Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-01-20
ICE CROP INDICATIONS.
Present Outlook for the Harvest Along
the Ksnusbec and Other Rivera

Ice operations on the Kennebec may nov
be said to be fairly commenced. For on,
week the various concerns on the rive
have been cultivating their nelds and III.
results Of the work are highly satisfacsory
The coming ten days will determine Ii,
extent Of the crop. Up to date NO ice ts
amount to anything has formed on ths
Hudson and advices from Albany state thai
the ice companies in that locality are de.
cidedly anxious. To . certain extent thu
same reports are heard from the Penob.
scot. There 10 no ice there and the warm
weather which has continued for several
days makes the Penobscos icemen anxious.
But the kennebec 10 frozen over with ~
solid black ice Is Was ever harvested and
it will measure from to I2 inches in
thickness today. As . consequence every
hrm 10 doing its utmost to improve the op-
portunity. Houses which for years have
remained empty are nov undergoing re-
pairs and crews are engaged in preparing
fields sufficient to fill them to their utmost
capacity.
Journal representative has interv:e ed
several prominent icemen regarding the
outlook. A. G. Chase Of Randolph. one Of
the leading ice speculators on the river
Gays: This is the best ice year for Eve
years past. and considering the time Of
year and the peculiar circumstance under
which the present fields we're secured, it 10
one of the best aud luckiest years We have
ever seen. There 10 but very little ice left
over in the houses and with the present
outlook every pound of ice that can be
housed will be housed. and think consid-
erabe will be stacked"
Superintendent Foster of the Indepen.
dent Ice Compsny's Pittston houses says
that the ice opposite his houses 10 in dne
condition measuring from 10 to l2 in
ches thick. They now have sixty men en-
ployed scraping, will commence growing
Monday and will probably get to running in
by Tuesday. Should the market wsrrrnt
they will work day and night and will
house about 60 900 tons and stack consider
able outside the houses.
Mr.. George A. Lawrence Of HAYNES 4
Lawrence reports ice 10 to / l inches thick
on the Randolph fields and from to 8 at
lceboro. They are now working 80 horses
and fifty men and will commence running
in Tuesday. MIR. Lawrence has q fine
field, one of the best on the river, in front
of his Randolph houses. He will put up
l2,O0O tons there and rs 900 tons at Iceboro
Mr.. s. c. Whitehouse of the Oakland
Company returned from q trip to his fields
opposite South Gardiner The ice there is
good eleven inches in thickness and has
thus far been cultivated with but little ex-
pense The firm will put up from II, 900
to l5,OOO tons of ice in their houses and in
addition will probably stack large amount
they Will commence running Thureday.
This company has already received an offer
for stacked ice and will hold meeting on
Tuesday to decide as to accepting. The
definite answer will probably be given i'm
mediately as they desire to witness the re-
suits of the weather Of the next ten days.
Mr.. Whitehouse predicts that should the
weather continue warm on the Hudson and
Penobscot the icemen Of those places
would swarm onto the Kennebec anxious to
buy ice at almost any price.
Other dealers and spectators are looking
for similar move and anticipate that ice
will run as high as 81 90 aud 81 so per ton
and possibly higher. II the weather Of
this week is as good as last, ice will be
harvested at a very small cost, as but little
scraping or planning has been required.
These conditions tend to keep ice men on
the qui r,re all the time and make the
chances for speculation much better. The
outlook is that the ice deals of the present
season will be on par with those of any
previous years.