The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-08-13
Frederick Tudor, the American Ice
King.

The transportation of ice by sea was not
thought of until the commencement of the
present century. The world is Indebted
Tor the bencfcent results that have follow
ed from the Introduction Of the Ice trade
10 Frederick Tudor. a wealthy and ecccn-
tric citizen of Massachusetts. well known
seventy-hyc years ago for his extensive
salt-works at Nahant.
In 1905 the yellow fever ragged through
the West lndia Islands, the towns and ci-
Ties ware decimated. and the officers and
crews OF the European fleets were almO-t
entirely swept of by disease. The need
OF Ice was very greatly felt throughout
the islands. In the winter OF that year
Mr.. Tudor cut from a small pond, situated
ON a plantation OF his own i'm Slugus.
sometwo or three hundred tons OF ice.
hauled it on teams Ia Charlestown, loaded
a portion of II into the brig Favorite.n
and sailed with il 10 the Island of Mar
Unique. The venture was regarded by
ms friends ms wild and visionary one,
and lac suffered nearly as much ridiculc as
his contemporary eccentrlcity, Lord
Timothy Dexter" did when he shipped
the warming pans but one Of Mr.. Tudor's
prominent points of character, and one ex-
emplifed in nearly every act OF his long
and useful life, was an utter contempt for
other peoples opinions; he never asked
advice Of any one, and always turned his
back upon all that was offered. The
strength of his purpose was generally
measured by the amount OF opposition he
encountered. We were all acquainted
with him. and often, when in one OF his
pleasant moods, he would delight 10 re-
hearse his early experience. There was
nothing of fancy or mere speculation that
induce him to embark In this experiment.
He had made the subject study, and the
results of his theories effectually vindicat-
ed their soundness.
The first experiment proved failure in
a pecuniary point OF view. as Mr.. Tudor
himself predicted, but it satisfied him as To
the future. when he should have had time
10 work out the problems presented by
the experiment.
The English Government was the first
10 appreciate the advantages likely to ac-
crue 10 It's coloni.ts from the introduction
OF ice. and ten years after Mr. Tudor's first
shipment, or shortly after the close OF the
war Of 1872, he received and accepted over
lures that were eminently favorable; the
tirst was the grant OF a monopoly OF the
trade upon conditions that We're readily ac-
ceded TO; the second was the release of GER
tain port dues (then very heavy to all
ships bringing ice.
The Island of Jamaica was then in the
zenith Of its wealth and commercial pros
perity, and the richest colonial pos. ession
Of Great Britain. Mr.. Tudor established
his ice houses at Kingston, thecommercial
capital OF the island. This was the first
prominent and permanent point-although |
this distinction has been accorded by some
10 Havana, and up 10 the time Of emanci- |
patton the trade was quite brisk. Mr.. |
Tudor also Sc .ured the monopoly of |
Havana, with liberal arrangements for the /
Introduction OF ice IN other ports Of tae
Island Of Cuba. The Tudor Company 1
still retain the monopoly of Havana and /
the Island OF Jamaica. All other ports I'm \
the West Indies are practically open TO 1
competition. OF these, the principal are |
81. Thomas, Martinique, Barbados. Trim
dad, Demerara ION the main, Cienfne- |
gOs. santiago De Cuba, Manzanillo. the |
lee supplied TO these ports j. shipped ex-
clu-ively from Boston.
Next in order after the West India ports /
comes the Introduction Of ice into /
our domestic ports by Mr.. Tudor. The /
first cargo was shipped 10 Charleston, 5. c., I
in lsl7. Charleston was then the most I
important commercial port In the South |
ern States.
In ISIS MIR. Tudor established branch /.
VI Aut AldNt III CdNAtllltl. AiifIs u iNi Nttl~
aiterward. the rival OF Charleston. In |
ls20 he established ice-houses ia New Or |
leans. which city, thirty years later, be-
came the largest consuming city in the /
United States. south OF Philadelphia.
In May. 1888. Mr.. Tudor. at the request
OF English and Amer can merchants resi-
dent IN Calcutta, sent a small cargo OF
about 200 tons 10 that port. A Calcutta
voyage in those days involved about six
months tor the passage out. The |
result. like that OF his first ship
ment to the West Indies, was not a
pecuniary success. but II proved that ice |
brought twenty thousand miles could. /
with all the attendant waste and losses.
successfully compete in prices with that
prepared by the natives. The result was /
the establishment of a trade which has I
steadily increased i'm volume and impor-
lance and which enables Boston to hold I
the key TO the rich and extensive com-
merce between Calcutta and the United |
States.
In 1884 Mr.. Tudor extended his trade in \
another direction. and sent a cargo 10 Rio \
Janeiro. Up To 1886 Mr.. Tudor was the \
ICE king of the world. At this remove of \
time We can easily figure up results, but
WORDS are inadequate when one attempts
p 10 Justice 10 the memory OF this won
U'ilul man, whose gekluS andablllty nave
opened up such blessings to the race. He
saw The conception Of his brain take form
and shape; he nursed il. and watched
over i through trials and Obstacles that
would have disheartened one less confident
n bis own resourccs he lived to see il az
Y lull maturity, a giant among men and
hauons. He had succeeded. but his sue
cess did not narrow him, and he was will
lng, u not gratifed in seeing others
'pfing up TO share In and increase the I
uade he had labored so diligently 10 build
up.-Augl4st Scribner's.