The Detroit times., 1909-03-01
SUMMERS SUPPLY
OF ICE IS Up
TO MARCH
IF MONTH DOESN'T COME
THROUGH WITH BUNCH OF
COLD WEATHER PRICES ARE
BOUND TO SOAR.

What, VIII the month of March bring
forth?
This is the all absorbing question
with the Ice men just now. They are
watching the thermometer as a ply
stefan watches patients tempera-
ture. and the daily weather bulletins
are awaited with anxiety. For ON the
weather for the next 80 days hinges
the summers ice prices, say some OF
the dealers, while others insist thai
the prices must go up no matter what
comes.
March possibilities in the cold
weather line are the Ice mems last
hope, SO TO speak. A couple OF weeks
of zero or even freezing temperatures
would be gcodsend. but all the
dope" is against such a visitation.
In quest of consoling information.
David Brown, of the Peoples Ice Co,
Gelved Into weather records going
back SO years. but the search was dis
appointing. He found that the mean
temperature for March during that
period was 1871 degrees over degree
above the freezing point. So he Is
banking none too strongly on any pros
pective cold snap.
But let IL not be understood that
Detroit is in any danger Of an iceless
summer.
Wen get ice IL we have to go 10
the north pole for it," is the way the
dealers talk, but" And there's
world OF meaning In that little word.
1t has TO do with prices.
Still. | have seen conditions even
worse than this and prices have been
no higher as a result" said Mr.. Brown.
1T is pretty early TO talk about prices
vet. There is no telling what a day
or a week may bring forth. IL we have
81 few DAYS of real cold weather II
would change the situation complete
IN otherwise the dealers must get
their ice outside, for there Is none
around Detroit now that | know OF.
and there hasn't been any worth men
tioning. AS far as my company Is con-
cerned. we will build an additionai
ice factory IL necessary, although, to
supply all our trade with manufac"
tured ice. we would have TO have more
than double our present capacity.
I'VE are cutting some Ice now gu,
in the state, but it's very thih anu
ice. Wnlcn, OTulndfiiy' "Oa'N NV
harvested at all.
There is nothing doing In the Ice
line ON the river front. Some or the
dealers In desperation. are harvesting
a few loads from their private canals
where the ice has had a better oppor-
tunity to form. but this source OF sup
ply is. OF course. wholly inadequate
TO meet the demands.
I'VE will have to get practically all
cur ice from outside" was the lnror-
nation given out in the office or }. J"
Miners Ice Co. I'VE got in couple
Of loads I'm January, but none. since,
and there IL little prospect or getting
any more from the river. We nave
men out cutting In Lake Orion ann
vicinity now, and expect to get our er.
tire supply from there. The cost or
will be from one-third 10
one.half more. and there Is no ques-
ton that prices will be much higher
this year"
ice prices will undoubtedly be high
err this year" said John r. Long. Sec
rotary and treasurer OF the Beaubien
Ice q Coal Co. 81 don't see any way
out OF 1t, even though we should GET
a spell OF cold weather. We are cut
ting ice at Fair Haven. but 1t Is way
below the normal thickness, running
from six and one-half to eight inches.
where it ought to be from 10 to Il
inches at least"