The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-27
FIGHT CITY'S BILLS
FOR REFRIGERATION
SHAREHOLDERS IN Washington
Market Say Rates Are
ExOrbitant.
OFFICIALS DENY CHARGE

O~eandholders IN the new Washington
Market are playing a game of freeze
cut with the Department Of Finance.
with q few exceptions they have re-
fused to pay bills for service from the
0tys municipality owned and operated
rse4geration plant on the ground that
they are highly exorbltant. The next
now 10 up to tho city.
The Washington Market Merchants
Association requested the installation Of
the cold air refrigcrating system. COM
monty known as the brine system" as
q part Of the new market. The members
declare they were assured that the cost
Of the service would be as low or per-
haps lower han the bills for ice for
their refrigerators In the old market.
When they first learned what their bills
would b they protested loudly. and later
Ehore was a cut Of 80 per cent. in the
charges. The bills. AS rendered. were in
some cases 200 per cent. higher than
the Ice bills VI previous years. they said,
and the members of the association de-
cided TO stand together In "A refusal TO
pay until the amounts were reduced to a
reasonable figure
The official collector for the Depart
lnent Of Markets in the Comptrollcr's
Office made many trips to Washington
Market, but there were TO signs of weak
ening on the pnrt OF the recalcitrant
dealers until a few days ago. when four
or Ave paid w. All the others refused
20 settle, although II was explained to
them that persistent refusal to pay
would necessitate placing the matter In
the hands OF the Corporation Counsel.
Tie refrigeration plant was con-
aructed under the supervision OF Bor-
ough President Marks's Office. The fin
ing Of the rates of rental for stalls and
for cold air service and the collection of
rentals are duties OF Comptroller Prem
dergast's office. The city did not decide
TO maintain a refrigera,irg plant of its
own in the market until after it had
failed to induce - private fefrigcrating
company to lay cold air pipes into the
marketinen's refrigerators.
A SuN reporter who visited The mar
net found the inarketmen greatly heated
~ over the size OF their cold air bills.
Several declared they We're o~utrageously
high
President Mindcr Of the Washington
Market Merchants Association said he
didn't want to enter into any discussion
concerning the Shareholders d.spui"
with the city aud expressed hope that
the matter could he adjusted sa'tsfs'-
torily. He said. however. that he h"-
iicvcd the charge for the refrigeration
was beyond reason.
g u was explained at tho Conlp'rulicrs
Office that the refrigeration was started
IN the market last November. The city
was new IN the business of running a
cold air plant shf experts devoted No
vember and December 10 figure out OK
actly what II cost to operate II. I'll"
amount whicl, IT was aGreed the ner-
chants should pay was later rcldjusteI
after Il reduction had been made ia tho
cost Of production, Hill> based ON the
capacity of each mans refrigerator wer"
then sent out. and these w.r" tn. bills
which the merchants first refused 10 pay
The bills are figured on a monthly
average for the entire year, II was fur
ther explained. AND thcrcfore each buyer
Of the cty's cold air will pay - much
in the winter morTcS. when he d"esn,
require as much refrigeration. a he
Will in July.
The fact was emphasized at the Comp
t~roller's Office. that the city Isn't maxim
anything out Of Washington Market
The rents and refr.gerat!ng charges, II
was said. simply meet the cost of CON
struction. %operating expenses and inter
ct on bonds, &c.