Evening star., 1943-08-02
Ice Plants Here
Sell Supplies
On Ration Basis
Production Reported
To Be Meeting Only
500 of Demand

The ice shortage here has become
so acute that virtually all producing
plants are rationing supplies, sur
vey of manufacturers and distribu-
toss disclosed today.
Production of ice is meeting only
about so per cent of the demand.
the survey showed. Reserve sup
plies stored last winter have been
exhausted and shipments from other
cities are uncertain.
A. C. Romhilt, manager of the
American Ice Co, the largest local
manufacturer, reported that the
concern began last Friday to restrict
all customers to 35 to 40 per cent
less ice than they previously have
been purchasing.
Rationing for Three Weeks.
tioning ice for about three weeks,
r. J. Payne, manager of the COM
pany's ice department, said. Res
taurants. hotels and other CONNER
cial users to whom the company
sells directly are permitted to buy
80 per cent of previous amounts, he
said. Retail dealers, who sell to
both commercial and home users,
have been cut to so per cent by the
Uline Co.
Also rejecting the shortage, vir
tually all the ior ice plants in the
District were closed yesterday after
noon. Mr.. Payne said the manu-
factuTers were resorting to the Sun
day closing in an effort to oc-
cumulate ice to meet demands during
the rest of the week. The Uline Co.,
he said. shut its doors at m. yes
terdav and probably will be closed
altogether on future Sundays.
The American Ice Co. manager
described the shortage as strictly
temporary and predicted it will be
relieved by ''the first few days of
cool weather" Rainy weather, bring
ing cooler temperatures, would
slacken the demand for ice enough
for production to get ahead of the
demand, he said.
Several Factors Blamed.
The current shortage, Mr.. Romhilt
said, was caused by abnormally hot
weather and by other factors that
have resulted in the greatest demand
for ice in Washington history. He
pointed out that his concern last
winter stored $4,000 tons of ice
more than has ever before been
stored in Washington in preparation
for summer demand This reserve
stock is now completely exhausted,
he said.
Also blaming the shortage on the
heavy demand here, Mount Taylor,
executive secretary of the National
Association of Ice Industries. said
normally there is so per cent more
Ice manufacturing capacity here
than is needed.
Manufacturing capacity is suffi-
clent to meet even the present de-
mand. he said, but local ice plants
are unable to run at full speed be-
cause OF manpower shortages and
inexperienced help.
All dealers indicated that while
they are receiving some shipments
OF Ice from out of town, these points
are also experiencing ice shortages
OF varying severity and the ship
ments are undependable.
Discrimination Charged.
Meanwhile, one retail distributor
A. z. Dellastatious, manager of the
Washington Ice and Coal Co.
charged that the shortage here is
striking hardest at the small con-
sumer who wants ice for home use.
He blamed discrimination on the
part of some local manufacturers in
allocating the available stocks.
Mr.. Dellastatious said that man
ufacturers here usually sell ice di-
recuy to commercial establishments.
but leave the servicing of home
users to retail distributors who buy
ice wholesale from the plant. Faced
with a shortage, the manufacturers
have taken care" of their own Gus
tomers-the large users, such as
hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.-and
have imposed greater reductions on
the retail distributors, he main
tanned.
He said that last Saturday his
company hau no ice to deliver to
400 Of its $500 regular customers.
The Government should take ac-
tion to force manufacturers to give
a fair share of their ice supply to
the dealers who serve home con-
sumers. Mr.. Dellastatious said, add
ing that this will be necessary to
prevent widespread food spoilage in