The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-10-29
A NOVEL
The Form of House Best Adapted to the
Preservation of Ice.

The Form of House Best Adapted to the
Preservation of Ice.
The best form for an ice-house would
be that of a globe. because then we
should have the greatest bulk with the
least surface. Such a shaped house,
however, would be inconvenient and
expensive to construct. The next best
form is a cylinder. Practically, how
ever. an inverted truncated con will
give all the advantages of the cylindri-
cal form, with the further advantage of
being more economical in construction
and in keeping in repair. The worst
possible form is a cubical or square ice
house, for the corners of the ice in such
a house will always melt away and
leave the mass of ice round. The large
amount of water which penetrates the
ice in such an ice-house makes it
porous. and it rarely happens that a
deep. will keep ice throughout the sum-
mer. In our climate ice-houses are
rarely built above ground. The best
way to construct one, for family use.
and this is the result of experience and
observation, is to select a northern hill
side or exposure, where there is a good
growth of forest trees. Lay off a circle
on the surface of fifteen feet in diameter,
and dig to the depth of fifteen feet,
sloping so that the diameter of the ex-
cavation at the bottom may be ten feet
In the bottom of this sink a well six
feet deep and five feet in diameter
for the purpose of catching the
water from the melted ice. Over this
well lay slabs of white oak Or other hard
wood, with the bark taken off and the
rounded surface turned uppermost.
Poles sixteen feet long and from five to
six inches at the largest ends are set up
against the walls of the ice-house, the
smaller ends being turned downward.
The sloping sides of the ice-house and
the tapering poles make a beautiful fit,
and after the poles are adjusted the
house will resemble a large churn
turned bottom upward. If desired. a
few large hoops may he nailed to the
poles above and below. The poles,
however. will retain their positions
without the hoops. Over the house a
square pen or frame work three feet
high. should be erectad and covered
with a protecting roaf The earth
should be thrown against the sides of
the house until there is A slope outward
in every direction. Tnis will prevent
the roof water from running into the
ice-house. Cutters for carrying of this
roof water would be letter aud keep
the earth neal the pen from becoming
saturated with water. The ends of the
superstructure should be weather.
boarded up but Slated windows in both
ends would be advantageous in per-
hitting the hot air to escape. A large
door should be constructed in one end,
so as to permit the ready housing of
the ice. In putting up ice. the first
thing to be done is to throw down straw
enough in the bottom to cover the
slabs two or three inches deep, after it
is compressed by the Weight of the ice.
Straw must be kept also next to the
sides, so that the ice viii! no where come
in contact with the word. When the
ice-house shall have teen filled on a
level with the top of the ground, several
wagon loads of straw Should be used in
covering it. If the eat, re roof is filled
with straw it. will be all the better,
though the ice will keep well if only a
third of the roof is filled. -Boston
Gsobe.