Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-02
"colNcIDENcE" ONLY EXCUSE
FOR RAISE
District Attorney Would Attack Under
Cartwright Law-Detalls Assist
ant Especially to case-Ex-
poets Quick Action

the same manner and to the same identi-
cal figures The officers of the ice COM
panies said so themselves, yesterday.
"Oh, no, there is no agreement. We
did not know the others were going TO
raise prices to the same amounts and at
the same time. But everything else IN
the nature of household necessities has
gone up. why shouldn't we raise tne
price of ice?"
Such was the explanation given by the
ice companies yesterday when they con-
descended to explain at all.
Some of them were very cautious, espe-
cially after 1t was announced that the
district attorney was casting a glance
askance in their direction, and they re-
fused to say anything further than adj
nit they had raised the price of ice and
it was no ones business If they had.
But District Attorney Fredericks
thinks the consuming public has some
interest in the affair and with the Cart
wright law will insert a probe to learn
If there is any connecting link, and If
there is, If 1t cannot be severed with re-
course to the law.
He and his deputies take little stock in
the statements of the ice companies that
the raise is merely a coincidence.
Action Quick, Says Fredericks
II it is true that an ice trust exists in
Los Angeles it will not be long before
its officers are hailed into court, accord
ing to the statement of Fredericks yes
terday when questioned about the case.
"If I can get any evidence that the
raise in prices was by a Encouragement
of the several companies, I will proceed
at once with vigorous prosecution un-
der the Cartwright law" he said.
"I have asked Deputy Blair to look
after the matter and he will make a
thorough investigation"
There seems little room for doubt that
the companies entered into some kind
of a compact before notice of the in
crease was sent to their customers in
printed form, for not one of them held
back with a view to competing at the
old prices and all of the notices received
by consumers. large and small alike
were practically the same in every par
ticular.
When asked about the prosecution that
had been entrusted to him by his chief,
Deputy Blair said:
TT was sprung so suddenly that have
not had time to formulate any plans. If
formal plans are needed The law is very
plain and makes any agreement by sew
eral manufacturers or distributors of any
commodity guilty of a misdemeanor if
they contemplate a concerted increase in
the price of the article.
NOuIu Dt Eidu " T6C6lNe any eNl-
dence to show such an agreement had
been made and' if there is such evidence
we shall at once take steps to prosecute
the offenders vigorously"
The penalty for violating the Cart
wright law is extremely heavy, al
though such violation is only a misds-
meanor in the eyes of the law. After
conviction the guilty persons can be SEN
fenced to pay a fine of not less than $50
tenced to not less than six months nor
more than a year in the county jail
At the National Ice compeny it was said
yesterday
1--WE don't want to discuss the raise in
the price of ice unless we know whom
we are talking to-"
Later 1t was added that the manager
did all the talking, and he was gone for
the day.
Union Ice company, through it's officers,
asserted:
1--WE are the largest ice dealers in the
state, but not in Los Angeles. Our head
offices are in San Francisco. For two
years consumers have had cheap ice-so
cheap that we did not make any profits.
1t is a fact that during June we sold ice
at less than it cost. In July we made
expenses because of the immense quanti-
ties sold.
ecution under the Cartwright law. There
is no agreement between the companies.
If, as you say, we are charged with
starting the ball rolling 1t was done with
out collusion The fact is we are selling
goods below cost"
Assistant Manager Calkins of the Mer'
chants Ice and Cold Storage company
said:
"Our prices went up today because ice
fc ba loc of ha hnttcahOId necessities
that has gone up. Ice today is the cheap
est necessity, considering its value and
usefulness.
Feed is higher for our teams, oil fuel
is higher, and so are wages. We use 200
barrels of oil day that costs us 81 a
barrel now. Last year 1t cost us 40 cents
''The cost Of hauling to outlying places
is large and the meltage is a big item of
depreciation. We have thirty-five wagons
in the retail service.
our company two years ago went into
the business to fight the combine. Yet
we had kicks then. People for whom we
organized to get them lower prices would
quit us when the combine would cut a
half cent. There will always be kickers
Three weeks ago the Union company
sent out word that it wouldf raise prices
We had no knowledge of their plans or
they of ours. There was no agreement
We know what the law is
I'VE make $50 tons of ice a day and we
believe the people are getting their
moneys worth. The raise was legitimate,
based on the market. the laws of supply
and demand, and of profit and loss
At the Los Angeles Vacuum Ice COM
panys offices it was said:
1--WE are not on the market vet Our
plant will not be ready for six weeks"
The statement OF the Los Angeles
branch of the Pasadena company is:
"All we know is that we got orders
from headquarters to put the price back
to the old rate go cents. 1t has been 40
cents per hundred pounds in small guam
ties. Sixty cents was the price for years
until the drop to 40 cents was made. In
quantities of 300 pounds or more we sell
at 80 cents a hundred now.
1--WE understand that ice went up be-
cause everything else did and our COM
pany's expenses Increased"
Following are the prices that now are
demanded:
Eighty lbs. or under. nc per 10.
over so lbs to loo lbs............... 4Oc per 100
Over 100 lbs. to 400 lbs............. Soc per 100
M - 1l.u