New-York tribune., 1885-03-19
WORK OF THE ICEMEN.
HARVESTING THE CROP ON THE HUDSON
AN UNUSUALLY LARGE YIELD THIS SEASON
METHODS OF STORING IT.

ton Of ice along the Hudson housed by tho middle Oh
February nearly every house south OF Saugerties was
filed to the top and those north Of that place we're not
far behind their southern neighbors. Many OF
them were fu even earlier than the date mentioned.
Those behind have been In most cases compelled TO alt
for the second croI When the ice-houses along the
river are all filed without doubt they will now be-
there VIII be- counting in the ice that has been stacked
by some companies, not much less than four millions OF
tons. This Is the largest crop gathered The
quality Is as good the quantity One OF the bosses
who for years has supentended the storing OF lee
told TRIBUNE reporter that the ice gathered this year
equals che average any has ever housed 1t
Is so clear that he could read newspaper through ice
nearly foot thick.
The weather has been extremely cold and
storms have prevailed but they have not hindered to
great degree the gathering OF ice. 1t has been excep
tlonally good season for the harvest. Each storm,
whether OF rain or snow has been followed by cold
snap that seemed inorder to up FOR lost
tme The strike so common has hardly appeared this
winter This not alone owing to the good sense OF
the men, but to the fair prices paid and not least to the
sensible course the bosses In two three cases
the proposed striking for the same wages that
said other places gave. In each case the boss
promised TO give as much the others gavej that
satisfied the workmen and they worked with a WILL
leaving the question OF wages to be settled when they
mad all the facts. The have ranged from 81 20
to 81 so day. The price according to the work not
only, but tue exposure ana tne TespOlolDuJ' hhou
Ia remembered that wages in the ice-haryestng sur
loundngs rarely than dollar day, aud work
scarce at that the price paid for taking in ice Is not
small Most of the satisfied not only, but glad
get the work. To the poor the time OF gathering
ice is indeed harvest and blessing TO him that like
sensible man, no takes when he can get It, Some men
travel night and morning miles and to get the
work.
Good prices have been paid aborer but the cost Of
gathering will hardly up the average because the
weather has been more than usually favorable There
possible chance for the dealers TO cry high
prices; and with the most lavish Of the article it
likely that than threefourths of what has been
gathered will be consumed before another winter comes
when all the houses along the river are filled, from one
fourth onethird remains at the end OF the year.
by year the demand for ice has increased and as
rapidly Increased the supply Thirty ago there
were probably less than dozen ce-houses along the
Hudson from Poughkeepse to Albany New there are
more than I00 then there not more than 100000
tons stored IL indeed there was more than half that
amount
With the closing OF the river the anxiety on the
part Of the stake out his field. The one who
thus lays his claim holds 1t against all cOmers Law or
law, there Is honor among lcsmen. Nhen TN, tne
chances are that the oeman's wife will he
the widow ef drowned man before night he starts OUT
with load OF bushes and instrument for cutting
holes Several rods apart he sets these bushes around
field fully large enough to furnish Ice 70 m lhe 1S % % -
which he Is Interested lie Is sure 10 n.he H i .ie 1 m
large enough II be the first man on It, But II there be
first then each takes the held or snare OI ~
nearest his house; and by CONCESSIONS the ueIehl
fields are agreed This haste and seeming reckless
not without reason All ice Is not aLlhe tne
choice OF fields Il great aud the lst conner at times
compelled stake out his field nearly mile from Ills
house Distance means expense in moving and 1t some
times happens that smooth and clear Ice cannot De got ~
all any house; then all must seek Detter he!"s
The field staked out the cultivation comes next
Years ago this left altogether TO nature but the ice
has learned that lac can give his principal worker
a ft now and then; he does IT, Going over the field
holes into the Ice This to let the water on the Ice,
for will Ice being lighter than water always
atmosphere below and the warmer air under the Ice
10 get ont in other words there Is produced slight
circulation cold air tending to promote freezing Ice
alway forms from below, unless there DC water OF snow
90 which the water reaches above the lee. The more
holes punched aud the otener opened the more rapidly
freezing process carried on as long as the weather
be cold enough Ihe crOp eross h4ss , III tno | mihnS
r wnsn ' ys him clear cold weather aud tho eeman is
happy; he breads rain and ieafs snow about as uehi
but tue thermometer goes down mo spirits go ups MS
iea OF Elysium probably place where the thor
smiles amid the rosts Of few hundred degrees
begins and the Head Is cleared Of Bu until the
Tee least six inches thick the marking pOughing
and cutting process begun. Less thickness than that
would hardly be safe tor horse aud not unti II Is more
thareight inches in thickn" foot Is preieueddoes
the work OF harvesting gin. A canal two yards or
In width is cut from house to the hld aud the
ice removed from IT, This canal must be kept free day
and ht and 10 do II during some OF tue coolest nights
Is task that requires no httle activity and no less
TO tue house does the work. but at night men must
push Of back and forth ceaseessy TO prevent the
foration of ice This night work Is usually contracted:
and weather happens 20 be mild the contractor hls
as easy times pullceman; but II the weather DC
otherwise lie wishes that he could subet tho contract
The ice II marked and cut IN blocks about two feet
square. commonly twenty-for By tweny-six or
eght inches. The cutting Is done by the plough that
makes groove about quarter OF an men IN width,
aud by going several times back and forth in the same
groove cuts TO within few Inches Of the depth OF the
lee After the p0ughing large masses are separated
from the ied BY saving aud hoated through the canal
To house. Men bridges the canal break the
blocks apart with bars chsels, and then each block
or l. pushed In 90 the elevator by which II is
carried up into the house. The elevator is simply
inclined plane having either se endless chain
ioined by wooden crossbars and worked by drum or
cyllndcr the top These chains aud crossbars coming
down above the plane and dprng into the water catch
block OF ice behind each bar and ash up the plane until
down plano slightly inclined into the building where
they are slowed away.
Most of tha hostng by seam years ago horses
used. In few houses these are the only tolsthg
machines yet and the method Is the smpest-the horse
pulling the ice by means OF an cet tongs fastened 10
rope over pulley at the top OF the mousse. Ihls
process ouly slower but requires more men and Is
more costly The steady motion Of the elevator under
perfect control 1t cea-eessy pushes block after block
up the plane and carries much as ton OF Ice each
minute from the water 20 the house. Is type Of mastery
but duet power The number OF these elevators varies
with the size OF the house, some having only one or two
slowing the lee simple rs II may seem Is matter OF
no small Importance Instead OF plling II up solid
block directly above the other IL slowed bricks
laid by breaking joints" Slowed solid with edges in
the same line, the whole would be solid mass and
almost impossible TO separate. man who had Just
entered the business thought 20 teach the old hands
thing about slowing He packed the whole house
solid block above block and crowded against the sides
not but each piece against its neghbor closely
as possible. In spring he wished, when he found his
house had only immense block Of ice. that million
dollars PREMIUM offered for the biggest icesowing
fool In the country lie would at once have retired
from business rs a millionaire
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WAS SMALLPOX BROUGHT IN THE IyDIAg
w no,, thn Nns Ghnr