Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-07-22
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all poor people. They come from
homes In the vicinity of the packing
houses. bringing baskets and buckets,
wheelbarrows and carts. But they
all come for the same purpose. all are
seeking luxury which is denied thou
sands upon thousands of people in
their station of life. It is ice that
they want. and they have come pre-
pared to fight for it If need be. or to
risk their lives under the elevators
which convey the frozen lilrid from
the platforms of the ice houses on the
second story of the packing house
building.
All the various characters may
be busy with work or at play at their
homes when the ice cars are opened,
but the elevator will not have made
more than half n dozen trips up and
down with its precious cargo before
the neighborhood is aware that work
has been commenced. Then the
drama begins in earnest. There is no
orchestra accompaniment to the intro
duction of the actors. They come
swarming over the railroad tracks.
singly, in pairs or in small parties.
Fortunate. indeed is the first to ar
rive, for to him or to her is permitted
the enjoyment of securing a supply of
icewithout the necessity of scrambling
for it. Perhaps the basket or the
bucket may be filed before the
whole crowd has assembled. and If it
| Is. the exit of the fortunate one is Ger
tain to bring the other characters in
haste upon the stage of action.
| As the icemen drag the huge blocks
| OF ice out of the cars and throw them
upon the platform the first opportu-
nifty is offered the anxious cleaners
| to commence or add to their basket
| supply. Here there is certain to be
found group of characters in the
drama. Then as the platform men
run the cakes along the incline to the
elevator. it is quite likely that
piece OF the frozen water will break
off. In less time than 1t takes to tell
it, very much less, the piece, he 1t
large or small, has changed owner
ship And there is third possible
source OF supply. When the elevat-
or, which by the way. is on the ont
| Sih' Vi Au' builuluH bDtTuitu ny
horse power reaches the top of its
journey the ice is seized by the hooks
OF the men in the ice house and drawn
into the building. This third hand.
ling very frequently sends chunks of
ice to the ground below and furnishes
an excuse for lively but intensely
earnest contest for possession.
From the moment the ice makes It
appearance at the door of the car
until 1t disappears in the ice house
doorway high above the ground, each
cake is watched by half a hundred
anxious eyes.
Not infrequently II happens. as II
did yesterday, when Burlington car
was being unloaded by the Swift peo-
pie, that a compassionate ice handler
notices some little girl on the edge
of the crowd who has been unable to
cope with the stronger men, women
and children. and sets aside large
piece for her. Here. girl. come and
get this II you want it," he gruGly
announces. And the girl, elbowing
her way through the crowd. arrives at
the spot where the prize has been laid
aside for her. But unfortunately.
gallantry is unknown here, and before
she can seize the ice which has been
given her broad.shouldered, sun
burned man has swooped down upon
the precious luxury and carried It off
In glee. The man had paid no atten-
tion when the smaller chunks of ice
had fallen of the platform. 1t was
| nth
looking for. and his selfish nature
would not permit of his allowing the
little girl to carry away the largest
piece Of ice that had broken off dur
ing the afternoon.
Not only do men. women and chill
dren scramble for the pieces of ice.
but they jump over the ropes. dash
under the rising elevator. and even
run into the car where the men are
slowly filling baskets. In contrast
with their eagerness. and serving to
bring it ont the stronger is the treat
ment of the people by the ice hand
lers. The latter make no effort to
prevent the scrambing for the ice.
but they are continually warning the
scramblers to keep out of danger.
Stand back there. woman Keep
away from that elevator. The first
thing you know cake OF ice'll be
comm down on your head. Get
away there. will you" This is a
warning that is uttered almost every
Ave minutes during the afternoon
Yet the men might as well save their
breath for while the warning is obey
ed for moment It only needs a
piece Of ice within the danger limit
to bring the crowd back again.
Owing to the electrical storm today