The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-30
The Ice Trade.
From the Philadelphia North .asse

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From the Philadelphia North .asssricSm.
The trade in this commodity originally Of small
Importance, has latterly been growing with = ru-
! pidity peculiarly American Wealth has iucreased
IN all parts of country in astonishing ratio,
bringing with it, as necessary consequence, q
more general desire for the luxurics of lifo; and
wherever there is demand for any article there
is no lack of traders to supply it, If we look at
our own city, for example, we cannot but remark
the fact that the banks of the Schuylkill, where
formerly there were but two or three ce-h0uses,
are now lined with them thickly from Paramount
to the Columbia railroad bridge, and there are
also many others within the corporate limits. The
river Schuylkill, which is frozen up every winter,
is the quarry whence the dealers obtain their sup
plies; and the process of cutting and housing the
article renders the stream in that season curious
and busy scene. At the edge of the river elevated
platforms, with blocks and tackle, are erected,
with tracks conducting to their respective houses,
and the various operations of cutting the ice with
ice-ploughs, floating and dragging It to the plat
form, hosting it up, and sliding it thence into the
vaults, attract crowds of curious spectators, all
gratifed with the sight except the skaters, whose
amusement is spoiled thereby.
At New York and other large northern cities
the trade has grown into similar Importance; but
it is in the vicinity Of Boston where it fourishes
most for the New Englanders having always
superabundance of ice, have long been in the
habit of exporting it to parts where it is scarce.
They have thus reaped large profits by sending it
to the tropical regions Of America. So great,
however, has been the growth of our own cities
in populations that in mild winters the dealers are
not able to obtain supplies adequate to the de-
mand; and the stores in the eastern ice-houses are
drawn upon to remedy the deficiency.
Perhaps the longest journey travelled regularly
by cargoes of Yankee ice, is that from Boston
around Cape Horn to San Francisco. 1t is fact,
vouched for by correspondent of the New York
Journal of Commerce, that the enterprising down.
casters able to send ice to San Francisco, via
Cape Horn, and sell it there ON better terms than
are offered by the dealers in Russian ice.
This latter commodity is described as OF supe-
rior quality, about twenty inches thick, clear, and
beautifully transparent. 1t is obtained from Stka,
q place situated on island of the same name,
on the northwest coast of America, belonging to
the Russians and adjacent to the southern part of
their possessions.
This Russian ice is sold by the Russian Consul
to company called the 'American Russian Ice
Company, I" and the vessels and men carryingit to
San Francisco are not allowed to trade with tho
people of Sitka for any other commodity. There
are about four hundred inhabitants in the place,
and considerable trade is carried on in furs 1t is
evident, that as the population Of California in
creases, this ice trade with Sitka must increase
proportionatey Already two large cargoes of it
have been sent to San Francisco, and the enter
prising traders Of that fiourishing city will
begin to make it available means of traffic
coast. In the figid regions from which these
stores of ice are derived, there such inexhaus
tble quantities always to be had, that if any en-
enlargement to the trade were held out by the
Russians themselves, instead of keeping up prices
and limiting facilities for procuring the article,
the American capitalists of California would soon
furnish it to all the tropical regions the Pacific.
It. is somewhat curious that, even restrictive as
they are in this enterprise, the Russians have gone
ahead of the wealthy and energetic Britons. Sitka
is in the same latitude the northern coast Of
Labrador; yet what Canadian or British trader has
ever thought of rendering available article of
commerce the ice which lies in immense quantities
in that northern region' Ice is dear commodity
in Philadelphia during the present season, on ac-
count of the light crop of last winter, and the
Yankee ice dealers at the East have SO many GUS
toners for their ice that they can raise the price
to suit themselves. 1t is evident that we cannot
always depend upon this source to supply our de-
licences; and in view of the great increase of our
population as well as that of New York, it be-
hooves us to look about for resource in case of
necessity. If Labrador could be rendered availa
BILE for the purpose by the establishment of set
Element there either by British Canadians or Ame-
ricans, it would be of great use in supplying our
own and southern markets with ice of superior
quality, and in any required quantity.