New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-01

hutasd The first skating In Central Parh WIN " -,
the harlem Mere which already has nan SAT-" '" -
over f. Here and at the other ponds ana ae' ~
Park worlsmen have been busliy engsseo ~ - -
temporary booths and houses for the 80
the skatc,s4 A stairway will soon be competed irou
,hs aso ., Tho Eighth ave- side OF the Park to the
main lake. so as TO afford an easier approach tut
people an fhe West side. Coffee booths ana reircsh
ment stands are in place. The contract for cohaue.e
these boOl,s has been awarded to GIDEON osse' op
tain VIII graun, who manages the Doats o"ine ~
summer, win have charge OF renting SKATES, as III ioi
mer years. Mr.. Parsons, superintendent on farhs, e'
that he has arranged to have the skating continued
every night until 10 O'Clock and will have an ilumlns
ton of Chinese lanterns Mr. Treadwell will have the
management OF the skating at the lake. while Mr. NC
CTosley will be in charge at Harlem Mere The curi.
ing pond was entirely frozen over Sunday night ana
Mr. Parsons says that IL may be possible 10 nave SAaI
ing in a few days. II the frost continues heavy.
It Is said that every business has superstition or
tradition peculiar to its lin, Of trade 1t Is Ger
tanv trne that the men engaged In the work OF sup
pyng NEWCOMERS with ice in thehot summer months
are not free from superstltlons in their business for
ever since the cold was announced last week te
presidents directors and trustees OF lee companies h'e
summoned their wise men, and In solemn concave' 20
IL is said have been gavey inspecting The breastDohes
CT geese with magnlfynG glasses, In order to ascertain
whether the black or light streaks In the bones presase
a severe or omen winter So far the gDosebone has
predicted severe winter and In consequence the ICE
men are busy engaged in getting ready 70, the longeo
for harvest. .
The Knickerbocker Ice Company which annuaiiy
handles from 100000 to 100000 tons o. ice' mas
already shipped several hundred Of It's horses up the
Hudson River before navigation closes, preparatory 70
opening the ice harvest Scores OF men are engaged
along the river at Marlboro and eighty miles up Iio
Hudson to Corymans, where the bulk OF the Ice Is cur
whitevashlng the fifty and more icehouses OF VI;
company, replacing the decayed planks storing w
sawdust and hay, and preparing the stables for tIe
horses that are used in the cutting and naming OF ICE
Quarters for the many thousands OF men VINO are en-
gagged in this ce-harvestng are also being put IN Ie
pair or secured while blacksmths' shops are oelng
brushed up and harnesses and implements Tor ice
cutting are being put in readiness for use. .
The water in the Hudson River where the ice IS
usually cut however is not yet frozen over, even IN
the bays and places where the water Is quiet, llr
although the cold has been sufficiently severe to freeze
yet the water has not been chilled through ana Is YET
warm compared with the temperature Of the atmos.
phere. Other ice companies, such as the Consumers
and the RldgewOOd masking extensive preparations
for an abundant harvest Although these C mpanes
say that the ice IS getting later aud later every
year. and that for the last fourteen years no Ice mas
been cut before Christmas ye; the g0seb0ne mas D2cn
so wonderfully suspicious this year that II beho0ves
them be getting ready unusually early. The failure
Of the ice crop the winter Of 1So9aO and the reap
Ing OF only partial crop in the winter OF lSDo| mas
rendered these companies anxious to avail themselves
to the utmost OF the promised plentiful harvest.