The Portland daily press., 1881-12-28
The Kennebec Ice Fields.

Inc following relative to the ice business on
the Kennebec is from an article by Mr.. Fred
W, S. Blanchard of Richmond published In
Ballou's Magazine
The situation of the Kennebec is highly ia
vorable to the formation of solid merchandise
ice. and the sources OF its water supply are
| such as to insure its purity. Its current is
| strong enough to keep it pure, and there are no
large cities on its banks to pollute 1t with their
| sewerage. But it was not until 1870, when
the ice crop south of Boston failed, that the
| enterprise attracted the attention of business
men in this vicinity. Extensive preparations
! were made that season, wherever favorable
| sites could be procured; and large quantity of
| ice was harvested, and readily sold in Southern
cities. The profits realized were large, which
| induced many companies to organize and pre-
pare to take advantage of the next season.
This next winter proved ia be severe, good
supply OF ice was secured wherever it had been
obtained before; and consequently, the Kenne-
bee ice-men lost heavily on their venture. But,
undaunted by their losses, they strove to re-
cover their lost ground, and contracted for
term of years to supply Southern dealers.
Some constructed suitable buildings from
which to dispose OF their ice, at wholesale and
retail, as 1t is required in Southern cities,
where it quickly won the reputation which it
deservedly possesses to-day in the market. Its
superiority was soon acknowledged in the ice
consuming districts of the South, and COM
panies commenced to build and buy good
A-OAoSo
ness.
In the season of 1875-1S76 the ice crop again
failed south of Boston, and larger quantity
was stored in the river than at any other time,
all of which was sold at paying price, which
encouraged those interested in the business
and convinced them that it would become the |
chief industry Of the State
From 1876 to 1880 the supply was abundant |
in most States; but nevertheless the Kenne-
bee trade. continued to increase with the de- |
mand, many old buildings were rebuilt, new /
companies were organized, and the industry |
was in q most hourishing condition. In the /
winter of 1S79-1880 the crop south of Boston /
was again almost entirely cut off, and Maine
was depended upon for supply, which she |
furnished. The resources of the Kennebec I
were strained to their utmost for the season
was remarkably warm, and it was necessary to
work night and day to gather in an average
crop. Nearly every company filed its houses,
and several built temporary structures in /
which they stored large quantities. The whole
crop was disposed of, and large profits were |
realized by all who engaged in the business
Large structures were erected during the sum-
mer and great preparations made for the next
season.
Owing to the severity of the next winter,
full crops were stored elsewhere, and
9 much smaller quantity was housed on the
kennebec than the previous year.
The number of ice houses situated on the
Kennebec, and owned by companies within
and out of the State, is large, and among them
are the largest, strongest and best finished
structures of that class in the world.
There are thirty different companies on the
river, capable of harvesting and storing 1,000,-
100 tons, with, when necessary to meet an ex-
,raordinary demand 900 tons extra.
When the ice crop south and west fails, the
kennebec ice-felds are theatres of activity;
md every effort is made to house as large |
quantity as possible. Much is stored in tenn
,orary buildings, which is disposed of as
quickly as possible after the river is open.
The ventures generally leave a fair margin;
,ut sometimes they prove a failure, and the
apital invested total loss. But the COM
,anies who have permanent buildings for pre-
CRYING ice from season to season have very
title to fear from losses, if their ice is of
.ood quality when housed; for there is little
anger of shrinkage in houses of modern |
uild of more than one foot during the year.
When all the companies are harvesting, four
thousand five hundred men and one thousand
orses are employed, and the season lasts frnm-
aer and into the fall, until the river closes,
ubich is about the first OF November. IL Is
stimated that three. vessels are requl.ou -
aire in one thousand tons; and there are sell
om more than one hundred and fifty shipping
AVS In a season. Considering the amount
hipned to be one million tons, twenty vessels
,er day are required during the entire snip
,;no season to remove the ice. The number
which arrive per day varies from one to thirty
!, accordance with the state OF the Weatner.
The distance from the sea to the ice houses Is
rom twenty to forty miles, for Wnlch olstance
7essels are lowed by steam tugs. heet OF NJ
.een Of which are required for this service.
IF we are to be influenced by the remarkaole
,roeress made In the business during the last
decade, and the annually increasing consump-
ion of ice. we cannot but conclude that the
Kennebec ice-felds will yield very handsome
returns in the future. The ice business IS one
If the principal industries OF the State, and ag,
gregates in value nearly twice as much as an
Ehe agricultural products, excepting nay, OF tne
State. Not like the lumber industry, when Is
gradually sapping the resources OF the state
from wear to year, or the manufacturing inter
ests. whose materials are chiefly imported from
other states, leaving only percentage OF their
value for the costs of the labor OF manufactur.
ing them the ice business requires nothing Dut
capital enough to build the houses and harvest
the crop from the surface of the water, which
is certain to be there each year, and not to re-
ouire like others, personal surveillance or drain
the resources of the land. Property along
each bank of the river, which few years ago
was not considered of much value, is now
worth thousands of dollars, and increasing
from wear to year. New companies locate
there. constantly increase the home trade, and
imnroye the mechanical as we'll as the agricul-
tural industries, which otherwise would have
lacked the spirit infused into them.