Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-04
THE ICE INDUSTRY.
Some Facts About it Not Generally
Known.
Early Methods Of Ice Harvesting Interestingly
Described.

4 pretty and interesting sight which
can at present be seen almost anywhere
along the kennebec river. between Gar
diner and Richmond, is the gathering of
the ice harvest. The different sets Of
buildings neatly painted each with It's
busy men end horses dotting the field of
ice before it. and it's long line oScrystal
cakes climbing the elevator to disappear.
one by one. from view. make. together
with it's background of snow covered
hills and blue sky. a picture at once at
tractive and beautiful
1t would seem that the method of har-
vest1ng ice had well nigh reached a
state of perfection. Compared with that
which was employed in the early days
of the industry upon the kennebec. the
progress made seems u little short OF
wonderful. In the old days the blocks
were hauled from the water up an in
clined plane and afterward up the eleva-
.or by 4 yoke of oxen, after having been
sawed into blocks with a whip saw. AS
the industry progressed. these patient
plodders. who had furnished the "elevas-
ing power, were superseded by that
more speedy animal. the horse. Then
y
rope and hooks, as had its predecessors.
Then came the endless chain and the
stationary engine, bringing with them a
revolution. Instead of two or three
cakes at time ii thus became possible
to maintain steady stream of ice into
the houses from morning until night.
Some houses are supplied with double ell
evators Improvements in implements
and machines for field and house use
kept pace with those for housing, and the
result can be easily surmised. FIFTY
years ago, to harvest 30 tons of ice was
considered a good days work. while at
present twice that amount is harvested
in an hour. Frequently at present. an ice
| crew will run IN 1000 tons in ten hours.
The actual beginning of the ice industry
dates back many years. The first at
l tempts were made by eXcavating deep
! pits in the earth. These were filled with
| snow, and to protect them from the sum-
/ mer heat they were covered with eartn
! This snow was sold as AN article of mer-
| chandise for home consumption. Late!
/ on ice was substituted and stored in a
like manner This custom originated, as
far as can be ascertained. in PennsylVa'
l MIA. Something must have been known
l of this subterranean method in Mann
also, for there is small pit, topped witt
low stone wall and covered with :
l roof, in fair state of preservation. \
the tpwn of Pittston, at the present day
The first attempt at erecting ice house!
was by building them into the sides o
entertainments and topping out with ston'
and wooden roofs. This seems to hav'
been Pennsylvania idea also. and Their
are at present standing on the banks o
the Schuylkll river. stone ice houses 0
80 900 tons capacity.
| 1t was long stride from these crud
receptacles to the frame buildings of tn
present day, and the advantages of TIL
latter are many. In them cooler am
dryer atmosphere is maintained durln
the warm weather, by the use OF saw
dust or meadow. hay. The latter articI
is more desirable as dunnage. as evap
grafton takes place more gradually tina
with sawdust. Gradual evaporation.