Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-01-30

That some concern is felt along the
river in regard to the lateness of the sea-
son, was evidenced by the fact that scv-
eral of the upriver companies had crews
at work, today, getting in their ice as fAs,
"a possible. In reply TO a question by the
Journal man as TO why they Were work
ing. Sunday, the reason given was that
the cold weather of Friday and Saturday
had brought the ice back to where it was
two weeks ago, before the mild weather
set in, and that the concerns were put
ting in the extra work to make up for
lost time. Places where work was going
on were; Old orchard, Chelsea, Randolph,
Haynes Il Lawrence, John Hancock,
Weeks and Haley houses. and probably
at the Independent houses. At the old
Orchard houses, today, the ice was run
ming clear to the top OF the elevator. an
indication that the building was nearly
fun, and the last cake of the 10000 tons
necessary to fill the building will he run
in. Monday afternoon. AT the Haynes n
Lawrence house, Randolph, work will be
finished, Monday noon. Twelve thousand
tons will have been housed at this place.
These are the first two houses to finish
vested has been of good thickness. and
clear as crystal.
Down river, everything is in readiness
and probaoly by Tuesday morning, canals
will be opened up at many of the follow
ing places. They have from to ii inches
and tonight and Monday will add what IS
required: Great Falls at both places,
Ha;horn. Berry, Cedar Grove. knicker-
bockers at Iceboro Modoc, Lincoln, ORR
ent, Village, Stearns' Point. Underwood
Swan Island, Deering, Thwing's Point.
Sagadahoc and Clark & Chaplin.
There is not much doubt that fun
crop will be harvested on the river as
according to estimates. only about one
eighth of a crop can be secured in New
York waters. Within few days an esti-
mate will be made of the amount har-
vested in that section. and then work
will be transferred to the kennepec.
There is a chance that this estimate may
he deferred until the middle of February,
if unusually cold weather should set III,
but as a rule the operators do not count
an getting any ice on that end of the line
after Feb. l.
The Journal was Informed, today, that
there is strong probability that ice Will
be put up at the Rich place. In view OF
the present outlook, and tempted by the
fine field of ice which is clear and 10 men
es in thickness, there is not much doubt
that the Consolidated Ice Co Will decide
TO open the field. The site is graded ana
si,1s are laid for set of buildings OF 45,eo
ions capacity, and the elevator is in read
;ness. The ice will probably be stacked,
as II will be difficult to secure the large
humber necessary to construct the buiid-
ings, this winter.
THAT a late beginning does not destroy
tho proba ability Of securing a full crop of
loo has been proven by the experience OF
nrevious years. On January % 1881
there were only inches of ice on the
,.;x.ar and not cake had been secured.
T., 1s7a the conditions We're about the
came Only last season the harvest ana
not heain until almost the last day of
Ior,,,rv. 1t had been mild up to that
,;,,a hut a cold snap came along and
Tho ice up to Is and 20 inches.
II has been noticed by one VINO mas
odo the business a study that good Ice
'.aosons come about once in 10 years, the
-, ho;nc. the winter of 1SG0-61. 1t was a
...norto.e of ice on the Hudson that WIN
-. ,h.t caused the veteran James
e,,.oson,an. afterward styled the Ice
80, ;, 10 come to Maine and house some
,ha Kennebec, where he afterward
made and lost fortune.
Tho last great ice year was in 90 ".