The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-05-15
TO INVESTIGATE
CHARGES FOR ICE
Food Administrator Writes
to Local Village
Officials
RATE ADVANCED BY
CRYSTAL SPRINGS co.
Brattleboro Commissioners to Look Into
the Matter at Once with View to De.
termining Whether There Is Profit
eering.

letter by John I. Cushing of st.
Vermont, dated May l3, has been ad-
dressed to the president Of the incor-
porated village of Brattleboro and re-
quests an investigation of the increa5n
in the price of ice by the Crystal
Springs Ice Co of Brattlehoro. There
was an abundance of ice last winter
and the Crystal Springs Co. filed its
storage houses to capacity, and the food
administration desired to know whether
the increase in price is justified o.
whether any undue profits are being
made
The Reformer has received a copy
Of the letter. and on inquiry of Chair
| man Ernest J, Waterman of the village
commissioners this paper was informed
| todav that the matter would be inyeS-
| tioated at once The letter, which is
self explanatory. reads as follows:
Dear Sir:-The law department of
| the United States food administration
| has ruled that the manufacture and dis
| tribution of ice comes under the food
| control act and the ADMINISTRATION is
| concerned that there should be no proT-
| iteering. 1t is held by the food admins
tration that any increase in the prices
OF lee over what was charged last year
| iuStifies investigation as to whether il
constitutes profiteering.
| am Informed by the Crystal Springs
Ice company of Brattleboro that it has
already increased its prices of ice from
10 cents per cwt. to 30 cents per cwt
They point to general increases in ex
penses as justification for the increase
am asking them to furnish YOU
schedule of their new prices at once.
The ice problem is essentially loca
problem and the food administration
has no desire to intervene where loca
dealers come to an arrangement witt
municipal authorities which will be sat
isfactorT both to dealer and consumer
In view of this fact ! am taking tn
liberty of notifying YOU of the increas
: put into effect by the Crystal Spring
Zee company with the request that tn
municipal authorities of Brattebor
e give this matter their prompt attention
with the expectation that if it develop
the new charge of the company is foun
to be unreasonable the price schedul
be revised on to a reasonable basis
| believe that a proper settlemcn
can in most cases best be made by til
local authorities, but upon being nC
titled by YOU that an attempt has me
with failure the food administratio
/: for Vermont will make an investigs
:, tion and seek to arbitrate a Settlemen
I, have great hopes that the good otfics
!; of the local authorities will result i
: satisfactory settlement of such cas-,
) and the number of appeals to the fee
cral food administration will be few
May ! also take this opportunity
informing YOU that there is in the foo
control act provision in regard to u
fair practices, and in connection wit
, an investigation attention should
paid by the municipal authorities
any tendency to make unreasonabl
IS lower prices to commercial users tha
to domestic consumers. Considering
all times cost in distribution, an unre
sonable difference would be unfair pra
tice.
AS | presume the delivery of ice Ii
already begun in Brattleboro I fe
a. that this is matter that should
u given prompt attention by the mum,
= pal authorities and | shall be pleas
\ to hear from you to the effect that yo
= - investigation is under way. With gre
~ hopes that friendly settlement of IL
ho ~ matter may be quickly reached, a
= Very respectfully,
- JOHN T. CUSHING.
- Acting Food Administrator for VI
mont.
IN,