The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-01
Preparing for "N1nety-five in
the Shade"
THE UPPER HUDSON.
Gathering and Housing the
Crystal Blocks.
Two Million Five Hundred Thou
sand Tons Secured.
VALUE .Sas.ooo.ooO.


For swo weeks or more the Hudson River at
many points between this city and Albany has
presented . scene CT busting activity. Thousands
Of mon, rugged and weather-beaten. of boys, capa-
Bile OF the fatigue OF ordinary adults, and steam
engines aud elevators spot the picture like q
ieopard's skin. Year after year, when tho broad
bosom OF this noble stream IL stied and ono un-
broken crystal plain binds in bondage its majestic
length, the picture Is repeated and beneath the
hills covered with SHOWS heaped mp like the
treasures OF the arctic, the stiffness like TO that OF
q deserted graveyard. gives way to tho noise and
confusion OF thousands in busy employment. 1t
Is the harvest OF ice-the gathering OF that inds-
pensable article OF summer consumption, without
which mankind In large cities would Ill get along,
and to be wholly deprived OF would render life
almost intolerable. 1t is the synonym OF
LUXURY 10 EVERY AMERICAN
In the stining days Of summer, ana nowhere In
the world 10 1t 50 abundantly used as In New YorK
With the mercury '.ninety-nve IN the shade"
sparkling draught OF iced Cr0ton is treat which
has especial claims above ell tho wincs and cham
payne in Christendom, and, when not obtainable,
there Is Q longing for 1t which wine is pow
erless to assuage. A scanty supply OF ice IL
something unpleasant to contemplate. The Goth
ANTE who 10 compelled to iorswear the hooks and
shades OF the country and endure the sultry heats
and seething streets OF the metropolis looks for
ice-pitclers and water. coolers on every hand, and
thinks them necessary to comfort as are bread,
butter and bsefsteak. He nnds them, too, when
ever and wherever he socks them; for 1t has become
an established fact that the coup Of GOLD water"
to be found gratuitously supplied all over the
country goes far In making up tue general verdict
that the citizens OF the United States live more
luxuriously than any other people on the face OF
tho earth. Ii New Yorker were compelled TO pay
ten cents for few Jumps OF Ice swimming IN
water ON tepid pls to, as must be done IN Paris
for this rare luxury, what would he sayf Why, ne
would gently insiLuate that he was being swindled
and act accordingly.
PLENTY OF II.
Ice Is an American necessity, and am glad to
be able 70 tell all Gothamttes, ell brewers and
packers, all hotel keepers and lestaurateurs, all
owners OF saloons and porternouses and all house
Keepers in general that the ice crop Of this year
along the Hudson was never before equalled both
In quality and In quantity. "There's millions In
it" Millions OF tons OF glistening cakes are now
In the vast houses on the BANKS OF the river, and
by Tuesday Of this week, II the weather holds
favorable, the army OF laborers will have ceased
work the last canal being cut and the last block
oil crystal snugly packed in place.
BEGINNING THE HARVEST.
vigorous measures for the harvesting Of the ice
crop were not taken until the second week OF the
present month, when the sudden and prolonged
cold bid the superlntendents commence work At
once. Then the word won't forth to oil the un-
employed ON the river banks, AMI far back into
mountain hamlets and villages, 10 the idle farmer
| boys, that there was cnance again 10 make low
dollars, and the brigade soon responded. FULLY
ten thousand staIwart canalmen, brIcklayers,
boatmen, tilers OF the soil aud those OF ell Kinds
| OF business In warm weather, and some OF no
business whatever at any time, accepted
the terms offered and began the labor
OF quarrying and housing the required
crop. From the first the ice has been Of the purest
quality, and tree from dirt, gris or honeycomo,
the blocks spar king In the sunlight with crystal.
t tneir TOP. From WE'VE inches thick when the
cutting commenced along the upper end OF the
river, 1t soon became fourteen and sxtee inches,
gathered In tnis vicinity mas average VI fifteen
incnes-a figure that Will approach correctness
KNTIRE TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
that win be housed in the vast receptacles on the
| Hudson IN two or three days. Everything has Deen
| favorable Tor the work thus season with but one
cutting began. rae weather., mos. oi the time Of
that sparkling character that makes an American
pSere Of our winter days, has been Of Immense
service in helping on the business. Then the c0ar
acser OF the men .nas s0dRnt Inc empogmsnt
ture to fully stand up against the physical hard
ships incidental to ths labor. The usual minor
| cvuntered, as toe falls OF snow up the river have
been very slight SO none Of the Iallaclous asser.
| tons that ice has MT Deen stored IN SUFFICIENT
quantities, nor any OF the usual cries resorted to
by the companies to force upward It's prlce, can DO
used in tn coming season with any degree OF con-
| sistency or OF truthful business decency.
| HOUSING The CROP.
The ice crop OF 1873, o good season, amounted
to LAOS, 500 tons. but In 1874 the cold weather
! was so spasmodIc tnat the harvest was
nearly one month behind. and WORK being
commenced late and the Ice OF Inferior quality,
the larger companies were In dilemma and
| long before the summer was over were customers
10 the Eastern dealers. Ths year no difficulty or
this ktnd Will exist. The quantity nov In store Is
| greater tnan ever before accumulated, and when
| It 10 known that In 1860 the crop gathered was
less than 100 TONS an idea OF the gro wing vast
| ness Oi the business can De obtained. linen the
KnicKerbocker Company. now the leader In the
trade, stored but 20O0OO tons, whereas this year
tney will have ON HAND when through with the
work nearly 100000 tons or the crystal blocks IN
their numerous houses. To be mole definite. this
supply Is stored at various points along the river,
| within easy Shipping distance OF New York. In
houses the aggregate capacity oil which Is stated
| IN the subjolned table =
| KNICKERBOCKER COMPANY.
| CfldriV Cdpucifv