained Mr.. Dickeyy rs
made necessary because we want TO
keep the cash sales out of the hands
of our drivers, and because 1t isn't prac-
tical for the driver to carry around a
load of ice which he does not know
whether he can sell or not They are
supposed to only take enough ice to
supply their regular custom ers.
Il don't see" said Mr.. Dickey. where
the people have a right to kick on the
price of ice. The retail price has not
been raised since we fnaugurated this
method of doing business this year, and
is lower than the rate charged in many
cities.
s.And this is early In the season vet. -
he said 1T isn't time yet to think OF
an ice famine. The hot weather is just
now coming on"
one OF the PROVISIONS OF Lue coupon
book, which system was adopted here
this year by the ice company. is to the
effect that the original purchaser Of a
coupon book must agree not to sell or
transfer the same to any other person
without the written consent Of the
company
This said one man. looks to me
like a restriction of ones personal priv
Ieges, in this, a free country. where
we are supposed to live under All equal
rights government, hut as the ice com
pany controls the output here. how can
we help ourselves? We have TO sub
nit to their conditions or go without
ice"
BY the terms of A contract which the
butchers of the city were required to
enter into this spring with the ice com
pany. they were not allowed to retail
small pieces of ice to their customers
who m light in an emergency want 70
buy a piece of ice from their trades
man, without the consent of the COM
pany.
On a business whose volume viii
probably reach $4,000 per year, the To
peka ice company, according to the
assessors returns in the office Of the
county clerk is paying taxes on an as
sessed valuation of $500. If the rate OF
taxation is as mills, the amount of taxes
on this assessed valuation is $3.50
The consumption Of ice in Topeka
may be estimated at so tons per day,
which is probably q low estimate. That
estimate would mean the consumption
of 150O tons per month. and at the
wholesale rate OF 81 per ton would
n can $4,000 per month, or $4,000 during
the five warmest months OF the year.
The fact that ice is consumed during
the entire year and that a portion OF it
is sold al retail rates instead of whole
sale Is indicative that the ice business
of Topeka will amount to $4,000 an
nually.
Another thing that should be taken
into consideration" said Councilman
Nichols. 'tis that under the old system
where the ice was retailed BY individ-
uais the ice business was conducted by
a greater number of people When the
ice business was consolidated in the Or
ganization of the Peoples company the
routes were mapped out SO that a de-
creased number Of wagons could be
made to supply the trade. and conse-
ouently cut down considerably on the
wages of drivers"
1--WE are running thirteen wagons
said Mr. Dickey to a State Journal re-
porter this morning. Besides US there
are four other companies doing busi-
ness here. They are McNeely, Winslow
s& Raney, Henderson. and Bently-
isn't the business of these men prac-
tically the same as the Peoples Ice
company" Mr.. Dickey was asked
mo- he said. They supply their
own customers. They of course buy
their manufactured ice Of us. WinsloW
& Raney have an ice house filed with
river ice"
ssThe other companies use the coupon
books which have to be paid for in ad-
vance, don't they2 And are not they
the sane as used by the Peoples com
pany2"
mo, he answered. they have their
own coupon books. and may use them
or not as they see dt"