New Britain herald., 1919-06-19
CITY PACING SERIOUS ICE
 FAMINE; COMMON COUNCIL
 TAKES STEPS TO GET MORE
Wholesale Supply Cut Off Special Committee Elm powered to Buy Com modity in Other States.

Unless some imm ediate efforts are made to import ice into this city from outside states, New Britain will soon face serious ice shortage. This was brought out at the regular monthly meeting of the common council held last night when it was learned that notice had been served by the Berk- shire Ice company, which controls the ice business in this state, that it will not sell any more ice to local dealers after this week.
 Meeting Adjourns for Week.
 The ice committee, consisting of AL derman H. P. Richards, chairman, Councilman M. T. KerWin and M. F. King was ordered to make special trips to Vermont, Massachusetts or New York and complete arrangements for the shipping of ice into this city to alleviate the situation. The com mittee was also authorized to spend a reasonable amount of money to carry on it's work and will hold conferences with the local ice dealers. The com mon council then adjourned it's meet ing until next Wednesday at which time the committee will render a re- port and arrangements will be com pleted for importing ice into New Britain.
 Supply Is Cut Of.
 Members of the common council were unaware of the seriousness of the ice situation here until a report was made by the ice committee which has been Investigating the matter for the past three months. When it was learned that the Berkshire Ice com pany, which is being investigated by the state because of it's alleged ice monopoly, had served notice on the local ice dealers that their supply would be cut off within one week, in dignation reigned.
 Mayor Urges Action.
 Mayor George A. Quigley, who pre- sided at the meeting, relinquished his chair to Alderman O. F. Curtis and took the floor. Mayor Quigley ad- dressed the council members, telling them that the city must take action immediately. "The Berkshire Ice company" he said, has notified To- cal dealers that they will not supply ice to them after this week The Artificial Ice company is insufficient to supply the demand and the com mon council must take steps at once"
 Mayor Quigley favored increasing the present ice committee and giving it authority and sufficient funds to investigate and make trips to secure ice for the people.
 Must Go Outside of State.
 In reply to a question by Council man Gillin, about recommending the operation of a municipal ice plant, Alderman Richards replied that it was too late in the season to begin manufacturing artificial ice. "If it had not been for the promise of the Berkshire ice company early in the spring, other courses would have been resorted to-" continued Alderman Richards. ''The ice business in Con- necticut is controlled by one concern, headed by MT. Walker, and we must find ice for this city outside of the stateS'
 Investigation to Continue.
 Alderman Curtis offered a rcsolu- ton that the committee continue it's | investigations and report at a meet i ing of the COmmOn council next We'd l nesday. Councilman A. GOrbach fla ! vOred the continuance of the com i mittee giving ii authority to investi- !! gate the securing of ice and allowing | the members a reasonable amount of l money for their expenses. This was adopted.
 Only 100 Tons at Ice House.
 Tn reply to question by Alder | man Curtis, Alderman Richards stat ed that there is at the present time about 400 tons of ice at Shuttle | Meadow. This will supply the city for a very short period, he added.
 The ice committee will hold con- ferences with the local ice dealers and it will make arrangements to supply them with ice. The commit tee will try to secure the ice from other states, import it 10 New Britain and sell it to the ice dealers. The dealers will then supply the people with ice at a small profit.
 Ice Committee Meeting.
 The following report was rendered by the ice committee and accepted:
 Your committee on ice supply inn mediately upon it's appointment, took he matter up with dealers and the