The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-16
Claimed That Neither of the
Local Companies Made
Money While Rates Were
Being Slaughtered in Past.
NO LIKELIHOOD OF AN
EMPLOYEES COMPANY.
This Idea Is Secuted by Ice
"Magnate"- Natural Ice
Crops Have Been Short for
Several Seasons.

ut was a case of necessity Cut
throat methods that had been resortcd
10 had ruined the business. There
was no use carrying them on any long
or and all of us came to realize this.
Such competition was bringing ruin
10 both plants rapidly and in the sea
son of last year about $4,000 was lost
by the two concerns. We had to get
together and proceed upon the policy
of live and let live and better live to-
Eether." In this manner one Of the
local ice dealers explained the forma-
ton of the local trust, that will con
troll the ice trade in this city during
the approaching season and so long
thereafter as the Independent and
Union companies are the only COM
petitOrs.
No Independent Company.
In most vehement terms, branding
it as absurd, ridiculous and senscless,
the dealer stated the report that en-
ployes of the TWO companies intend
to organize an independent co-opera-
tive company is the result of mag
ination. why. who is there that
suppose if any employees had enough
capital to establish an ice plant they
would be working for somebody else?
1t takes about $4,000 right on the
start to put up an ice plant and start
into the business. In the face of
such competition as the two other
plants could provide. it would be the
height of folly to contemplate such a
thing, as a third company formed
among employees. Way it really
see laughable to me-
Nothing in Competition.
The speaker argued there is nothing
TO be gained by fierce competition Of
the kind that has been in force in
this city for few years past. 1t was
said the plants have been losing
money regularly and it was agreed to
consolidate for operating purposes
solely as a business move and not
with the intention of forming a trust
and boosting prices. 1t was claimed
the price at which ice has been sold in
Richmond was fair below the average
in other cities of the vicinity
The Union and Independent com
panieS have reorganized along lines
that are even closer drawn than those
which bound the three companies,
which formerly We're combined under
the term ice Delivery Company
One Of the three companies has been
bought out by the Independent com
pany and there are now but two in the
local field. 1t has been agreed that
possession of the delivery stock shall
be mutual. The prices shall be one
and the same. Owing to the distance
between the plants, ii will be ueces-
sary to maintain two barns The
manufactured product is to be pooled.
One of the new departures will be
the establishment of a down town Of
flee. 1t Will be located in the Hoover
building on South Ninth street. An
office force will he retained and all
business attended to from this head
quarters.
Natural Ice Short
There was less than u half crop of
natural ice last winter and the manu-
featured product will he depended up
on to meet the trade of the private
consumer. Short crops have been
regular for three years and last sea-
son the Union company was compelled
to ship large quantities of ice to the
city i'll order to meet the demand.