New-York tribune., 1907-07-01
DEPOTS DISPENSE ICE.
THE DRIVERS PE4CEFUL.
Immoued Cond;t;ons-Strikcrs and
T'rust Prepare for Struggle.

Preparations were completed yesterday by the
american Ice Company Cor breaking the strike
Of the ice wagon drivers and helpers All the
depots were open under police protection to
allow those who had facilities for CARRYING ice
70 obtain it.
A large number Of policemen, including one or
two mounted men, stood guard at the depot at
18Th street and North River the largest on the
West Side. The depot at 9Th street and East
River. where the East Side gets most of its ice,
was also well guarded. There was little or
no hing for the police to co, however
Quiet brooded over the ranks of the striking
ice wagon drivers yesterday. but 1t was that
quiet which precedes the storm. The leaders OF
the various union locals were hard at it perfect
Ing their plans FOR the struggle which is ex-
pected to-day.
A. the various bridges" or floats on which
tic Zee IS :lnloadod from the barges. and at ali
Of the stations and stables Of the company all
over The city the same uncanny conditions pre-
vailed. In fact there was nothing 10 indicate
that a strike was in progress unless the head
quarters Of the company. at Broadway and 2Sth
street. were visited or the office Of its agents.
yvadden & Mahon. AT No. 475 West Broadway.
where the strike breakers are being booked and
SpSTl7i 0fTCeTS are being sworn IN.
SONG four hundred and fifty men answered
the advertisement inserted by the company in
al the morning papers yesterday. and the office
Il Waddell & Mahon was crowded during the
entire day and we'll on into the evening. This
company, which does q large employment agency
h iness in several of the larger cities of the
COT utry. was ready 70 fill the vacancies caused
ny the quitting of the old employees Of the ice
nlpany and promised that there would be
enough men CT hand by this afternoon To enable
he 70 huSjOaSS a. usual II
Is intended TO start work at o'clock this morn
ing with the men already on hand
The agents of the ice company were careful
20 select onfv those who had thorough work
ing knowledge Of the city. we'll as some eX-
rerience as truck drivers Nearly three hun
dre1 were picked and told To report TO the tenn
porary quarters which the company has ar
ranged for them. The highest rate of wages
paid the old employees viii be given the new
ones. Fifty-nine of the men taken on yester-
day were sworn in as special officers
4 great many customers called for ice yesteT-
day morning at the East 9th street depot with
vehicles of various kinds, taking it away in
quantities ranging from several hundredweight
Gcwn 70 dozen pounds. But throughout the
lower part Of New York and the greater part OF
Brooklyn there We're large sections which lacked
ice Even the customers OF the independent
dealers obtained less than the usual quantity.
as the latter were saving up to obtain new
customers. A number Of well-to-do people in
Manhattan. below 34th street, combined here
ard there 10 send vehicles for ice, which they
divided. The deiicatessen stores which keep
open on Sunday had either very small supply
or lacked il entirely.
Yet far the general conditions were con
cerned there Iitc.e Complaint. The coof
weather Of yesterday fought for the COMPANY
preserving the ice much longer than would have
been the case had ii been warmer Many os
TIE larger hotels turned entirely to their own
plants for their supplies. and those of them
which were not provided with means for max
ing their own ice Joined the procession OF large
consumers and sent their own wagons TO the
various bridges on the river front for such ice
as they needed.
Here again the effect Of the cool weather was
felt. for there was little or no crowding any
where along the line.
The striking drivers had a mass meeting in the
afternoon at Saengerbund Hail. Schermerhorn
and Smith streets Brooklyn. at which President
Kearney of the Ice Wagon Drivers Union pre-
sided. One of the strikers who was not present
was accused Of returning TO work. It appeared
wei for him that he was not in the hall. He
WIS denounced IN sulphurous language and
.e luton TO the effect that he be never allowed
union hail again vas carried by acclama-
Il
le chairman seid that Coney Island would
be tied up tight so far as delivering ice was
eo cerned. and added: The foremen are be-
ginning to join the strikers. and we viii get the
barge men out. We have pulled out every ice
man in Newtown Creek and East New York.
and even the men on the fat trolley cars which
carry ice are on strike. 1 want to remind yOu
r. i the American Ice Company is going 10 put
- Ie breakers to-day under police protection.
80 that is what we have TO cope with"
'-aeers followed, and II decided that
nUT1oer Of the strikers should be detailed
ao ance agents to go along the routes and urge
the customers not TO get ice from the new men.
IL was reported that there was an excellent
chance OF getting the barge men out In most Of
the depots and that some Of the forcnen who
nad joined IN the strike had refused offer OF
IN advance in wages