New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-14
|CEMEN, ALARMED,
INCREASE SUPPLY
Twelve Loaded Barges Towed
Into East River as Investi-
cation Goes On.
WHITMAN GETS COMPLAINT
Hears Knickerbocker and indie.
pendents Combine to Fix
Prices - Can't Improve
Situation, SAYS Oler.

SitudllOn, oayS Oler.
Inc hrst fruits OF the agitation for
more ice for every one were reported
late yesterda.j afternoon. In a memo
randum Of the results Of the investiga-
tions Of the detective bureau into the
alleged restraint Of the ice trade. In
spector Hughes reported TO Commits
sioner Waldo that at AS a tow con
slstlng Of twelve barees loaded with ice
was observed by his men passing from
the Hudson River into the East River.
for the evident purpose" the inspec-
tors note ran, "of supplying the de-
mand along the East River waterfront.
am Informed that this is an extraor-
dinarily large load Of ice to come into
this harbor at one time
II was said that the arrival of this
large supply Of ice was indicative that
the companies had taken the action Of
the authorities on the ice situation seri-
ously, for the time that elapsed since
the announcement that an official nves-
tisation would be made and the arrival
OF that extraordinarily large load was
just about enough for the trust 10 get
busy and bring in adequate supplies TO
meet the demand from their well
stocked storehouses upstate.
Detectives Assigned to Work.
Pursuant TO the Mayors letter. Com
missioner Waldo placed the investiga-
tion Of the condition Of the ice traffic
in the hands Of the detective bureau
with instructions that ten Of the best
men he assigned 10 the work. They
were instructed 10 get all the facts
which might throw any light on wheth-
or small independent dealers were un-
able to get ice from tho large whole
salers on the ground that the supply
was exhausted, when. as matter Of
fact, q supply was being held back
Their instructions also called for in
formation as TO whether the Knicker-
booker and the American ice companies
were really the same and still conduct
ing business on the lines prohibited by
the courts last year, simply with a
thcy We're directed to sec whether the
So-called Independent dealers were in
the habit Of holding monthly meetings
for the purpose ot agreeing with the
trust upon the price and sale Of ice.
The investigation was carried on all
day and last night by the detectives,
whose names were not revealed. They
went among the buyers and the sellers.
the drivers Of wagons and the pushcsrt
pedlers and every one connected In any
way with the ice trade IN al effort to
find out whether there was any actual
restraint Of natural business conditions.
and TO place the blame for any inter
ference found
The large dealers We're unanimous in
their assertions that the shortage Of ice
was real and not artificial. They de
clared that an unusually long hot spell
was the cause, and not any action on
their part in refusing the small indie
pendent dealers ice for the purpose Of
driving them out Of business. The most
active one on this side Of the cOntro-
versv was Wesley NJ Oler, president OF
the Knickerbocker Ice Company, said
70 be the trust under new name.
Oler Calls on Mayor.
Mr.. Oler paid a visit to Mayor Gaynor.
He said afterward that he found the
Mavor courteous and reasonable. and he
personally would welcome the superVi-
sion of the police or any other compe-
,ort authority over the business as
conducted by his company. He gave an
extended explanation of conditions ana
q defence Of his own company In Ions
Hotter TO Commissioner Waldo, IN re-
snonse TO the questions put to him by
- representative from Waldo's Office.
The letter sold. In part:
IN the first place, conditions in New 49, notR *
ara ike those in every other large CIT! III
r. iTnitod states AS far as can ledIh' d
shortage OF ice IS being felt In all the larse
lilies and all due 10 fhe same causeUo,,e
Di'il'racedented heat and its long contihu.
pa "mpa do not know OF such speH OF
anatber i'm all my experience IN the ICE
Hveiness we are dealing In a coiIlrnouIl
mai "a extremely perishaOle. anu II Is ~, ~
tilac tilaitc,I,I. az to carry large stock or such an
posisl,nie bnyond what is ordinarily neces-
~ a, to supply the demands such as aIe
customary at the season OF Ine % ,
SS"rmaIIy, the manufacturing plants .p pl
,EoI york supply fully so per cent OF tHe
ioo'cf tbis CITY during seven months oi iile t
aar The small demand Tor hatural ice
during these months does hot 5H,r IT,
in,,,pent uut ,,,S to the number or men III ,ile
p!y,rnl pl"y ice business required Wheh no, no.
ila,'.,bnr comes On, so II makes IL eHucihvly
Tgcult TO secure men enough 10 ioau as t.ao
n.n,t,,rai ice necessary uhder we ~,
I''iur ,,,'ad conditions We have hau W JulS
c@deiiie" niS'avs cxnect a hot spell In July but
We a'"s% s ;ybis duration. We made the usual
ne.erarations TO meet usual cohdl'lohS'
a.. oIar went on 10 say that his men
xboueted with continuous effort TO
e,nnIv the demand, and their machines
cor making ice were worked to the unit
,r,,o condensing efficiency or the ma
.,,,,or,, no said was reduced by the fact
.,,,,+ prolonged heat raised the tempera-
,rre Of the water above normal ana 'he
ovtra tax placed on the apparatus caused
dolavs and breakdowns. He declared his
cornpany produced only i,4OO out of the
- unn tons of artificial ice made In the
ot,,, and controlled only sixteen OF the
eortv-three ice wharfs. and therefore
.hould not come in for the bulk of criti-
cisn.
SAYS Company Deserves Praise.
In his letter he Insisted his company
rvas rather to be praised for not taking
advantage of such all unprecedented de-
,o,nd and raising the price and for max
inq every effort TO take care Of its own
..A.d follows