The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-31
SOME PLAIN TALK
no THE ICE COMPANY FROM
ALDERMAN LATHRoP,
Who, on Behalf Of the City Council,
Says Certain Matters Complained
OF Must Cease.


of Must Cease.
There has been much complaint
about the service given the pubic
by the Crystal Ice Company OF this
city. Things got so bad that the
matter was taken before the City
Council, which body instructed its
finance committee ito look into the
complaints. Abial Lathrop, Esq,
chairman Of that committee, has
written the following letter to the
Crystal Ice Company, which no
doubt will remedy the evils COM
planned of:
Orangeburg, S. c., July 2Sth.
The Crystal Ice Company, Orange
burg, s. G.
,Gentlemen: You have already
been notified that the City Council
Of Orangeburg, in consequence of
complaints which have been made by
numerous citizens of inefficient serv-
ice by your company in the delivery
of ice in the City of Orangeburg,
at its last meeting instructed the
finance committee to investigate the
matter pertaining to the said COM
plants, with a view to the taking
of, such action as might be within
the power of the City Council to
remedy the evils so complained OF.
AS chairman of said committee /
have endeavored to have your Mr..
Skinner appear before the commit
tee that your company might De
heard>in the premises before report
9ng our conclusions to the City
Council. But owing to the continu-
ed absence of Mr.. Skinner from the
city, we have not been able to con-
fer with him, and understanding that
Il may be some time yet before he
returns, I have thought it best to
communicate to you the nature OF
the complaints made, and to inform
you concerning the probable action
OF the committee If the complaints
should be held to be we'll founded.
First. Complaint is made that the
delivery of ice to consumers is un-
certain and irregular.
Second. That short weight is gen.
eral and excessive.
Third. That the quality Of ice
furnished is deficient in that 1t is
not solidly frozen.
In the investigation of these
charges it has been brought to the
attention Of the committee that your
company refuses to sell ice to any
one in the city who desires to en-
gage in the business Of supplying
ice to consumers, except, perhaps.
In limited quantities to be delivered
only at the place Of business of such
dealers. And that owing to an
actual or tacit understanding be-
tween the manufacturers of ice
throughout the State. no dealer here
will be supplied with ice from any,
other source than that Of your es-
Sablishment.
Without in any way Indicating
what our conclusions may be as to
the truth of these charges, I may
say that IL true is would show that
9. monopoly has been established in
the ice business which no we'll gov
erned municipality will permit to
continue.
AT the time your company was
organized the City Council, being
led to believe that an Important In
dustry was intended to be establish
ed. undertook to foster the same by
extending to it the benefit of rellef
from payment of city taxes under
the laws Of the Safe permitting
such relief to manufacturing plants
erected and to be erected within lts
limits and has also refrained from
Imposing a license upon your COM
pany as such manufacturer, which
to the present time would amount 10
no inconsiderable sum. The reason
for such concessions, as above stat
ed. was that it was to be supposed
that the consumers of ice in the
city would derive benefit from the
location of an ice plant here IN the
saving of freight and loss by melt
ing which would be incurred in
bringing ice from distant points.
But if the erection of a plant here
is to deprive our citizens of the
privilege of purchasing elsewhere
and compels them to accept what
ever terms your company may see
fit to impose, both in manner Of SER
vice and in quality Of ice furnish
ed, then it were infinitely better that
we had no plant here so that our
dealers could obtain a supply from
other manufacturers, and by the
competition which would ensue give
to the customers reasonably good
service. This being so 1T would
become the duty of the City Council
to withdraw from your company the
the privilege which it has hereto
fore enjoyed in the matter of ex-
emption from taxes and payment of
licenses, and to institute such pro-
ceedings as may Ibe necessary to
remedy the evils complained of.
tbot vOn will give this