New-York tribune., 1907-06-30
ICE SHORTAGE Is FELT
SUFFERING FROM STRIKE.
Trust President Erpects Normal
Conditions on Monday,

II was downtown that the strike Of the ice
handlers was most painfully felt yesterday out
householders all over the city viii feel the pllch
to-day. on the crowded East Side where an
ice supply is of paramount importance there
was ulenty for those who could afford It. Most
of the ice there is delivered by pushcart men
and men who deliver ice and coal Ihese men
have taken advantage Of the strike to increase
the cost and decrease the weight OF the ice lHey
deliver.
Wesley NJ Oler, president OF the American
Ice Cornpar.y-the Ice Trust-after the attacks
which were made his new employees, asked
Commissioner Bingham TO swear in forty men
for whose characters he. Oler, could FoucA'
as special patrolmen. This done. and one
of the men was put on each of the wagons sent
out Mr. Oler has told the employment agencies
throughout the city that he can use SIX hui
dred men on Monday. and he expects TO have
enough employees to take care OF every wagon.
In discussing the situation, he said;
we have had no trouble with our men. 1t is
all on account Of the uniOn-all due, I think, 30
union mismanagement If the old men come
back on Monday they shall have their old jobs,
but after that places Will be filled, and the
strike viii be fought 10 finish. The strikers
have violated an obligation TO the public 10y
their hasty action. and ! lay it TO their being
nised by union agents. We are supplying to-
DAY the hospitals and such institutions where
ice is necessary to physical welfare, but on Mon
day. with the force OF men for which have
called, the regular routing will be resumed"
Below 34th street Manhattan got its ice only
ia dribets yesterday. All the hotels and restau-
rants had difficulty in getting eXpresslnen To
cart their supply. Early in the morning several
trucks started out from The bridges but their
drivers ere persuaded by the strikers 10 quit.
III the lower part Of the city restaurants, hospi-
tails ana big Office buildings all felt the pinch
Some Of them, where more than a thousand
pounds q day are used, did not get ounce.
Others sent out private wagons 10 the bridges
and got more or less Of a supply. The restau-
rants were especially hard pressed. Their
troubles were augmented by the accumulation
OF garbage, due 10 the Street Cleaning Depart
nlent strike. They had too much Of thing
and not enough OF another.
Not only did few wagons go out in Brooklyn,
ana those under police guard. but the barge
men also went out, tying up the bridges at
Amity and Oak streets. The other bridges will
be kept open to-day, and any going there
can get all the ice he can carry away.
As a result Of the strike Commissioner Bing-
ham has ordered out all the force on reserve in
Manhattan. Brooklyn and The Bronx. with the
exception of the Harbor, Traffic and Park
squads. The Commissioner said yesterday that
il took eight hundred men to handle the street
cleaning drivers strike the day before. and with
the other threatened trouble he needed fully
200 men TO cope with The situation.
There Was little trouble yesterday Antonio
Tlconini. one OF the strikers. was accused in
the Iorkville court Of having thrown a brick
at another driver who had stuck 10 his job. 4
crowd Of Italians tried to rescue the prisoner
and the detectives had 10 show their revoIvers
TO get him TO the station house. He denied hav-
ing thrown the brick but the detectives swore
they had seen the act. and Magistrate Barlow
committed the prisoner 10 the vorkhouse in de-
fault OF $500 bail.
The executive officers Of the Ice Wagon Orir-
ers and Helpers locals. both here and in Brook
lyn' were especially active yesterday. Stephen
Ferretti, business agent Of the Manhattan local,
ana Barney Bardon, agent Of the Brooklyn and
Queens local. said that the American Ice Com
pany's business was completely tied UP from
34th street 10 COney Island
Ferreti devoted part of his day yesterday 10
an attempt TO call out the bargeInen who m
load the Ice barges at the company's various
bridges. He said that HIS effort had been sue
cessful.
Ferretti said last night: THE strike has been
z complete success. We are carrying out our
plans in a quiet, orderly manner and there win
be no disturbance. I have asked no aid as Vet
from animated organizations. but they are all in
sympathy with Us. Valentine Hoffman secre-
larE OF the United Teamsters organization yes
terday laid our case before the tearleters on,
gagged IN hauling ice for one of the biggest ice
cream manufacturers. and they agreed to haul
no more ice for that firm"
Ferrettl, replying to statements made bv the
ofnclals OF the ICE company. said that the chief
cause OF the strike was the failure of the Ameri-
can Ice Company to live up to an agreement
made with him last May That agreement he
said, provided that after June ! the drivers
should * paid SIC week The comnanv Maid
me SIG 70 drivers in Manhattan, Brooklyn and
Queens, but in Flatbush Coney Island and Other
suburban places the wages were kept at S15 a
week he said. In addition II was agreed thar
helpers should get s. a day. This was not Maid
he said M Ferretti also said that the com,
pahy : officials refused TO recognize the union
representatives.