, 1864-01-24

Trip to the Scene-The Ecc Honees-
Cutting aud Stor1nG-Qualiey Of the
Tee.

We yesterday aya}lcd ourselves Of aE invitation
rendered rs by James r Smith, Esq- supcrintead-
ent Of the Chicago Ice Company, TO make tonr OF
inspection through the works ofthe company, at
Crystal Lake, McHenrJ count5, where 1t Is now
actively engaged In storing n"ay the famous crJs-
tai Lake Ice. In company With several Of the d.
rrctoss md select parry, We made our way to the
Northwestern Railway depot, where We embarked
on spectal train about halpaBt nine a. m and In
few minutes les4 the tell chtmueys nnd spires Of
the city far beAind. Good time WAS made until
within sheet distance Of the Fox Valley crossing,
where we overlook the morning express, which
hnd 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 cur way to Crystal Lake, ar
irving there about half past eleven.
TAB LAKK. ..;
Czyetal Lake is small body OF water, eitasted In
McHenry county, forty-three miles from this city.
1t lies in delightful vale and On Its banks and In
the immediate ne!ghborhod arc beautiful groves,
where the picnic loving portion Of the community
are wont to 60 in the SIMMER time and drive dull
care sway At the present time Its sppcarnnce ia
rather desolae and wc1c It not for the buetlo and
engaged In cutting and storing tee, and the merry
laughter Of the skaters nrom the neighbo1ing vil
laZe Of theean nane, one would think he wcra
travelling In the unexplored regions Of the North
west. The water Of this lake IL distinguished for
its unequal clea1ness and power Of reflection. At
the depth Of twenty feet the little fishes gently
swimming along, and the small shells at the bot
tom, can plainly be seen, while In the middle Of
summcr 1t Ia very cold Il Is supposed to be fed
from springs, which arc thought to rise at ''clarn
point,'' nat7ow point Of land Uniting ont On tbs
north side, as frequent attempta have here been
made to fathom its depth, but without success. y
The Chicago Ice Company was Incorporated last
February, and In the course II the past summer
chased tract Of forty acreabounded In part by the
Lake Here e1tenaire Improvements haye been cree
ted and railway has been laid down from the Lake
10 Crystal Lake Station, distance OF three miles,
Early in December the erection Of Il mammoth ice
house waa:detzmtned upon. and vorkmen we're
1mmdeiately employed and the building eommen-
eed. "A trench six ieet dcep. three feet wide, and
extending round tho proposed size Of the building,
was dug. In this trench TWO rowH :of :. :. Studs"
thirty feet In height Tcre paeed, two feet apart
these were then boarded up, and the open space
between filed in with tan bark. This warehouse
measures l45 feet in length BY 30 feet in width,
and to the peak OF tho roof il about u feet In
height, the whole Ia constructed In very substan
tfnl manner. For convenience In storing and the
better preservation of the Ice It is snhdtYlded into
six dlvisons, esch measuring 10 to 145 feet These
divisions will cnch hare Its roof built In gable
r5ie. !ne epHcu1 81 &ae rpose e1lae1ure u
eo,etu aoue-a quantity suac1en' 70 meet INC Wants
49, ~ 9n, atsase4 o'ssn. ntef ne-
~ w se.'s - 1a' w. W ep1eao o'el tne
,...,. 1Tno Tte W. .ess .ule., 10 p'stouu'e
staa ,.. asa 81, ~. 40 ~ ~. ~ pos'
N'S r1,,s ~, ~ - - - s.a. a. ~ .sn s.s,a ~
dred thousand feet OF lambes and three hundred
and fifty thousand eh1nglea- 7+';, :-'1 :-'1 :
Between the front Of the building, (which e1-
a. .ss ,..ts.a. .t .ae
~ I LA. -, - sa,, VA A1..a,s ses r.
" .he ..,t - ~s,,s ~. ~
- n,s,n r..es;nr soora 10 10 s.ae