Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-18
A New ENTERPRISE.

\ Of the HYGIENE ice company. The names ap-
pearing therein will show to the community
that the enterprise has at its inception q solid
business basis Mr. Reginald Fendall going in
as president and Messrs. Wilkins, Chandler,
| Gordon, Robinson. Walker, Smith. Rassbach
| and Curriden as associate members OF the board
| of trustees The only name new to the bust
ness community is that of Mr.. Rassbach, who
| comes here in connection with this company
/ and will hereafter make this city his home
As indicated bv its title the object and pur-
! pose Of this company is the manufacture and
marketing of ice, and to this end il has secured
| the famous sherwood springs. in square ~.
| between 18th and 10th streets east and south of
| north street. within three squares Of the as
phalt pavements Of II street and Maryland ave-
nue..
The square of ground containing these springs
has long been unavailable and the springs have
proved a detriment to adjoining properties. but
from this time the vast outflow of pure and phe-
nominally cold water will be utilized. and Of its
unfailing and abundant supply this city can
henceforth partake in the shape of clear and
! absolutely pure ice. which 1t is proposed to
manufacture In buildings near and around the
springs. The work upon these buildings has
been begun. advantage having been taken of
the recent good weather. and contracts for
most of the costly machinery have already been
entered into. From all parties to these con-
tracts guarantees as to time have been exacted,
and daily output of sixty tons is promised by
days thereafter.
In the selection and procurement of this ma
chinery those connected with this enterprise
have utilized the experience gained by them
in the procurement and selection of similar
machinery used in the Center market to refrig-
crate the immense cold storage rooms there
AS further aid the projectors have been for
tunate in securing the services of Mr.. Rassbach,
graduate of the Royal pOlytechnicum of Ber-
lin. Germany. Since his coming to America
a.<xl.N 4.
ton with the companies furnishing refrigerat-
ing and ice-making machinery, and of the many
difficulties SO far overcome in the making of
ice by the aid of machinery he enjoys the dis
tlnctlon among ice makers in this country of
having overcome and solved more than any
other man, and his connection with and large f.
nancial interest in the HYGIENE company assures
the establishment here of a model plant embody-
ing all the improvements In methods and facil-
tiles known to date and the prompt production,
at the terms above stated of clear. solid and
pure ice. The name of .'Hygienic' hes been
selected because of the relation to the health
OF the community OF this now very important
food product every pound of the ice being
made from the pure water Of the springs
In order to secure absolute clearness and
transparency as well as to meet the positive re-
quirements of the constantly increasing number
of physicians and specialists who consider
other ice as frequently embodying dangerous
elements, the water to be frozen into ice will at
then distilled.
The process Of freezing ia very simple
Covering floor the size of a theater are large
iron tanks, these being divided into uniform
spaces. Into these spaces are placed cans Of
galvanized iron feet deep by 20 inches square
on top and into these cans is poured the dis
titled water. About these cans. doing the same
service as broken ice abundantly sailed does in
an ice cream freezer, there constantly flows a
stream OF water largely charged with salt and
faNh naIl ll.a6 shrfr.
the cans instead of water the result would be
ice cream instead Of clear ice and the ice from
these cans will have come 10 nearer the salt
water or brine" than Ice cream does in a
freezer. The task of the extensive and expen-
slve plant OF machinery is to cool this "brine"
below the freezing point.
The art of manufacturing ice in this manner
has recently been carried to a high degree OF
perfection In many places. notably in Memphis
and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and also at Gin
clnnat. In these and many other cities where
manufactured ice has been introduced it has
entirely displaced the natural article. This not
only on the score of health. but on account of
the greater certainty as to supply and also on
the score OF economy. The durability of man.
ufactured ice as well as of natural ice depends
upon the length of time taken to freeze it, the
manufactured having the advantage over the
natural article In being the product of a uni
form freeze, 1t being always free from strata
and white ice," the latter being the result of
been harvested.
The phenomenal weather this winter has
directed unusual attention to the ice supply OF
this community and occasioned not little
anxiety. Hitherto this city has been fortunate
IN having its ice brought to il at almost ballast
rates, by boats carrying coal brought down the
canal to Georgetown, this freight out provid-
ing profitable errand for a great number of
vessels. Now that this canal is no longer IL
water way, this errand Is no longer furnished
anil a o,,lt itrfs,
cannot hereafter be procured at the low rates
heretofore prevailing. The ice requirement of
Washington city Is constantly increasing and
the management of the HYGIENE company do
not avow expectations of furnishing the greater
part of this requirement But whether ice can
be harvested in the rivers and harbors of Maine
or not, the HYGIENE company's maximum out
put OF l20 tons daily can be counted upon. This
output can at a small comparative cost be in
creased to 24O tons day, the buildings being
erected with this end in view
For some years past, to a limited extent ice
has been manufactured in this city, but without
the facilities and effective machinery that will
be introduced by the Hygienc company. No
other ice so far made here has been from dis
titled water. The remarkably low temperature
OF the sherwood springs will result in great
economy III fuel, the extraordinary coldness of
the volume OF water running over the mass of
refrigerating pipes reducing the task of the
machinery to nearly one-half that which would
U
from the aqueduet in underground pipes, the
latter having temperature IN hot weather of
70 degrees. An enormous supply OF water is
required in the economical manufacture of ice
the colder the better. The saving assured to
the HYGIENE company by the control of these
springs will IN point of quantity be not less than
$500 year, at the low rates now charged for
District water, while in point of qualify that
Is, IN the lowness OF temperature, the saving
Will be nearly S25,OOO year beyond that posi-
BILE to any plant hereafter constructed in this
city that may be required to use Potomac
water because Of the absence of natural sup
ply of water of the extent and quality Of that
from the sherwood springs.
The total output from these springs has been
shown by recent measurement to exceed the
enormous amount of seven hundred gallons a
minute, an output excelling that of all the
other springs in or near the city combined So
lar therefore as this city is Concerned its anx-
iety as to any prospective ice famine can from
this time abate, and during the sweltering
weather OF the next well as the future sum-
mers its supply of clear and healthy ice will be
abundant and need be at no higher figures
than have heretofore prevailed
APLEAsANT Observation-Disclosures Mr..
George {. Helning's retirement ON February
!, from the firm of Saks Il COMPANY to as
sumo the presidency of the Traders national
bank of this city the managers OF the various
departments connected with Messrs Saks &
Companys establishment presented HIM this
n