The Portland daily press., 1896-02-01
A BUSY SCENE.
Many Teams and Men EMPLOYED in
Drawing Ice to Portland.

Anyone Can Take a Part Who Has a Team.
and the Necessary Patience-Few Yes
sells in Port and Ouly One steamer
Loading.
For the past few days there has been a
very busy scene on Commercial street
near the D. Clark Company ice hous-
es. The annual cut is be ing taken now
from Long Creek to the ice houses, and
as it is free-to.all MATTER that is, any
man who has a team is free to load and
draw the ice to the houses, many have
awaited themselves of chance to make
a little money at somewhat dull sea-
Eson Of the year.
Five cents cake is paid for drawing
the ice, and the average load for two
horse is 80 cakes. The teams can make
then a chance to work in an extra trip,
SO man with two horses has been able
to make about S. day this week, and
the cut will require the teams about two
days into the coming week.
There were about 200 teams in the NOV
ing lines yesterday. Some were from
Cape Elizabeth and South Portland.
others from Deering, land more from Port
land. Of course the worst thing about
the business was the fact that one could
never tell when there might be bad
breaks in the work. The men in the
houses are experts il handling ice, but
still it takes time to unload 400 loads of
ice in day, and they have probably
been called upon to unload at least 500
loads. or $4,000 cakes of ice daily.
Once in line driver must take his
turn with the rest, and yesterday, after
noon the line of teams extended from
the ice houses to the store of Il. f. Farm
ham & Co.. the old Maine Central STA
ton. As fast as team was unloaded it
was driven back, so there was a double
line of teams all the time.
There's one good thing about this
work." said one of the men. SIT works
in when we have but little to do. and
then it's cash down. 1t saves the firm the
keeping Of many teams, and it's good
thing for US" He is inclined to think
that when the houses on Commercial
street had received all the les required
there, the firm would fill the other hous-
es, and that the work would be consider
ably extended beyond the time actually
required for filing the houses on Mer-
chants wharf.
Apparently it was an arrangement that
works we'll all around. Farmers and
others with teams are glad OF the work,
and the company in the long run finds
it much the best way.
A lady who rode along CONNER oial
street yesterday afternoon, stopped her
horse and said to friend who happened
to come out of an office: 1'Look there.
We're certainly doing something. Almost
every horse In that long line is blankets
ed.n
An old fellow who was driving pair
OF fat, contented looking horses, said to
another driver: "You tell her that
Pm next in, and that I'll be on the road
presently. | haven't but one blanket"
The little incident showed that the
gentle request, "Please blanket your
horse' made by the agent of the society
with the long name, Mr.. Eben N. Perry,
a few weeks ago, was generally seen
and taken account Of
The Mongolian is the only steamer in
port, and she is at the elevator taking in
loose grains. The Vancouver is likely to
be the next boat il, and the steamer of
the Elder, Dempster line second. Both
are on the way to this port, the former
by way of Halifa x, and the latter direct.
Three coal schooners, the first OF the de-
tanned and wind bound feet, arrived yes
terday, and went up through the bridge.
Otherwise the day..was entirely eyentless
on the water front.
j. W. Trefethen reported the arrival
yesterday of the following fishermen:
Cora r. Smith with TX 01o ,,o,,-1- -