The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-15
EARLY DAYS OF THE ICE BUSINESS.
Time Was When Boston Supplied
New York With Ice.

From the Boston Herald
The practice of outstanding ice in winter
for use in summer, it is said, crossed the
ocean with the first settlers in America
From time immemorial, our English an
cestors have improved their somewhat re-
stricted privileges in this respect, and nat
urally the custom was perpetuated by
thrifty householders in their new home.
Probably a single New England winter
convinced the Puritan fathers that they
could not keep up the English practice of
gathering the thin sheets of newly frozen
ice every morning before sunrise, as is
still the custom during freezing weather
in England.
Ice clear as crystal and a foot in thick
ness must have presented engineering diff
fcultes Of a serious character to men who
sought to gather it before suitable tools
were invented. The problem was speedily
solved however, says Charles Ledyard
Norton, as soon as the inventive quahty
of yankee air had time to make itself felt
In the brain fiber of the rising generation.
No sooner was the war for independence
az an end-probably before that time Bos-
ton had its ice dealers-than the American
of the period proudly asserted his right 10
drink ice water in defiance OF the doctors
who declared then. even as many of them
declare now, thai it would or should prove
fatal to the race. If persisted in
That there was very considerable To-
cal consumption of Ice prior to and dur
ing the revolutionary war is certain, but
not until after independence was secured
did the idea of expectation to the domes-
tic ports take practical shape. Boston
naturally took the lead, her northern lat
itude rendering the crop almost certain
while her large fleet Of sailing vessels az
forded an easy means of shipment to the
coastw!se markets. BY 1905 the trade had
attained considerable Importance but no
one. so far as Is known, had seriously
contemplated an export trade with foreign
lands Boston, however had an enter
prising merchant in the person OF Freder-
lex Tudor who In the year named an
nounced that he was going to ship
cargo of Massachusetts ice to the island
Of Martinique, where yellow fever was
Then endemic. and where he believed a
profitable market could be found He was
wen laughed at but, being Of an obsti-
nate disposition, he persisted. cut 300
tons on his own pond loaded u on his
own brig 0he Favorito). sailed as his own
supercargo-and bore the resulting pecu-
MARY loss with his own peculiar equa-
nimity.
From his point OF view. however, It
was not a failure M all. and only the
second war with Great Britain checked
then il appeared that john Bulrs memory
was good. FOR Mr.. Tudor received an Of
fetal communication which resulted IN a
monopoly for him OF the Ice trade with
the British West indies and a mOdiica-
ton OF the very heavy port dues in IA
vor of all vessels bringing cargocs OF Ice.
Mr. Tudor az once built storehouses at
Kingston. the capital Of Jamaica, then
The richest OF the British American pos
sessions. and the company which he es-
tabHshcd secured the monopoly OF the
trade with Havana. Thus began an ex-
port trade that grew with wonderful rap
ldity.
In 1893 this same enterprising Bostonian
decided 20 ship a cargo OF about 300 tons
70 Calcutta. In spite OF the greatest care
in packing. nearly ono-half melted before
the vessel reached her destination, but the
remaining l0o tons were marketed az a
good price though not enough 10 render
chat particular voyage pecuniary sue
eosF The venture was sufficiently sue
rossful. however. TO warrant d repetition,
and 4 trade was established that grew
sfonduy By 1888 Mr Tudor had extended
hla mercantile e0nquestH go South Ameri.
"a. ana held high court az Boston az the
acknowledged Zee king ~ an the world.
10 feoma Well-uigh Incredible that unUn
ig7f New York city imported ita Zee from
ponton. with an ineKhauatlblo supply at
ita very doors. No New Workers saw che
rofden 0pp0rtunlfy ~ remained Tor three
eounfrvfnfn. resident near Roeklnnd lake.
10 Dfrrflpo The anomaly Nature had kind.
il formed 3 hollow in che breast 81 fho
hiiIv range that forms enc west bank ~
ihs Iudton and had llltd & 70 The bflm