The Lake County times., 1909-05-20
RAISE IS
50 Per CENT
Knickerbocker Ice Co. Gives
It's Reasons for Holding
Up the People.

Hammond is in the cold and merci-
less clutch Of the ice trust
The Knickerbocler Ice companv.
practically a trust in itself, having
found that it cannot destroy the Ham
mond Pure Ice company, a new con-
Germ in this city, has joined hands
with the latter for one big gouge, in
which the butcher. the grocer. the sa-
loonkeeper, the milkman, the restau-
rants and the army of housewives,
for whom the iceboX is a necessity.
are to be the victims. Not only have
the two concerns raised their prices
nearly S3 per cent, but they maintain
the same prices without a shade Of
difference. Not satisfied with that. the
Knickerbocker Ice company would like
to see the Hammond Pure Ice company
raise its prices still higher in order to
justify it's own holdup.
The Excuse of the Trust.
The reason for this, taking the ex-
cuse of the corporations, is the in
creased cost of production by the
Hammond Pure Ice company, and the
meager harvest from Wolf lake by the
Knickerbocker Ioe company. But an
other story comes from the consum-
ers. Early this spring the Knicker-
becker Ice Company. IN seeking pat
rons. told them that they could rest
assured of a steady delivery, as the
company was well stocked up. That
was the argument to the individual
consumer. To the public, however, It
says that Its harvest was poor
AS the Hammond Pure let company
the officials cry hot tears, telling the
inquisitor that the company could not
proftably operate the plant at a small
er price than they are now getting.
We operate this plant at a loss
from late in the fall to late in the
spring" said one of the officials to-
day we must keep the plant in op-
GRAFTON just the same. but it does not
pay running expenses. At the same
time L venture to say if it were not
for our competition that the people
of Hammond would pay still more for
ice than what they are now paying.
In the dull season when our teams were
idle we put them to work on the
street but Immediately there was a
howl from the other team owners about
the greedy corporation. There is no
dull season for our competitor for the
reason that they are in the coal busi-
Poor Families Hit Hardest.
While the Hammond people are in |
clined to patronize a home industry. |
they are nevertheless chafng under
the high prices, and, as usual the poor
er the family the harder it is hit.
One may get six times fifteen pounds
a week for so cents, but the poor
family. which cannot afford the so
cents in advance, will have to pay 10
cents for twenty pounds.
Last year the milkmen. butchers. sa-
looms, grocers. restaurants and other
concerns paid 171k cents per hundred |
pounde while this year the price has
been advanced to 80 cents. This shows
the advance by the Hammond Pure Ice
company, while the Knickerbocker Ice
company raised its price from 10 to II
cents to 80 cents.
Talk of Mutual Ice Company.
Since the beginning of the warm
weather. THE TIMES has been appea1ed !
to from many sides, and it is evident
that there is no uncertain feeling
among the people. who term the ad
vance of price as outrageous. There |
has even been erecting a mutual ice |
company plant, composed of all such
business men and private families. who
refuse to pay knuckle down longer to |
the trust.
If the business men of the communi |
ty would do this there is no question |
of such a plants liberal patronage