The Washington times., 1906-07-17

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That National lee trust exists,
with headquarters in New York,
and branches in practically every
large city in the United States, is
the belief of high officials of the De-
partment of Justice.
1t is said that the matter hes
been called 10 the attention of At
torney General Moody personally by
District Attorney Jerome of New
York.
No steps have been taken by the
Department Of Justice 10 attack the
trust, except in the District Of CO.
iumbia, where officials Of the Ameri-
can Ice Company are under indict-
ment for entering into an unlawful
agreement 10 control prices in the
District. The District Attorney here
is of the opinion that if the trust is
10 be energetically attacked il will
have 70 be in New York. and that
the Department of Justice might
take an interest in such a proceed
ing.
AS far as ! know" said Solicitor Cen
eral HOyt. who Is acting Attorney Cen
eral, no steps against the Ice trust are
now in contemplation j; IS possible
however. thar the Attorney General may
have had his attention called 10 the
matter without my knowledge"
Assistant Attorney General Purdy. to
whom matters pertaining 20 trust litiEa-
tion ave entrusted, will be IN the city
tomorrow.
Ice is going mp.
In few days the wholesale price will
be boosted al least > cents per hundred,
possibly more. 10y the American Ice
Company. For the present the family
price of - cents per 100 pounds viii not
be raised
People familiar with the ice situation
in Washington and all over the couu-
Try, however. believe The family price
will be boosted in the month Of August
That the situation Is grave IS admitted
on every side. That even the American
Ice Company VIII be unable 10 meet the
demands made on IL for ice this sum
mer was admitted to The Times today
by its manager. Samuel A Kimberly
That this scarcity, for which there is
no complete remedy possible until
freezing weather comes again. is uni
versal in every part OF the United
States AT a time when Ice must be had
al any cost is shown by published
facts and figures.
Maine Dealers Blamed.
Gravity is added TO the matter by the
fact that men In Maine who have ice
houses filed with the precious product
have nailed down the roofs and are
sitting on them, waiting for what are
alleged 10 be 'exorbitant prices" for the
ice. Ice experts say that sooner OF
later the consumer. the family as we'll
as the wholesale purchaser. viii have
20 pay the Increased cost OF the ice.
They point out that the American Ice
Company and ell other individuals and
companies dealing in ice are ir -he
business 20 make money, and that there
Will come a time when they will get
down 10 business and get back the
money It has cost them 20 provide the
ice in the period OF scarcity. Whether
the increases all along the line will come
in August or at a later date. these
prophets believe. is an immateriaI mat
ter The salient fact 10 which they
time. and they Incline TO the belief that
the raise will come sooner than most
people expect.
What Kimberly Says.
Mr.. Kimberly, speaking for the
American Ice Comp ny today. said:
We are seriously considering the
necessity OF raising the wholesale price
of ice. We will not molest the family
price. The truth o. the matter is that
We must curtaiI 10 some extent the use
OF fee so far as we are called on TO
furnish the COMMODITY"
How much will you have TO curtail
it7" he was asked.
1--WE haven't fixed that yet" he re-
piled, "bIt the use OF il must be cut
down TO some extent. That is a sure
thing And we are decided that the
best way 10 do this is 10 raise the whole
sale price. The wholesalers are the ones
who waste ice. not the families Under
any circumstances, the housewife uses
only as much as she has 10. Conse-
qrently, the raising of the family price
would not help us in the move for
economical use Of ice.
Hard to Get Ice.
To raise the wholesale price how
ever would have the desired effect.
These wholesalers, having to pay more
for their ice. would use it more sparing-
ly and economically in every way That
Is what we want. We don't want 10
have to furnish any superhuous ice al a
time when It Is the hardest thing in
the world 10 get, either the manufac-
tured or the natural variety"
There has been much talk OF the in
dependent ice dealers bringing damage
suits against the American Ice Com
pany as a result OF the cOmpany's rais-
Ing the price of ice. None of these
dealers. however. las vet fled suit
When asked what he thought of the
DrObab bilitv Of such action being taken
AGAINST the company, Mr.. Kimberly re-
. IL H.. Ill LII r.l.Ir