New Britain herald., 1919-07-15
ICE SITUATION IS BEING. CLEARED UP Ice Owners Agree to Permit Sale
 to All Stores < BOYCOTT. IS DECLARED OFF
Watermelon Thieves Make Another Raid and Get Away With Several Boys Hopping on Trolleys Cause Trouble-Othcr News Items.

The entire. situation was started when ice was*refused to Neri Bros. and the Palace of Sweets, two con- l fectionery stores in the center of, the l town. The ice was refused them. be- l cause. they had opened their stores | on' the afternoon of the welcome home l celebration to the local soldiers and sailors, after the business men had agreed to suspend business.
 r Fred C.. Norton, the ice. dealer, 1frade a verbal agreement with the store keepers a the start of the sea son to supply them with ice. He had a, private supply of his own which would have been ample for, the whole sale trade, but sold part or it* to househoders. 4Thus his supply of ice ran out last Saturday and he was to start delivering the municipal ice yesterday. Y,
 Feeling that the entire matter would be carried out with him as the -center of attra ction, MT. Norton baked and refused, to deliver ice in the town if the two stores were not
 
 "A. conference was held yesterday afternoon in the roorts of the Plain tille Business and sImproveme.t as. sociatiofr~ at which Were present J. H, Trun1bull, s. ,!s:5 .Gwillim and c, H.. Newton of the. ice committee, Fred e. Norton the ice dealer and Joseph Neri Of Neri Brothers. MT. Neri was asked if he e~ wanted the municipal ;oo IJo r, al 1cp- where but would prefer to buy it in town. He also stated that he opened his rstore on the afternoon Of the celebration only after another menr chant opened his. He felt that he was justified in so doing. He related that at the time of the signing of the armstice he was rasfSsa to elsY his store for two hours and join in the parade in@ town..: He 4aequiesced and did everything. possible ito aid the men. Another fneSe ha nt was asked to close and agregd<toe do so and then remained open. Rhe said. Mr. Neri stated that the <. committee which waited upon him said 'nbthing could be done to the other merchant for opening and therefore thought he was entitled to open his xstore on the
 
 phasized 3the faci2AKhat he did not a1' ing the passing of the parade and had turned into Whiting street be fore the store was opened.
 He said he would agree to do any thing for the toWnspeople in the fu4 ture provided the other merchants would agree to do likewise. : He did not think it business-like to have a competitor open while he lookedS, on and saw himself losing money and good business. ' "'- ..
 MT. Norton reminded the commit tee members that he had stated at the beginning of the season that he had enough ice to care for the whole sale trade throughout the summer. The committee members told him to sell his own ice to everybody and there would be enough for them after the municipal ice was on sale. He therefore kept his word and sold his entire stock of ice. He agreed to sup ply the two stores which would be boycotted and felt that he would be going back on his word and honor if he sold ice in town and excluded them.
 It was agreed that tho two store keepers should receive tine ice as oth- CT consumers. s. s.twiilim, a mem Der of the committee, stated this morning in regard, to the result of the I conference: "Everyone in town for merly supplied with ice by MT. Norton will continue to receive ice
 Selectman Johnson did not know of the controversy until last night. He was of the firm opinion that theice should be sold to everyone in town who wanted it. ''Let them sell it to those who will pay for it. What We
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