Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-07-23

which are not earning their keep. ih the good season following he req sons that he must make good his losses of the previous season, and therefore the reduction in price is not what the consumer thinks it should be.
 Again, there has been constant increase in the cost of running any business employing large numbers of horses. The price of draft animals has advanced sharply of late years The cost of feed has advanced even faster. The iceman's business is business of few months only yet when the season has closed he can- not afford to dispose of his horses or his equipment. Unless apportuni- ty favors him so he can engage ill some other business in which he can utilize these, they stand him heavy loss during the months of idleness. These facts are to be considered in trying to estimate whether or not we are overcharged for our ice.
 Prices vary according to locality and availability of source of supply. In small towns with nearby demand prices range from 25 to 30 cents per hundred pounds. Where the nearby supply is unequal to the demand and natural ice is brought in by rail, there must necessarily be a higher charge. The law of supply and de- mand affects the price of ice as of any other commodity.
 Wholesalers Profit Small.
 Because the wholesaler represents the large amount of invested capital, the consumer very frequently lays the blame for high prices wholly at the wholesalers door. An investlga- tor interviewed the president of one of the large wholesale companies SUD- plying N. Y. and adjacent territory. Further than this, he was given access to the company's books to confirm the facts stated by the pre- sident. Here are some of the facts which the books showed.
 In an exceptionally good year, when ice sold at $2 ton and costs were low, the amount of ice sold was 17,47S tons. The average profit on this was 30 S-10 cents per ton. The total profit was $5.39 on capitaliza- ton of $150,000. The actual money handled was s53,053.
 Another company does retail .Da- siness as we'll as wholesale. The !: books show that last June the cost delivered to the consumer was frac- tion over S4.5O Der ton. The cost m February, delivered was $S.1o per ton and the selling price $5!S9. This dif-4 ference is due to the sharp falling off in the demand in cold weather, yet It costs tho company practically the same to deliver as during the season when the demand is large. The pro- fits of this company for the past SIX months of the last fiscal year were s25.O00. This was up to Sept. 5o, 1909. Since then the losses have been as follows: November, 53.35O; Decem- Der, s4,oSS; January, $3,So4; Febru- ary, $3,5Oo; March (estimated). sa'- 800. This makes total of $2o,4lo lost for the last six months. The net profit for the year is $4,S9s. This is the profit of $1O0,oO0:
 A table complied from the books Of a New York company covering rom 1870 to 1905 shows that while there have been sharp fluctuations in price, the average from 1896 up to the pres ent time is actually lower than for like period preceding this date. Ill 1870. 1874, 1880 and 1890 ice reached the dollar mark. These high marks represent the famine period The ta- ble follows, and is worthy Of study' always bearing in mind the fact that the cost of harvesting and delivering has steadily increased. The low prices of 1898 and 1899 were due to the ef- forts of c. w. Morse to secure control of 80 per cent. the jump to 60 cents of 80 per cent, the jumy to 60 cents resulting. The prices was forced down the next year by the independ- ent companies.
 Sell ing Selling
 price per price Der Year 100 lbs. Year. 100 lbs. 1870 .$1.0O 1888 .......$ 40 1871 <. 40 1889 ..... !. .so 1872 ...... 50 1890 ....... 1.0(