The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-04-15
HARVESTING AN ICE CROP
THE HUDSON RIVER THE GREAT
CENTRE OF THE INDUSTRY.

other Points, with "a weekly Payroll
of About OOO.OOO-ConveyinE Ma
chinery Operates Rapidly.
Winter furnishes employment TO nm
army Of men in this country who would
otherwise pass the cold months OF the
year i'm idleness for It gives those who
really wish to work an opportunity to
help harvest the great ice crops gath
cred annually from the lakes and riv-
ers of Maine. the Hudson River and
the lakes of Jersey and Eastern New
York-the principle centres OF the in
dustry In the United States.
Outside of the United States the har-
vesting OF natural ice is conducted on
an extensive scale only in Norway and
Sweden. These countries have supplied
the quantity needed in Great Britain
and France for over half century
but the tonnage cut and stored is prob
ably less than ten per cent. of the av-
erage American crop. for it is estimated
that the Borough of Manhattan alone
consumes twice as much ice as all
of the cities of Great Britain and
France together Fully half a million
tons of Ice yearly go down the throats
Of New Workers i'm cold drinks and
other ways, but IL is calculated that
ten times this quantity of natural ice
is used for refrigerating purposes. say
ing nothing Of the quantity of the arti-
fetal substance now being manufac-
tured. Twenty years ago ice was al
most as much of a luxury in the United
States as il is to-day In England.
The greatest ice field OF this country
and of the world is the Hudson River.
which nature seems 10 have planned
for the industry. Between the city OF
Troy and the mouth Of the Mohawk
River are scattered about 300 ice
houses. having capacity of 10000
to 100000 tons each. The companies
have divided the river surface into ter
rtories. and each respects the others
domain, combining it's operations to its
own area. At the height of the season
from 10000 to 10000 men are mt work
clearing away the snow and slush.
marking. blowing and separating the
ice into blocks and storing it away.
Time is precious from start To finish.
for winter is tickle. even in this part
OF the country, ana a day or SO of sun
shine may destroy a quarter OF Il third
of The harvest. Every moment counts.
and some of the companies have pro.
Vlded electric lights. so that i'm case
OF necessity. work can he done by
night as well as by day Preparations
are made a month before the season
opens TO secure enough men. for adj
vantage must be taken Of the cold
snaps. The weather indications are
closely watched, and after the river
Is coated with the frozen liquid the
thickness Is measured daily. II the
season i1 open and the ice is back
ward IN forming. sometimes Llture is
assisted by flooding he surface. allow
ing the water TO freeze over night
Thus crops of crystal ten or twelve
inches thick may be obtained where
ordinarily it would not be half of that
size
The harvest may be gathered il
week and the houses filled for n
STEADY spell" OF freezing weather
means that the ice may form nj the
rate OF TWO or three inches every
twenty-four hours, and by The time the
cutters reach the end of the field The
space they cut the week before has
congcaied sufficiently to go over again
The hrst operation is TO clear The
surface. which is done with steel
Scrapcr drawn by ono or two horses
according to the depth of the snow.
A. rule Ihe Hudson needs little
clearing. The wind sweeping down
the valley saves the companies much
Of this work, and one can skate over
Sketches of twenty miles without see.
ing patch OF white on the rich deem
blue which is the tint OF the clcav ice
The next operation is to- imu tbc
space into mammoth checker board
by running lines across ifs with ,
marker drawn by horse power rbis
marker is sort Of double knife. the
width between the blades being the
width of the blocks To- be- cur. II is
pulled through the ice from one end
or the field to the other. following lines
made by surveying Instruments or
by measuring with long pIanks which
might be called ice rulers Following
the marker comes the pillow. which is
composed OF sharp steel teeth. cutting
10 depth of six inches on "a foot
according to the thickness. and rcmir.
ing from one To- three horses.
The field Us now ready for breoliro
INTO blocks and storing With iron
rods ending in q chlspl point the har
Vcsters first make channel from the
shore TO point near tine centre of the
held' so that the Hoes or ucr- of cakes