Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-29
100000 TONS OF ICE.
Prospects of the Harvest Along the
Hudson for the Season of 1886.
From. tie Kinqston ". " Freeman.


Hudson for the Season of 1886.
Tram the Kingston ~. " Freeman.
AS the ice season for 1885 is about
closed, and the time for harvesting the
crop for the season OF 1856 is approach
ing, the dealers are looking over the stock
remaining and talking about the pros
pect, whether this winters crop will be
a good or poor one. The phrases good
or poor, in the sense used by icemen, are
quite the reverse from that understood by
those not in the business. To ice dealers
a good cold winter means large crops,
but small profits, while ''pOOr'' winter
means small crops, big prices and cor
respondingly better profits. The
general feeling among those en-
gagged largely in the gathering of the ice
along the Hudson river is that there will
be light crop harvested below Albany.
From various sources the Freeman learns
that the most OF the companies are hold
ing very little stock over. The strong
competition between them during the
past season, which caused very light divi-
dends, has created almost aunanImOns de-
sire for hight crop, which. in the end,
means greaier profits. To ascertain
whether the Hudson was in condition to
close and TO stay closed, hydro-thermOme-
trical tests were made at Albany during
the late cold snap. The test is made by
submerging thermometer or 5 feet be-
low the surface of the river. The result
showed the water to be 10 dee. warmer at
that depth than at the surface, and con-
sequently not of the proper degree of cold
ness for the Hudson to stay closed. lee
men claim the thermometer should regis
ter below 40 deg. to warrant such closing
The warmth OF the water at the time of
the test was said to be caused by a body
OF spring water running in the Hudson,
which keeps up the temperature. There
Will be lett over last winters supply of
ice 60O.O 900 tons, One-half of which is held
by the Knickerbocker Ice Company. The
next largest holder is the RidgewoOd Ice
Company, which has about $4,000 tons.
The smaller companies, excepting the
Glasco Ice Company, which lost its entire
crop by fire during the summer, hold
about 100000 tons. while the remaining
10000 tons are held by individual dealers
and spectators. Most OF this latter
quantity is OF poor quality, or there would
have been a smaller balance to their
credit, for, at the ruling price OF the crys-
tai blocks during the past season, viz:
DOC. ton 10 house, the companies have
found that IL pays as well to hold their
own stock and buy OF the spectators il
the ice is as good as their own.
The storing capacity Of the houses will
be increased this winter by about 10000
tons, Notwithstanding that the capacity
last winter was 100000, for that QUAINT
", IL IS claimed, was stored along the
Hudson river then. The Glasco Ice Com
pany, with a new $4,000 ton house, will
increase their storage by 10000 tons. At
West Camp the New Jersey Ice COMPANY
have rebuilt their house, but the capacity
has not been materially increased. The
completion OF this house has been hinder
ed somewhat, owing TO the slow delivery
of the heavy frame timber. Albert Bur
hans, Of Kingston, has the contract, and is
experimenting its construction. The
new 30, 900 ton house at CoXsaokie station,
owned by Scott a. Co., will have the best
dock, and icemen claim 10 will be the best
constructed icehOuse on the Hudson, aud
possibly in the world. All the material in
the house is Of the best Obtainable and
the machinery for storing Is of the latest
improved, This house will add 1000 tons
to It's former storing capacity. As the
owners of this house were ALWAYS large
buyers of individual dealers, this large
increase in their own storage will place a
much larger stock on the market than
usual. and may cause a drop IN the price
during the coming season. At Castleton,
r. r. Bean rs making n substantial addi-
ton Of 10000 tons 10 his house, while on
sunnyside Island, just above Castleion.
Archibald scott is building a 90 900 ton
house, The foundation for this house has
only just been laid. The Blauvelt house
Of the Kuickerbocker Ice Company, lust
above COeymans, has been In the course OF
construction most of the past season. but
Is NOS yet completed. The cause Of the
delay IN completing number OF the ice
houses is said 20 be the slow arrival of
lumber. AZ the present time gangs ~
men can he seen daily around every
house that is empty, making repairs 10
structure or machinery, and putting
things M shape generally for ice cutting
The oldest house along the Hudson river
~ The ono on the dock. no tiatbueh. which
was built IN 1859.