Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-13
THE ICE HARVEST.

With the kenneDec river al tuio sca9oh
of the year open at Augusta, and for mics
both above and below the city, it is quite
safe TO reckon that the ice harvest this
year will be very small. On the Hudson
no ice has been gathered. and the same Is
true of nearly all rivers and lakes west
and south of New York. In the latitude
of Maine new ice may yet form OF SUM-
cient thickness for cutting and storing,
particularly in the small ponds where
there is no current and the water Is not
very deep, but upon the Hudson and riv-
ers west there can be no ice crop gather
ed unless the weather is very much dil!er-
ent from it, usual character. The rays OF
the sun are coming warmer and warmer
every day, the days are frightening, the
nights are shortening, the streams are full
and impetuous, rendering them dilicntto
be controlled by the Ice-king. Accord
ing to all fair and reasonable calculation
the crop will be failure All that can
possibly be cut and stored in the next few
weeks will not be sufficient with what is
already secured to supply the great mark
cts.
On the kennebec the ice gatherers have
busily improved the opportunity which
they have had thus far, but at present
their occupation is gone. With what they
carried over from last year, and all they
have cut this winter, their stock on hand
is small. They hope TO be able to add
something to it yet, but OF this there IS
no certainty. The weather is tickle
Jade" caring little for the ice dealers,
prayer in winter for cold or in summer for
heat, and SO they must take it as it comes,
let it blow high or low, freeze or thaw,
make or break ice and those who traffic
in it. A week of cold. sharp, biting wealth
er would create an ice fever in this north
ern country of great violence. Every hody
would be talking ice. Ice privileges
would spring up in every duck pond All
that could would have finger in it all
that couldn't would think themselves the
most unfortunate of mortals. While hop
ing for cold and ice, there will be great
necessity if they do come of finding some
appliance to keep those cool who may be
stricken with the ice fever, symptoms of
which have already appeared.
The ice crop of Maine is of great value
10 the State 1t has become as we'll es-
tabl;SbaI anour o,rr rasonreeS A. the pro-
duets of fields or forests. The demand for
ice is steady and growing. The harvest
rarely fails in this climate, being more
certain than yield of corn, potatoes or
grass. For a couple of dollars or less per
ton, clear, crystal ice, formed in pure, run
ming water, may be taken from the Ken
nebec river and stored in houses upon its
banks. 1t has been sold in the market
for fifteen or twenty dollars per ton, though
for few years the price has not been
very renumerative, and considerable guam
titles have been kept over, which will
come forth this season and put fortunes
into the pockets OF the owners. The bus
mess of gathering and selling ice seems
so simple that many venture INTO it. but
there is certain experience and skill
needed in this as in most other kinds of
business to get the greatest profit from it.
Fortunes have been made by some in it,
others have realized nothing II has
brought large sums Of money into the
State, it costs nothing but the labor Of
gathering and storing, and will be annual
" renewed without sub->oiling or top
dressing, while clouds float in the atmos-
phere and the lrosts of winter are not
withheld The mines in which the Cali
fornia pioneers gathered their fortunes
were some time ago exhausted, but the
ice placers of Maine are eXhaustless. And
while the supply is endless the market
grows.
While we feel gratitied at the good for
tune which awaits our citizens who have
large stocks OF ice secured, we also feel
satisfaction in believing that the State al
large. the communities along the banks of
our rivers and lakes, are to share in the
proceeds of the harvest. What we need
10 build up the State is capital, and the
turning of these blocks of ice into money
gives the capital which we need. Too
many OF our Maine men who have made
fortunes from our forests, shipyards and
in the ice business, have left the State
where they made it TO spend or invest it
in some other State, We hope that course
will not be followed by those who now
have capital amongst us or are aecumulat-
ing It. The attractions of Maine as q res
idcnee are becoming greater every year,
the opportunities which it offers for in
vestment more profitable State in
which the waters Of the rivers run with
fortunes, and the frosts of winter glitter
with wealth, is not to be despised as
t.... -. n ,,iana In which TO do business