New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-19
MYRIAD TONS OF ICE.
A GREAT INDUSTRY On TIE HUDSON AND
NEARBY LAKES.


so MANY FROZEN BLOCKS ARE HARVESTED THAT
THEY CANNOT BE STORED IN NETWORK CITY
one Of the most conspicuous evidences of the
growth of luxury In this city is the astonishing de-
velopment OF the ice business during the last ten
or fifteen years, and the enormous increase In the
consumption OF that commodity.
Il Is not many years since the total consump-
ton of ice In New-York City did not amount
to more than a few hundred tons a week. During
of the hot weeks last summer one big
Ice company alone sold 1900 tons of ice. while
the other companies in the city handled much
more. In former years Rockland Lake alone was
sufficient to supply the entire annual consumption
Of Ice in New-York City. its winter output being
AT out 100000 tons. At the present time this lake is
reserved the tenderlon cut of the ice harvest
II is considered by many the purest ice in the
world. 1t would be difficult to mention many
articles which are not treated with ice, either in
their manufacture consumption Where a few
years ago Ice was reg rdei merely as luxury it
is now regarded Indispensable article in
every well-kept household and well-conducted line
OF business
THREE MILLION TONS USED HERE.
1t is impossible to get idea of the amount OF
Ice consumed in New-York city In one year by fig
ures alone Three million tons of ice consumed
by the city every year. To get some idea Of the
bulk represented by these figures, the following
measurements Will be made Three million tons OF
Ice would represent about 100000 cubic feet OF
solid ice. which If placed in the centre of Madison
Square In the form OF a monument 100 feet square
would tower up to the sky for a distance of 1900
feet something like eight miles Or il the same
Tass Of Ice We're laid horizontally it would extend
from the Battery along Broadway up one
hundred-and- MY -nfth-st in an unbroken line 700
feet high and 100 feet wide.
Although the consumption OF ice In New-York
city reaches about 100000 tons a year II IS neces-
ID on txXfc hat
10 allow for the meltage and waste which is neces-
sarlly attendant upon the storing OF this COM
modify for so many months before ii is wanted
for the market and transportation to the city. The
greatest waste occurs in cutting the blocks into
small pieces which exposes greater surface the
atmosphere and cons 'quently there is greater
moltagc.
Several attempts have been made by ice dealers
to form ice trust and corners but their efforts
have uniformly failed. Their efforts have usually
been made In the years when the ice crop has
failed or fallen considerably below the average
put Several years ago, when the Ice crops on the
Hudson were deficient and the city was largely
dependent the supply from Maine. a number of
capitalists in that State bought up all the ice in
sight. not only in Maine. but in any other place
the United States where they could find IL. They
then down to New-York ana demanded IS
a ton OF the NewYork Ice companies for the ice
on the piers In Maine. This meant that the ice
would cost the New-York companies sl6 ton when
II passed over the scales In this city. For time
II seemed as II the corner would be successful
but the New-York merchants sent a cable dispatch
to Norway. and In few weeks a fleet OF brigs
spoiled the programme OF the Maine capitalists
80 that the ice which they held at SIC ton dropped
to 81 before the season was over and went begging
at that.
Never before has the ice been in such great de-
mani as IT has for the last few years THIS Is
ton. but TO greater extent IT is due to the vast
number of new inventions and appliances In which
"A
which run from different parts OF the United
houses and the great number OF breweries which
greatly increased a the demand for ice. So sreap
has been the increase that, Notwithstanding the |
started up in the last few years nave been doing
"A paying and successful business. thus relieving |
somewhat the demand upon the natural ice yet |
the natural ice companies have been compelled
from time TO time to seek new Ice fields
THE GREAT FIELDS on THE HUDSON.
with the exception of Rockand Lake. in Rock |
land County. and Lake Meaghah, in Westminster |
County (Which is the Indian name FOR sweet |
water'). the bulk OF the natural ice consumed In |
New-York City comes from the Hudson River, |
from which 100000 10000 OF Ice are taken
annually. This ice is taken from the midchannel |
OF the Hudson. In that section running northward
to Marlboro and stretching eighty miles northward
to Coeymans This section has been Increased
northward from time time. TO meet the CON-
sthntly increasing demand Tor ice, anu IL ~ PoS-
sblc before long that the harvest field WIZ extend
close to Albany. The ice In this part OF tne river
is Tree from impurities. the process OF leezIng
projects all impurities into the river below Inc
labor of harvesting this immense quantity OF ice
gives employment to about l5.OU iaDorers curing
the winter. and 1t Is looked forward 10 with much
by worklngmen as many tiau,S III tIe
cities are at standstll during tne 'V aries b
The price paid to skilled lce-harVesters WIRES put
the average price TO the employe Is apout - nay
so that from $4,000 TO $4,000 Is spent III wages
every day.
WHERE THE ICE is STORED
Owing to the great bulk OF this commonly anu
the enormous value OF lands on Manhattan isiaha
and Its vicinity little OF the Ice IL stored IN the
city. OF II being placed In enormous icehouses
along the waters where the Ice Is cut ana brought
TO the city In barges from time 10 time as the
occasion demands The Knlckerbocker Ice Com
pany has about fifty of these houses along the
Hudson, with an ice-storing capacity or LUZ 10
nearly 1000 900 tons of Ice. The attempt to estab-
fish ice-storage houses In this city Ill tupert-st
near the old Red Fort, about zen years ago re-
suited disastrously the taxes ATE up the proh's
OF the business. A.. s..~... -. 90.
TO avert as far as possible the dangers OF an
Ice famine or an open winter, nearly all the Ice
companies endeavor TO store "V,e ~.
than they expect to consume In the season. IL WAS
owing to this foresight that the ice Iaine III tne
summer OF 1890 was not far more serious than 1t
was.
The seasons for cutting Ice seem 10 DE iater ana
later every wear Twenty years ago IL was usual
to have the Ice cutting begin some tinie peiSoIe
Nhristmas and II not nfrequentiy happsneu Ma Ma.
me entire Ice crop was harvester pew'e b.y,ns
Years Day. Now the ice cutting seioom oesi''
or