Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-10-19
HYPeaB0REAm HARyfsTs.
outlook tor the Ice Business Up and Down
the Kennebec.
NewBuildings Erected and Imn-ov.
ments Made this Season.
a Busy Winter Anticipated.
AePhyrs from the Ice Cakes-A Ca.
Industry.


thought, the supply would seem To hs ;nox
haustioie, yet the rivers and pond, from
"h'ch the harvest can be gathered pro6tabIv
are limited in number. The Kennebec rive,
is one OF the best ice fields in the world and
perhaps few notes relative 70 tho o,o,.,,,
an" prospects Of the ice business NAV not
come amlss now that our chilly night. re.
MIND US that the time is at hand when father
kennebec will don his crystal coat, and the
morse scraper, ice-plow, and planer will re-
place the various kinds Of water-craft which
nave vexed his surface 80 constantly the past
summer.
HE YEARS BUSINESS,
OF the GOO 900 tons of ice cut on the river
and its vicinity last winter, but a small
amount remains unshpped. The Cedar
Grove Company in Dresden has some 20 900
tons on hand at the present time-the largest
amount Of any concern on the river. The
Oakland Ice Company of Pittston has about
1900 tons in its houses; but the greater part
of this is sold, and it is being daily shipped.
The Independent Ice Company of Pittston is
still shipping, and the Knickerbockers have
not yet cleaned out their houses in Pittston
and Farmingdale. The Centennial Com
pany of Pittston has perhaps 5000 tons un-
sold. Abram Rich, in Farmingdale, has some
ice on hand and B. w. and II. F. Morse at
Bath have several thousand tons at T~ing's
point. The other companies on the Kenne-
han hov .rt,, L., al Al.
and the ice at Wiscasset and Boothbay is all
sold and mostly shipped. Before the river
closes the last block of ice will be sent away,
and the companies will begin operations
with empty houses. Although prices have
ranged very low-Only about one fourth Of
what they were last year-yet there has been
a steady demand for ice. Freights have been
low, and dealers have experienced a difficulty
in getting vessels on this account. A schooner
in the ice carrying business generally gets
return freight of coal, and with the two COM
modities can earn money for her owners.
Laborers have been extremely scarce. "Men
who never saw junk of ice before, are worth
a dollar and half day." said shipper to a
command two dollars. Carpenters have been
in active demand, and labor of all kind has
been at a premium on the Kennebec this year.
Men are wanted by the companies now, and
can secure good jobs.
HOUSES ERECTED AND IMPROVEMENTS MADE.
The fall is busy one at the houses, and the
noise of the carpenters hammer rings out
all up and down the river. Several commo-
dious new buildings have been erected, and
improvements made at many points. At
Richmond the Knickerbockersa are putting up
10000 ton house, consisting of ten apart
ments Six of these are each l50x35, and the
other four are each 35x200 The Haynes 4
Dewitt Company are grading for a house of
3O.OOO tons capacity just above their present
site at Iceboro. Their new house is to be a
substantial one, 200 feet square under one roof,
and divided into six rooms. Morse & Conrov
have graded for double their capacity in
Richmond Crossing theriver to Dresden, the
Lincolns are adding to their &c, 900 ton storage
capacity for the present winter, should the
weather prove favorable; while Russell Bros.
at Stearns' point are to grade for four new
houses, should they want them. The Cedar
Grove Ice Company in Dresden has been
putting up an additional house this season,
lOOxl5O feet, which will hold 10000 tons.
Coming up river we find the Independent folks
putting one large roof over the old Barker
ice houses in Pittston. The Great Falls
company is building new house in the same
town. Benjamin johnson is repairing and
remodeling his house above the bridge in
Pittston,-putting in an elevator, endless
chain, and other improvements. Bodwell,
Allen. & Bodwell are getting out lumber for
a large house near the site of their present
buildings The Knickerbockers have taken
down one of their old buildings in Farming
dale, and are replacing it with more sub
stantial and modern house. In addition to
the improvements which we have enumerated,
other companies have expended large sums
in grading and in repairs.
TIE Ice FIELD OF THE FUTURE.
The growth of the ice business on the Ken
nebec in the future must come from the en-
largement of the operations OF the eXsti"R
companies, and not from the enterprise OF
new corporations. Nearly all the choice
sites for ice cutting and for houses, have been
pre-empted. The essentials for successful
business are /. field where the water Is
pure. and where there are no springs bub-
bling up from the bottom to wear away the
under surface of the ice; 2
Lowell site for erecting buildings on
the shore: 3. sufficient depth of water
40 that schooners can lie at the wharf ana
load. These requisites are not to be found
everywhere. The indications are that the
ice field Of the future, as far as our river Is
concerned. must lie largely between the head
of Swan Island, or perhaps little lower
down and ..the sands so called, as here Is
water for the best quality of ice and sufncien'
depth for the largest vessels now engaged In
carving this commodity, no small hem'
The cost of towage. too. is quite an item !"
favor of this place. Near this point the
Kn;ckerbocker Company Of Philadeiphia mas
A