The national Republican., 1867-11-21
LOCAL DEPART nj EN- T.

IHK C0NPANr's POWER AND HES0URCES,-1es-
terday morning Messrr. John Van Riswiek, John
Pettibone, and G. d. Church, esqrs, who CON-
pose the executive committee Of the Great Falls
Ice Company, paid their annual visit to their
Ice pond at the Great Falls, about fifteen miles
up the Potomac river. They were accompanied
BY Mrs Psttibone and friend, Mr.. +. L. Bhaasr,
jr., who Is one Of tho proprietors Of the steam
engine mandatory and iron foundry, No. 40
East Monument street, Baltimore, and our ro-
porter, who felt quite comfortable behind Mr..
Van Riswick's spirited sorrsl horse.
The road, which Is built nearly the entire dis.
tAncs on the visduot that carries the water from
the Great Falls to this city, 10 . splendid
thoroughfare, and was In excellent condition, SO
that the drive was very enjoyable one 10 the
standing the fact that the trees have been strip
pod Of their foliage was picturesque and romantic
and objects Of interest greeted the eye at short
intervals dong the route the most important Of
which we We will call attention to.
The FIRST Of these, q short distance beyond
Georgstown, at Droyers' Rest, 10 tho immense
trsosivipg reservoir for water passing through the
Warrington aqueduot, with several acres Of sur
face. A short distance beyond are seen looming
up in the distance several dismantled forts, and
a little further on, opposite the Chain bridge, 70
noble structure and Immediately on the road,
Is Q relic Of the late unfortunate war, block.
house and stookade, both In good condition. A
riae-pit beyond this, on the right. t.hand side Of
the road o delightful body Of water. covering
several aores, apparently q lake, and just the
place to inaugurate q frst-class skating pond, II
being only three miles north Of Georgetown, .
gentle drive. The next special object Of interest
Is about eight miles up the river from the city
Cabin Johns bridge, neat blue stone structure,
with q single arch Of immense proportions; and
this bridge has become u matter Of history be-
Of the following On the face Of one Of
the arch stones was this inscription: Franklin
Pierce, PRESIDENT Jefferson Davis, Secretary Of
War, 1858. Abraham Lincoln, President; ST.
mon Cameron, Secretary Of War, 1851" From
the above has been ohissled, since then. the
tnamo Of Jefferson Davis, probably by order Of
Mr.. Cameron or Mr.. Stanton.
The drive from this bridge is delightful until
within q mile Of the ice pond. whom it becomes
necessary to ascend steep hill, and just beyond
this Is q deep ravine, in which Is situated the
building and machinery for crushing gold quartz
and for washing purposes. This work 10, ap- \
parsntly, Q failure; for We observed that the
work OF tearing down the building had pro.
gressed about enc third towards its completion. |
At the time 1t was entirely abandoned, not even
bat or an owl acknowledging our coming. In
the space Of fve minutes time we found our.
selves descending an almost perpendicular de-
oliyity, to the premises Of the Ice pond, which
lies between two huge hills and is about milo
and quarter in length and at its widest span,
about $50 feet In width. Surely, never was Q
body Of water more fvorably situated for the
formation Of pure and beautiful ice. This water
varies In depth, from 80 to 70 feet with no cur.
rent or tide to waste away the ico or to sdul. |
terate II with mud or debris, and the pond Is
clear Of grass, which Is so great an impe ment,
In the way Of securing clear ice, to many Ice
companies. 1t 10 fed, at will, from the upper |
Potomac, where the water Is pure and insI. |
haustible.
Mr.. s. W. X. Handy, the company $ accountan |
and assistant superintendent, (Mr. Pettibone Is |
the general superintendent,) and Mr.. Miohael |
Fitzgerald, foreman Of the mechanics and labor
ers, took great pleasure In showing the commit |
tee and friends around the premises.
The arst building We were shown through (all |
Of them having been erected within the two |
years last past) Is the accountants residence,
neat frame structure comprising four rooms, all |
convenient and comfortable. Next, we passed |
through the Iaborers' quarters, q long frame |
building, including kitchen, dining room, and |
sleeping apartments, Of sufficient sire to COM |
fortably accommodate 1870 men. From this We |
were conducted to the company ice houses, on |
the bank Of the pond. These cover an area Of /
ground embracing about 20, 900 square feet, and /
they are about 80 feet in height, and capable Of
housing 20, 900 tons Of ice. With tho elevators
now in use by the company, so or 90 hands can
put away, In single day, at least 500 tons Of
one Of Gray Noyes' thirty horse power en-
gines, which worked with entire satisfaction
during the last ice season.
Although this Ice company was organized as
recently as 1865, and with the exception Of Mr..
Pettibone, who has had twenty years experience
in the business Of saving iee,) operated without
experience, and with many disadvantsges, they
now have as complete system Of working and
preserving Ice as any other company, with even
more experience, and the mOdms opsrGndi Is still
being improved.
The qiantity of ice annually purchased at the
North, for sale in this District, ranges from
thirty to forty thousand tons. The great ex.
pense Of its importation, and the high price at
which 1t Is sold here, induced the formation Of
this company.
The price Of ice by the cargo in the Eastern
cities 10, say $3.50 per ton, and tho freight upon
1t to the District Of Columbia Is from 81. 50 to
SO per ton, that the cost Of II ut being shipped
at Boston is at least IS per toni the metage, be.
fore It reaches the consumer is One-tLird 10 one.
half SO that IL actually stands the dealer here
$40 per ton when he sells 1t.
The Great Falls Ice Company was organized
quite too late In the season Of 1865 to provide
houses and machinery for securing Ice during
that winter. Late as 1t was, six substuntial
houses were erected at the ice pOndi and from
che only freeze after they were completed, over