The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-24
ICE OR NO ICE.

Failure OF the Zee Crop So Far This Sea-
son-The Hudson River Merely Coated
Three Inches OF Ice Instead Of Ten-The
Ice Companies I'm . Quandary-Hun.
dreds Of Families Out Of Work Along
the Hudson.
The chances OF there being failure OF the ice
crop this winter still cause a growing alarm to
the ice companies Week after week their
hopes have been excited only to be thawed out
within o few hours, or, at furtnest, within a few
days. The outlook with each succeeding day
grows more serious for them, and, although the
public do not stop now to think much about the
matter yet II the ice crop fails there will, during
the coming summer, be some very serious incon-
venience and suffering.
Outside OF the general beverage business the
failure OF the ice crop would be calamity. The
price OF ice would necessarily be increased by five
or seven shines what 1t at present Is. This fact
alone Will show to what condition the city would
be reduced II the frost continues to keep away.
Up to the present time the principal ice companies
have not made any movement towards getting in
supply from other States. They are in hopes
that the frost may come and that the
Hudson may yet get full crop. 1t
is within the experience Of some OF the
older icemen that even in February the river has
become so well frozen that though up to that time
houses, there was more than an abundant supply
Tor the year. The uncertainty Of when we may
get cold snap prevents the ice companies from
eXpendlng tue large sums OF money which would
be needed to get ice from Maine or elsewhere.
They do not intend to take any action whatever
until all hope of frost this winter has been aban-
dOned.
The manner in which the ice crop is gathered in
wolves at ordinary times great expense. Each
company has a number OF storehOuses along the
Hudson, and into these Immediately from the river
the Ice Is gathered. In connection with some Of
these houses very costly machinery Is used bot h
for the purpose of facilitating the storing OF the
and Tor its subsequent transportation. The ice Is
brought daily 10 the city IN barges from these
houses. 1t will be, therefore, easily seen what
o difference there would be between the pres.
ent price OF ice and the price in case OF the
failure of the crop this year; for, OF course, 1T
would be fresh start IN new fields for each
company, and the expense would be proportion
ately great whlle now all the machinery and faci-
tiles are at hand.
is that hundreds OF families along the Hudson
River Will be thrown out OF every chance OF max
ing LYME the people ina are largely de-
storing OF the ice and the subsequent transpOrta-
ton TO the city SO far as present Indications 60
Ice Is not at the present time in any part Of the
HUDSON more than three or four inches thick, and
1t must increase to ten inches in depth before q
single field Of it can be gathered. 1t is necessary
that horses should work on the frozen river, and
without depth OF about ten inches they could not
be borne up Tor the labor needed.
The Vice President Of the KnlckerbOcker Com
pany Mr. Maclay, yesterday informed HERALD
reporter that their pond at ROckland Lake was III
no better condition than the Hudson River. An
agent OF the Consumers Company stated that all the
companies we're alike situated the Hudson River
being the resource for all OF them and their hopes
being dependent entirely upon the arrival of the
frost. No concerted action Is being taken by any
OF the large companies there beng no need for
such action. it being only required that the tenn
perature fail to freezing point. Experienced
judges say that If the weather continues at the
temperature of yesterday the Hudson River will
run as limpidly within three days as it did last
July. 1t would take one weeks good Bit
ing frost to put a crop OF ice upon
the Hudson. An estimate OF the amount
OF ice consumed in this city during the season was
placed by Mr.. Maclay at 600 600 tons, but OF
double tnat quantity has to be gathered to make
up for the losses.
From all the Information gained the ice COM
panies are in very serious predicament, being in
doubt as to whether to risk expense to trust to
lucky weather. What the larger companies fear
is that the money expended might be simply
thrown away. They argue that If they went to
the vast expense now OF laying in supply from
Maine ana should February grow a crop upon the
Hudson the expense would be all useless, for OF
course tle ice should be sold at a price common
surate with the outlay In the premises.