Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-08-02
Some Facts About Ice.
rr-o,r tho NewYork Times. !

The average annual ice crop OF the L niicd
STATES ia roughly estimated by those who are
conversant with the subject at lO.Ooo,ooO
tons The waste il. storing and handling Is
estimated at from 80 TO 80 per cent, leaving
from 1000. 600 tons to 100000 tons Tor act
nal CONSUMPTION. These 100000 tons OF
ice supposing the cakes to be II inches III
thickness. can be taken from an area OF TO-
600 acres With so vast surface OF water
as lies within the boundaries OF the tinted
States on which ice Will form. and with such
extensive facilities for transportation as are
nossessed bv this country. it would seem as
If an ice famine would be impossible. As
fact. il NAV be boldly stated that if there is
the ice famine in new York city before the
close of the warm season which many fear.
it will not be owing to the lack of ice. but IL
the existence of corner"
The Hudson river generally affords an am
pie supply of ice for the Ney York market.
Last season. however, the ice-packers were
forced TO seek higher ATTITUDES. Only about
$50. 600 tons of Hudson river ice, of very
inferior quality, were put up last Winter, as
against about 100000 tons harvested the
previous Winter. From the best informa-
ton attainable. it is learned that the quantity
Of ice in the houses along the Hudson, and
on Lake Cbamplain, carried over from the
crop of 1879 is about 100000 tons.
to which may be added $4,000 tons from
these same sources, of this years cutting.
making the aggregate 500. 900 tons with which
to meet the demands of nearly 2,000, 900 peo-
pie in this city and vicinity. Some of the
last Winters crop was thin. covered with
snow when put up, and broken into
small pieces, making it much in
ferior to the ordinary ice gathered in this lat
itude. and requiring more than usual care 10
preserve it when handling il. This ice is
towed down the river in barges chartered for
the purpose. The trip, from the time of
starting from Lake Champain 10 the time of
unloading at this port, occupies about 20
days. Each barge carries from 100 to 80
tons of ice, packed in straw or saw-dust to
protect it from the action of the heat. The
loss by melting in handling it is from - TO
80 per cent. As this supply from the North
is insufficient TO meet the demand. recourse
has been bad by the companies to the crop
stored in the State of Maine, whence the
bulk of the supply now used in this vicinity
is being obtained, The Hudson River and
Lake Champlain supply is held in reserve,
and is drawn upon sparingly in the intervals
between the arrivals of the Maine cargoes.
From estimates made by Maine dealers.
with whom correspondence was opened on
the subject, it has been calculated that the
aggregate amount of ice stacked in the State
of Maine last winter was ,426, 500 tons. The
names of the owners of every pound OF this
ice have been ascertained by dealers in New
York. Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia and
New Orleans, and nearly their whole supply
has been purchased, leaving scarcely sufficient
for the local demand. The city of Hamilton,
Canada. furnishes an instance of the scarcity
of ice for home consumption. That city
usually procures its supply from Barrie,
neighboring village. Last winter 81, 900 tons
were cut there and sold to New York dealers
at from 81 to 50 per ton as soon As it was out of
the water Hamilton dealers were unable to
obtain their usual supply, and now the city is
threatened with an ice famine, before the hot
months are half over. Not a pound was left
at Barrie by the American spectators.
Some idea may be obtained of the amount
OF capital invested in the ice business, as well
as of the present supply in the State of Maine,
by glancing at the following statements. Last
Winter, ID. w. Clark Co., of Portland Me.
put up 10000 tons of kennebec river ice, and
1900 tons on the eastern coast. Under the
date of july IL these gentlemen write to the
Times that they have from 1000 to 900 tons
for sale. The remainder of their stock they
say, must be kept to supply their local Gus
toners and the dealers with whom they have
contracted in Philadelphia. Messrs Morse
{ Co.. of Bangor, Me-, write that they have
5000 tons now in store, all of which is sold
and which they are shipping rs fast as posi-
Bile. Last winter this firm put up 90 900 tons
u. Sargent x Sons put up last winter II. 900
tons of PenohscOt river ice, of which amount
about 1000 tons were in their houses on july
IS. There were about $50 600 tons put into
the houses on the Penobscot river last winter
all of which supply these gentlemen think
has been sold excepting perhaps 5000 tons.
The last sale was made at s. per ton. The
Arctic Ice Co., on the Kennchec
and on the Penobscot rivers. put
up i0,s00 tons, a large proportion of which
has been sold Messrs Chase. Huse < Co.
put up 10000 tons. which supply mas been
pretty well disposed of. A. Rich Jr. put ND
5000 tons of kennebec river ice J. r.
Norton < Co. put up 40 ,000tons at Harward'S
on the kennebec river. a considerable portion
of which they still have in their houses. The
knickcrbocker Ice Company of Philadelphia
put up 26S,00 tons of Maine ice. none of
which is available for the New York market
To this amount has been added considerable
purchases from small dealers, making their
supply at least ample for the season. no mat
ter what the length of the hot season. The
Rockport Ice Company put in their houses
10000 tons, and have some for sale and some
under contract to New York parties C.. Rus
sell Co. put in 10000 tons, at Richmond
and CoOper's Point, on the Kennebec river
In addition to these dealers there are about
20 other firms who have put up from :. 900 to
$4,000 tons each. Large quantities of this
immense supply have been purchased bv New
York spectators. The cost of freight from
Bangor, Me. to New York, by schooner. is
$3.50 per ton, and the cost of unloading and
delivery is about 81 30 per ton additional.
The time for making the voyage is five DAYS.
The loss in melting by the time it is weighed
and delivered to customers of this kind of ice
is about % per cent. Most of the ice DUR
chased in Maine by New York companies was
bought early in the Season for IS 50 per ton.
or less. 1t is estimated that there has been
purchased for the New York market in Maine
about 500 900 tons
New York City and Brooklyn, and their
suburbs, consume annually, when the de-
mand is not limited by high prices. as dur
ing the Spresent season, from | 500, 900 to
1000. 600 tons of ice.
The average daily consumption is about
10000 tons when the price is from So to 81
per ton. At present prices. less than half
that amount will supply the demand At the
rate OF 10000 tons per day for l02 DAYS. the
consumption would be 200, 600 tons for the
season. leaving reserve in the companies
hands of certainly not less than from 400