The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-27
CUTTING ICE.


The cutting of the ice on pond is an
interesting process. and the equipment is
peculiar and varied. AL The fall and win
ter, until the harvest = closed, men and
horses after every snowstor:s scrape the
ice TO the glare with snow scrapers.
When the cutting begins, horse draws
a marker across that portion of the pond
Immediately TO be cut, leaving light
straight incision along the surface. This
Is repeated until the surface is all mark
ed of one way. each line being "a inches
apart. Then the grower goes over the
same course. making the incision deeper
and broader.
The process is repeated, except that
this time the mark goes Mt right angles
TO the lines draw. first, and at a distance
of sc inches apart Then the course Is
gone over By the plows. until the lines
each way are cut 10 depth of nine inch
es. The ice gone over for the last time is
ready for the canal"
After the last passage of the plow
which makes the narrow groove few
quick. well directed blows from an ice
ehisel in the hands of a skilled cutter,
and large float" containing 100 or
more OF the ordinary ~ by 3G cakes is
broken from the field. Ready men with
pixies on the end Of long poles push it
through the open water TO the vicinity Of
the elevator. The canal" Of course is
longer the farther away from the elevator
the men are cutting. The course must be
kept open, and should it freeze during the
night the new ice must he broken.
The first men who receive the float at
the elevator break it with their chisels
lengthwise. md the smaller piece is sent
Al, h.
sections are broken off. Each cake ia
then at hand ready for its upward jour
ney. The feeder" drives it with his pike
TO the proper position, when 1t is caught
by n section of the endless chain, and up,
up, up, it glides. The feeder must be
careful aud quick of eye 10 see that every
piece Of the 40 each minute that passes
through his hands is whole. OF the right
size aud gets its correct position upon the
chain. A cake askew might wreck the
whole elevator.
As an additional precaution way up at
the top of the tower is stationed the
.-ciutch," who watches the cakes not only
before they arrive at the planer. but after
they have started down the galleries. to
see that no obstruction is encountered
Should a hitch occur electric bells with
buttons at convenient distances give him
and the other men the alarm. OF all he
is the one to stop the danger. In his
place Of duty there is a clutch with which
he can throw off the belt, and without
stopping the engine the motion of the
chain stops at once.
But the cake has almost completed its
journey up the elevator. Before being
stored away the thin snow on its surface
which has escaped the planer when still
in the lake must be got rid OF. Every
cake before il goes into the storeroom
has between two and three inches planned
from its surface. A machine also grooves
the planned surface with inch deep ereases
backward and forward TO prevent freez-
ing together when finally packed away in
the rooms.
The "pianer man" has his hands full
and after leaving him break in the Gle
vntor run sends it flying along the house
galleries to the room where II is TO be
stored away. Practiced men with pixies
hurry il on its way. each room has its
turn, and tier after tier is piled up until
the ice can be more conveniently handled
should the ice enter the room at higher
point.
The break In the runway closed. It only
remains to open another on a level with
the next gallery TO fill the room from that
point, where the cakes remain until
wanted.-Nashua Telegraph.