Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-01-24
WITH THE ICE MEN.
8O,O ZOO Tons So Far Harvested
on the Kennebec.
Several Companies Still Waiting for
a Little Thicker Ice.
Stearns' Houses Eurncd at Hampden With
Loss OF .bout S35.C00.


There is, today, practically no change in
the situation that has been in evidence.
on the Kennebec ice field for week past,
and now, as then, while some concerns
are still ut work housing, many are un-
able to open their fields on account of
thin ice, especially those on the lower
zero weather would make a great diff
ference just at present, and place all
upon working basis, but not much
hope is expressed for anything of the
kind in the immediate future. There
may be tucked away some
where in the winter schedule. choice
lot of just such weather, but that re.
mains to be seen, and meanwhile the
ice men are kept guessing by the er-
ratio moves of the mercury. One day
it will climb nearly to the temperate"
mark on the scale. and presto! down it
goes until it looks as if a basement
would have to De added to the bulb to
alloW the metal to reach the point de-
sired. This see saw temperature has
characterized the entire winter
weather, and While February may, and
is apt to come to the rescue with a sue
cession Of cold days that will gladden.
the hearts of ice harveSterS, it cannot
he denied that much valuable time is
being wasted by the nov you -see-it
and now you-don't" style that has
thus far characterized the Maine win
ter.
Everybody is looking for colder
weather OF even the promise of it, and
the weather maps issued daily by the
government are studied with eagerness
in the hope of finding upon them the
approach of cold wave. Authorities
in the ice business do not hesitate 70
EXPRESS their complete confidence that
the necessary cold weather to insure
them d complete crop will be forth
coming, but it will have to come soon,
for there are but six weeks remaining
in which to secure a harvest. 1t is
not probable that a cake viii be run
after the first of March
\ peculiar fact in connection with
the ice business is the effect of the sun
on the ice in the latter part of Febru-
airy or in March. Ice exposed to the
suns rays at this time, with the tenn
perature at So degrees. will comb ard
go to pieces. whereas the same ice. II
il be exposed in like manner in July.
with The temperature at summer heat
will melt away, but the last wee h,t
will he as clear and solid as 1T was
when it first climbed the elevator when
taken from the canal. Another pecu-
liar tiffng is that while north Wlnd
of given temperature will not affect
Il field of ice. southerly wind of the
same temperature will cause it 10
waste away.
There are several companies down
river that have not as yet run in
cake, because the ice has rot yet
reached a foot in thickness and some
will not begin until they have IA or 10
! inches, unless there is danger of get
ting pinched. The Independents were
housing ice. but shut down, Saturday
night, as the ice became too thin 10
run. Those places where nothing has
been done in housing ice are as fol-
| lows: Great Falls. at both their
| Ledges and South Gardiner houses; the
tIathorn, Berry and Cedar Grove
houses at Dresden: the kniclerbockerS
at Iceboro. the Modoc houses at Rich
mond: the Lincoln and Stearns Point
| houses at Dresden; the Underwood and
Swan Island houses at Swan Island,
and the Thwing's Point houses at
WoolWich.
At the other places up river work
was in progress. this morning. and some
of the companies had crews at work,
Sunday. growing. to be in readiness 20
cut this morning. In some localities
the ice is IA inches in thickness, but
these are the exception rather than the
rule.
Up to Saturday night there had been
housed upon the Kennebec about So,ooo
tons. which are divided up about as