Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-17
SOUTH GARDINER.
The History OF an Enterprising Ice Com
pany.

The Independent Ice Company got through
Milling their houses last Saturday. They have
cut this winter - 900 tons of very handsome
ice, and carried over from last season l5.-
900 tons, making now on hand 10000 tons
Perhaps it will be well to note little of the
enterprise of this company, as we feel here
that their works have been a great benefit to
the inhabitants of South Gardiner. Although
their buildings are on the opposite side of
the river in Pittston, they have bought all
their lumber from Lawrence Bros and given
employment to a good many men and horses
in this place. Their head quarters are in
Washington. d. c. where they do very
large ice business. The President of the
company, Mr.. e. b. Church, came here
in the spring of 1874, and bought piece of
land of Mr.. Loring Powers, in Pitts
ton, below and next to the old Barker
houses on Hunts Point, graded and put up
building with four rooms, with a capacity
OF 1900 tons. covered the building with an
arched roof, which bears TO this day the name
of the round top. That building has never
had any repairs. nor has there been a brace
placed against it to keep it in place, and it
apparently stands to-day plumb and as per-
feet as il did the day it was finished. Mr.
Franklin Powers had charge, and that perfect
building to-day shows the thoroughness of
his work. AS the company's business began
to increase they began to add buildings to
the round top until they covered what avail
able land they had. Still not having room
enough they purchased the old Barker place,
North end of the old houses, of three rooms.
with capacity of ~ 900 tons. One year ago
last summer they tore down the old Barker
houses and erected one of the finest building.
the river, containing six rooms with capacity
of $4,000 tons. The uprights for the out
side walls are A. feet long, IA inches at the
base IL at the top and inches thick sawed
from Norway pine. The middle walls, up
rights are II inches by 3, all Norway pine
The stills are pine. The sills are saturated
with coal tar as also are all the uprights from
. to feet from the sill. The inside Of the
building is boarded with seasoned pine boards,
the outside with best quality of spruce.
The walls are filed with clean sawdust free
from bark or sticks Outside the building
is wall feet from the building at the base
joining the building at the plates under the
ewes The outside wall is clapboarded with
half inch pine boards, and painted. The
whole structure is built in the same sub
supervision of Mr.. Powers, as all their
buildings have been. They have powerful
engines with fine machinery at each their
upper and lower houses and have not had
break in gear this winter. They have two fine
elevators with one of Briggs cor ogated eleva-
tor plains in each. Their shipping runs are
covered. The outer end of the run is so
arranged that it can be lowered or raised at
will. There is an endless chain on it with
lags that is governed by friction pulley lever.
The end of the run is lowered into the
turning table on the vessels deck. The man
at the lever can drop it onto the table from
the lags as fast rs it can be lowered into the
hole of the vessel They have large canvas
canopy that covers the hatch and table so
the sun has no chance to strike the ice. They
have made the largest days run shipping that
has been made on the river. They have two
large boarding houses "A stable that will accom-
modatc fifty horses, tool houses, blacksmith
shop,a large carpenter shop, with steam engine
that runs palmer, buzz saw, turning lathe,
grindstone. &c. &c. VIM. VI. J. Powers, son
of Franklin Powers, a young man of fine
business ability, has charge of putting up and
shipping the ice. He has been with the firm
ever since they commenced business here and
great many of the labor saving arrangements
have been invented and carried into operation
by him. He lays out his ice fields in way
| noticed small house on runners with a
stove in it for the filler to file the saws and
cutters in. II can he moved to any part of
the field. All of these small Improvements
saved time and money.
Mr.. c. W. Church, son of the president of
the company one of the firm, young man of
fine financial ability attends to that part of the
business here. He is particular to see that
every man has his just dues, and to see that
none go away dissatisfied.
Mr.. Workers, the general manager of the
company. spent some time here this winter
He expressed great pleasure in the way their
business was managed at this end of the line.