New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1906-09-01
MUNICIPAL ICE.

establishing a municipal ice
plant here in connection with the
water works and light plant and
it is the opinion that such an in
stltution would be OF benefit to
all concerned. II is rather late
this year TO start such a plant
but arrangements could be made
this winter whereby the mum
cipal plant could be operated
next year.
In relation to municipal ice
plants the Journal and Engineer
recently said. 1t looks as
though, "a time goes on, that
municipalities will, in self de
Tense, have TO install their own
ice plants, so as TO be i'm posi-
ton TO guarantee . regular, even
priced supply of the commodity
at any and all seasons OF any and
all years.
The well being of community
demands these things, and pub.
lie opinion is strongly and insist
emily waking up in the direction
Of municipal ownership of ice
plants. Mount Vernon, N. Y,
owing TO the difficulties in the
supply Of ice, over which it has
no control, has lost no time in ex
perimenting in this direction,
and has contracted for plant
TO be erected within sixty days
and 60 cost $50, o0o-the average
time required is four months
in this way hoping TO be made
absolutely independent of any
dealer, or, indeed, OF any kind of
ownership other than municipal. !"
The Engineer and Journal adds
that the proposed plant can be
operated with eight men and will
have capacity of fifty tons daily
and Il is expected that ice will be
manufactured at cost not ex-
ceeding ~ per ton. Mount Yer
non il town OF $4,000 popula-
ton. Fortunately for New lbe-
ria, 10 has not up to the present
been confronted with an ice prob
lem except IA to price. The ice
plants here are owned and oper-
ated by home people, and while
there In more or less complaint
at times ut the companys, meth
cd of doing business and some
dissatisfaction as TO prices, yet 1t
Is n fact that no where In the
state il ice cheaper, and 1t would
be difficult TO improve on the
quality.
There Is no certainty, however,
that the local ice plants will al
ways be owned by home people,
and IL would be well for Iberia
authorities and citizens generally
60 keep thoroughly posted, so as
TO be prepared to meet conditions
which may develop in the future.
The Municipal journal points
these facts out in an editorial
comment on It's special artical on
THE Ice Problem. 1t calls at
tention DO the fact that the Am
erican ice company of Philadel-
phia. Pa, il in the throes OF
bankruptcy, while u trust in St'
Louis, Mo, has put up the price
one dollar per ton to the dealer.
Mayor Il. p. Codd OF Michigan
City, Ind, Is determined to give
the people cheap ice by using
the Park and Boulevard force to
cut IL. In Washington. ID. e.,
the officials Of the American Ice
company plead innocence to the
charge of violating the Sherman
antitrust law, and Chicago, ILL.,,
manufacturers are charing high
prices as a practial lesson in
economics,
In Toledo, Ohio, the ice trust
attorneys have escaped imprlson-
ment, while in Cincinnati, In the
same state, ice officials have Just
been indicted for combining Tor
restraint of trade. In Jackson
Vile. Fla, one man has gone 10
iail AZ a test case, and la Harris
burg, Pa, the people are organic
ing a co operative corporation fof
its manufacture and sale. Great
Neck, N. Y, il fighting the trus.
by residents getting together and
forming a company Boston,
Mass, is inserting a probe,
and the Providence, X. l., Board
Of Trade il going to investigate
the reasons why the price has
doubled. Asbury Park, y. ~