The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-04-14
THEIcE BUSINESS.
Some Interesting Statistics Of an
important Industry.
Copyright, 1888.

day use for the benefit of mankind has come
within the last fifty or sixty years. The po-
ct Horace, writing before the time of Christ's
birth, alludes in his odes to wines cooled by
ice brought from the frozen streams" and
Solomon, in the book of Proverbs says, "As
the cold of snow in the time of harvest. so is
faithful messenger to them that send him,
for he refresheth the soul of his MASTER
Both quotations show that the ancient use
of ice and snow was probably limited to
the cooling Of wine or other drinks.
Until recently ice has been regarded as q
luxury, and many persons. now living, can
remember when it was used only by the con-
fectioner, who put up small quantity for
his own use now. the Ice cart is one of the
most familiar objects on the street.
1t was the use Of ice by the manufacturing
chemist, by the brewer, the fisherman, fish
dealer and dealers in fresh meat, butter and
milk, who could make money by the use OF
ice to preserve their stock in trade, and who
needed a constant and regular supply, that
established the ice business ON permanent
basis, making ice, as an antiseptic, a neces-
sity to trade, as well as comfort in our
homes.
The first person to cut, use and sell ice in
Portland was Mr. David Robinson, and the
following facts. incidents and dates of the
early history Of the business in Portland
were given the writer by Mr.. Robinson and
his sons.
His first ice-house.. or ice-cellar, was on
Munjoy Hill, near Neck Pond. He was
confectioner and used the ice in his own bus
mess, cutting 1t from Neck Pond for the first
time in 1928, and filling small ice-cellar.
He made the first ice cream used in Portland.
and served it at an evening party given by
Captain Clapp to Gener al Lafayette at the
time of the Generals visit to Portland in
1924. The first ice-house used by Mr.. Robin
son for keeping his Ice, was really cellar
made by excayating and building on the side
of Munj0y Hill, room eight by ten feet,
and ten feet deep. 1t was walled up and
covered with low roof only little higher
than the ground on the back side, while the
front on the lower hillside was high enough
for door, the cellar holding from II to IA
tons, years supply of ice for Portland.
Four or five years later, his business having
increased, he prepared place on Cumber-
land street between Locust and Smith
streets, which held about 81 tons: this, too
was underground, for at that time it was not
This was filed with ice cut from Neck Pond
on Munjoy Hill. Mr. Robinson first at
tempted to sell ice in Portland in the year
1880. andthe story as he told it was as fol-
lows.
was sold and delivered to families curing
the summer season, so one day when the
weather was extremely warm, he determined
to try his luck at selling ice in Portland.
Hiring horse and wagon, and taking q
small quantity Of ice from his Cumberland
Ino lad 49, hAr.o of nn
prominent men to see if their families would
like regular supply OF ice during the sum
mer. The only sales he made were to Judge
Mellen, ON State street, who bought twelve
and a half cents worth, to man who bought
Six and a quarter cents worth that he might
be able to tell his friends he had held a
piece of hard ice in his hand in July, and six
and a quarter cents worth to an invalid who
thought it would keep his water cool at night !;
Others thought it a foolish expenditure of
money, and wondered what they would do
with itP
Mr.. Robinson was not discouraged, and in a
day or two went around again, but this time
did not sell single piece, for even Judge
Mellen, having wrapped his carefully in q
blanket, had kept 1t SO well, ne dld not need
for 1880, and for this business venture, his
profit and loss account stood as follows:
Cash paid for use Of horse and wagon. sl.ssee
Ice sold as above, 20
Loss on first years ice business, S1.25
For some years after this, Mr.. Robinson
sold little ice each year, and delivered it
with hand-cart or wheel-barrow.
The first ice-house built above ground was
on the western side of Centre street, near
Congress, and was built over an dce-cellar 10
increase storage capacity. In 1886 or 1887
the benefit of ice was SO well understood,
there was business enough for a regular sup
ply of ice in all parts Of the city, so Mr. Rob
inson, taking his son Mr.. X. l.. Robinson into
the business, built the ice-house which stood
costreet church. 1t had storage capacity Of
700 tons. which was afterward enlarged TO
hold /, 900 tons. In 1851 Mr.. Robinson sold
the business to Foster u Cartwright, who
carried it on till the organization of the
Sebago Lake Ice Company. an incorporated
stock company with a paid up cash capital
of $4,000. This company organized Nov. 8,
1852. by choice of the following gentlemen
on the board of directors:
John A. Poor, S. w. Porter, f. A. Cart
wright, L. l.. Cummings, and A. X. Shurtleff.
They intended to do q shipping business.
Foster and Cartwright had sold and shipped
in 1851 and 1852 about 1900 tons OF ice, and IL
was the intention of the company to increase
this amount. At first they were very sue
first wear they sold and shipped forty eight
cargoes, averaging 153 tons each. They were
over sanguine, and unfortunately did not
realize the true condition OF things. They
made up tbeir. accounts in July, valulng the
ice on hand and unsold at market price, de
clared and paid adividend Of twenty-five per
cent, and about month after declared an
other dividend of twelve and half per cent !;
as they never sold the ice valued at the high
price Of that season, their dividends were
paid from the capital.
The next winter was cold one. with an
abundance of ice everywhere, and the profits
OF the retail business were not enough to
cover the expenses of the company, particu-
larly AS they had divided, not only the profits
of their successful years business. but part
of their capital. The expenses OF the follow
ing year used up nearly all that remained to
them, and they were Obliged to close the bus
mess in the fall of 1855. Since that time
Others have been engaged for a longer or
shorter time in the Ice trade, with varying
success, but in giving the history Of the ice
business, it seems best to follow the line of
succession. Mr.. ID. w. Clark bought out and
succeeded the Sebago- Lake Ice Company id
1855 He harvested their ice for themlin 1854,
managed the shipping In the summer fol-
lowing, and has continued Ia the business
since that time, a period of over thirty years.
The growth ofthe business has been con-
siderable. In 1855 there were four hundred
and ninety customers, now there are prob
ably over three thousand: at that time less
than two thousand tons of ice supplied the
retail trade; now it requires the storage each
and tons for the city trade alone.
One fact, however, should be remembered,
the ice dealer cannot sell more than about
one half of what is put up In the winter. 1t
melts and wastes TO such a degree that the
actual quantity of ice sold in Portland aud
delivered is not more probably than twelve
or fifteen thousand tons.
The history of the shipping business may
interest the general reader more than the re-
tail or city trade. Mr.. Frederick Tudor of
Boston Is undoubtedly and justly entitled to
the credit of first shipping lee from the north
TO southern and warmer countries, and the
first cargo ever shipped from this country, or
any other, by vessel, was loaded in February
1906, at Pray's wharf, Charlestown Massa-
chnSetts. =
The ice was cut with saws and axes and
taken to; the wharf in wagons, and as Mr..
Tudor could not find vessel that was will
ing to take the risk OF carrying ice, he bought
one which he loaded for Martinique. The
venture was attended with considerable loss,
partly with the dismasting of the brig, and
partly for want of ice-hous6s at Martinique
in which to store and keep the ice. =
Up to 1872 he had not been successful, and
then the embargo interrupted shipments. At
ter the war, however, he commenced ship
ping 10 the Southern States, not at all dis
couraged. The growth Of the business was
very slow. In 1906 Mr.. Tudor shipped one
cargo of 100 tons; in 1916, or ten years later,
he shipped six cargoes of 1900 tons, and in
1896, or twenty years later he shipped 10 car
goes, or 1900 tons.
His first really successful voyage was In
1926. after which the business increased, till
in 1896 others began shipping.