Evening star., 1909-06-07
NOT TO BUILD A PLANT
Declared Cheaper to Buy Even at
Retail Price.
GOVERNMENT BIDS REJECTED
Board of Awards Recommends De-
partments Make Their Own Ice.
Post Office Plant Successful.

The cost of ice used by the District gov
ernment was the subject of a conference
by the Commissioners in board session
this morning. While definite decision
was reached. it was announced later that
the contract would probably be awarded
to one of the bidders whose price is 40
cents per 100 pounds.
The board of awards. which considers
all the bids for general supplies for the
District. this afternoon made recon-
mendation to the Commissioners that the
District make contract at ~ cents per
100 pounds. and the final action by the
Commissioners will be taken on that
recommendation.
The fact that the District which pur-
chases about 1,15O,000 pounds of ice every
years, pays Az cents per 100 pounds
for ice. while hotels. saloons and other
large users of ice pay only - cents per
100 pounds. was brought up. and it was
pointed out that the ice purchased by
the District must be delivered to many
different points around the city and only
small quantity Is left at each point. 1t
is practically delivered in the same
quantity as to residents and the rate is
the same.
Added expense to the District govern
nent for the ice it uses. Commissioner
West believes. would result If the Dis
trict manufactured its own ice and de-
livered ii to the many fire engine houses,
police stations and other places where II
y used
Costs About $1,000 a Year.
According to figures which were SUBJ
mitted to Commissioner West this after
noon, the ice bill for the District for a
year 1908. the ice bill was $1,000. and for
the first ten months of the present fiscal
year the bill amounted to $3,j0S.lS.
Rough calculations made by Commits
sioner West and Acting Auditor D. ].
Donovan showed that the cost of delivery
OF ice made at central plant by the
District government to the many institu-
would be about $1,000. For that reason,
Commissioner West declared that the Dis
trict would find an ice plant to supply
Its own needs more expensive than the
present plan of purchasing from one of
the local ice companies
The estimated cost of delivering the ice
is based on the use of six two-horse ice
wagons. A driver for each of the wagons
could not be obtained, 1t Is believed. for
less than 5000 per year. The feed for
each team would cost, it is estimated
about $40 per year, and the cost OF MAIN
tanning the wagons and shoeins the
That means that each wagon would cost
the District about 1856 per year. and IL
six were needed the cost of the transpor-
tation alone would amount to about $500
or more than the present ice bill. This
large cost Of transportation. it is pointed
out. is necessary because OF the widely
separated points to which the Ice must
be delivered.
Commissioner West also pointed out
that IL Is not fair to compare the cost of
similar quantities OF ice sold to a federal
department and to the District. That sold
to the United States is delivered in large
quantities at one place: that sold to the
District is delivered at many different
points. including the fire engine houses,
police stations and District hospitals.
Government Ice Plant.
In the meantime the general purchasing
committee is wrestling with the ice prob
lem as it affects the government depart
ments, and If the local ice companies cam
not furnish the government with ice at a
much lower rate than they have been ask
Ing for il heretofore. the chances are that
the different government departments fol-
lowing the lead of the Post ONCE Depart
ment, will put In their own ice plants and
take care of themselves.
The situation came to a head with the
reply to the second call for bids IN
furnishing ice to the government, the
invitation having been extended by the
general supply committee. The first call
brought two bids. one from the American
Ice Company and the other from the
Columbia Ice Company. The bids were
identical the figures being "a cents per
100 pounds for quantities less than 900
pounds and "A cents per 100 pounds for
quantities of 1000 and over. These bids
were thrown out as being excessive and
second call issued.
The American Ice Company was the
only bidder. and it's bid was the same
as the other. Realizing. that competi-
tion would result in no lower bids. the
general purchasing committee recon-
mended the manufacture of ice by the
government departments. While no ac-
tion has been taken by the board of
awards on the bid of the American Ice
Company. it is probable that it will not
be accepted.
The Post Office Plant.
The only government ice plant now in
operation is one in the Post Office De-
partment. This is proving highly sue
cessful. and has been turning out ice for
several weeks at an average rate Of so
cents ton. against 81 a ton, which
would be the average price paid by the
government If the American Ice Com
pany's bid were accepted.
The main advantage of department
ice plant is the saving in carriage and the
cost of labor, said DIR. Marshall Of the
general purchasing committee TODAY
Our committee has recommended that
the various department heads investigate
the system at the Post Office Department
"In that department ice is merely a sort
OF a by-product of the regular depart
ment work. The plant is run by the reg
ular engineers, so any extra cost for
labor is obvated. In those departments
that have the proper kind of engines and
regular engineers similar plants could be
easily operated.
The establishment of general ice
plant to serve all the government depart
ments would not, / think be economical.
for the cost of carriage and labor would
run the expenses up too high The ad-
vantage the Post ONCE Department has
Is in not having much carriage to account
for. the only outside building served being
that occupied by the supply division