, 1864-01-25

L Trip TO tho Scene-The Ice Houses
Cutting and Stor1ng-Quaitty OF the

We yesterday ayaled ourselves Of an Invitation,
rendered us By james P. Smith, Esq., supcrlntend-
ent Of the Chicago Ice Company, to make tour Of
inspection through the works ofthe company, at
actively engaged In storing away the famous Crys-
tai Lake Ice. In company with several Of the d.
rectors, and select party, we made our way to the
Northwestern Railway depot, where We embarked
special train about halt-past nine H., and in
few minutes LETT the tell chlmneys and spires Of
The city far behind. Good time WAS made untlf
within short distance Of the Foe Valley crossing,
where We overlook the morning express, which
had broken down, In consequence Of part OF the
locomotive gearing having given way. Here We
remained short time, when, having CHANGED en-
gines. again sped on on way to Crystal Lake, ar
irving there about half past eleven.
TRE LAKE.
Crystal Lake is email body Of water. sitoated in
AcHen1y county, forty-thrce miles ftom this city.
1t lies in delightful vale and on It's banks and IN
the immediate nesghborhod are beautiful gzoves,
where the picnic loviag portion Of the community
are wont to 60 in the summer time and drive dull
care sway. At the preeent time Its appearance is
rather desoAte, and were II not for the hustle and
comm otion, caused by over hundred men now
engaged In cutting and storing ice, and the merry
laughter Of the ekatere from the neighboEing Til
1age Of the eame 1Ame, one would think he were
travelling "a the pne1p1ozed regions Of the North
weat. The water OF this lake fs distinguished for
It's unequal elea1ness and power Of reflection. At
the depth Of twenty feet the little fishes gently
swimming n1ong. md the small shells at the bot
tom, can plainly be seen, while In the middle Of
summer It is very cold. 1t is supposed to be fed
from springs, which are thought to rise at 'clam
point" natrow point OF land jutting out On the
north side. as frequent attempts have here been
made to fathom its depth, but without success.
THE ICE HOUSE.
The Chicago Ice Company was incorporated last
Fehruary, and In the course of the aatsummcE,pur
Lake. Here extensive improvements hare been
TED, and railway has been laid down from the Lake
to Crystal Lake station, distance Of three miles,
Early In December the erection Of q mammoth Ice
house was,d as,determined upon, and workmen were
1mmdeiately employed and the building commen-
ced. 4 trench'six teet deep, three feet wide, and
extending round the proposed efxe Of the building
WINS dug. In this trench. two rows OF "studs,' -
thirty feet In height were placed two feet apart
these were then boarded up. and the open space
between filed In with tan bark. This warehouse
measures izs feet in length by 40 feet In width,
and to the peak OF tho roof is about 45 feet tn
height, the whole TO constructed in rory Bubstan
tial manner. For convenience In storing and the
better preservation Of the ice 1t Ia subdyded into
six divisions, each measuring 10 to t4s feet These
divisions will each have its owu roof built in gable
style. The capacity OF the whole structure Is
e coo tone-a quantity sufficient to meet the wanta
Of city consumers for eighteen months. After be-
Ing filed, GO tons Of hay will be spread over the
ice In ln5eT some two feet thick, as preventive
against heat Tho roof il not yet placed in posi-
tiou hut will be ds the crop Is all secured.
This mammoth ice hopse will contain four hun
dred thoueand feet Of lumber and three hundred
and fifty thousand shingles.
Between the front Of the building, (which ex-
H-.A ~ L.. -1,- r. 49, xf-.%
and the 1ui1road track is platform three stories
n height eleven feet in width and extending the
entire length OF the 'front.' while the north side
is m inclined plane, reaching from the uppermoet
story Of the platform to the ground, within few
feet Of the edge Of the Lake. From the drst and
pecond stories Of the platform arc two other in
c1iued planes at opposite auge Interesting the
one first mentioned at equi-detant points. Along
the first plane runs Is chute" through which the
ice is drawn up BY horse power, while the other
planeA afc ueed for the purpose Of "shuting" the
ice into The lower galla1ies to facilitate the storing
AZ It advances.
CUTTING AND sroH1EG. -
TIE mode Of cntting md storing, as used here,
| thows plainly the immense gam obtained BY
| subdivision Of flabor,-whera every nan has his
| taek assigned. About quarter ofa mile ont In
/ The lake, where the best Ice is found, gang Of
| men are busi]y employed In plowing the Ice. The
| plows used make parallel fnrrows, abouttwo feet
apart Thcse arc crossed at right angles BY other
fut1owe. at the sane distance apart thus giving tho
| Ice the appearance Of huge chequer board. The
| ire IL then sawed into cakes about twenty feet
eounre these are then rated to the mouth Of the
canal. fcut through The Ice from the Ice house to
The mace of cuttIug) and then split Into smaller
sections, which are taken to where the '>shute :"
bcpipg, Here they are again subdiTtded Into Sec
tiope about four feet long and two fest Ntde-haV-