Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-18
NO SHORTAGE OF ICE
Sufficient to Supply Washington
Up to Date.
PLENTY ALSO IN NEW YORK
Crop Cut Last Winter Fully Up to the
Average.
INQUIRY INTO THE COMBINE
Many witnesses Examined and Others
Expected to Be Heard-Report
to Attorney General.
PLENTY ALSO IN NEW YORK
INTO THE COMBINE

The local ice companies are able to meet
all demands for ice, and see no reason
for alarm There IL no danger of an Ice
famine just now. and do not think there
win be any serious shortage OF Ice In this
city this summer" Is the statement made
by prominent ice man here to a reporter
OF The Star this morning. At the ice depots
along the river front 1t is stated that all
demands for Ice have been promptly filled.
and no one has been turned away, In spite
of reports to the contrary.
As was stated in The Star last week. the
wholesale icemen say there has been no ad-
vance In the cost of Ice to householders,
but that there has been a small advance to
dealers who sell Ice in small quantities.
At present the Washington householder has
nothing to fear regarding a shortage OF ice,
and II there will be serious shortage,
which Is doubted, 1t is yet several weeks OF.
Raising Price In New York.
While there has been but little change In
Ice prices here from those OF last season,
It is alleged that prices have been seriously
advanced in New York and that 60 cents
per hundred is being asked. No more small
five and ten-cent pieces of ice are to be
sold and the 15-cent piece Of this year Is
about as large as the Scent piece Of last
year.
1t is also claimed in New York that the
American Ice Company, which supplies the
greater part of the ice used in this city, In
spite Of alleged failure Of the ice crop, had
on March stored in the ice houses along
the Hudson river about 100000 tons of
Ice. really full crop.
1t Is also claimed that much more ice was
cut In the Hudson river than has been re-
ported and that the cutting of Ice was con-
tinued on the Maine field until April 10, at
v1yhi rh lyr,o to Aor1xy f,,1l
was stored In the Ice houses on the Ken
nebec and PenobscOt rivers and along the
ponds in Maine.
In speaking of the les situation in Maine,
the New York World says:
"On February IL the trust began to cut
thick ice In earnest in Maine. dispatch
from Kennebec on that date said / 600 men
and many horses went to work that morn
ing. Since the last cold wave" the dis
patch said. ''the ice has gained steadily.
until an examination of the fields on the
lower river from Smithtown down to Swan
Island showed from eleven to twelve inches
Of clear ice." There was at that time. ac-
cording to the dispatch. from 10000 to
10000 tons already stored in the trusts
ice-houses at Independent, South Gardiner.
Hathorn, Berry. Modoc, Sterns Point and
Hodges. Seven thousand tons had been
harvested at 1ceboro, and many thousands
Of tons had been shipped from Boothbay.
On February %, two weeks later, harvest
Ing having meanwhile gone on uninterrupt-
completely discouraged in his efforts to
obtain ice.'' He said he would have to fall
back on the artificial ice plants here, which
might grind out 0O,OO0 tons.
On March this gloomy famine prophecy
was followed by a press dispatch from
Pittsield stating that the American Ice
Company was still cutting ice there and
had harvested not only full crop, but was
shipping out from twenty to forty car
loads day. Despite the fact that the
normal quantity had been harvested, the
dispatch said the trust and also all the ''in-
dependents were going to raise the sum-
mer price from % to so per cent
Dispatches from Pittsfield and Bangor
both said the trust was planning to hold
back all the ice 1t could from New York
until midsummer, in order to get a high
price. The Independents" were also in
the game.
The price of ice has been advanced in
Philadelphia and other points on the claim
that there was great shortage in lie Ice
crop.
Investigation in Progress.
When asked today concerning the prog
ress of the investigation into the alleged
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