The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-29
A NOVEL ICE-HOUSE.
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 globe. because then we
should have the greatest bulk with the
least surface. Such a shaped house,
however, would be announcement and
expensive to construct. The next best
form is a cylinder. Practically, how
over, an inverted truncated cone will
give al 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 ii
porous. and it rarely happens that a
square ice-houSe, unless very large and
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 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 well six
feet deep and five feet in diameter
for the purpose of catching the
water from the melted ice. Over this
well Law 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 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 be 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 erected and covered
with a protecting roof. The earth
should be thrown against the sides Of
the house until there is a slope outward
in every direction. This will prevent
the roof water from running into the
ice-house. Cutters for carrying off this
roof water would be better and keep
the earth near 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 will nowhere come
in contact with the wood. When the
ice-house shall have been filled on a
level with the top of the ground, several
wagon loads of straw should be used in
covering it. If the entire roof is filled
with straw it will be all the better,
though the ice viii keep well if only a
third of the roof is filled.-BoSton
Globe.