The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-08
IS 4 BIG Industry
Ice Making Has Reached
Wonderful Development.
MATERIAL COSTS LITTLE
Difference Between Two Kinds
Is Very Material.

Washington. June New York Even
ing PostI-Few American industries are
so extraordinary in their character or
make more surprising exhibit of pro-
gress in the last decade than the manu-
facture of ice. Here is a commodity of
which nearly two-thirds of the cost is in
coal. about one-tenth in amonia, and
practically none in anything which act
Ually enters into the product. Often a
natural spring is secured in connection
with an ice factory, but this must be
largely for advertising purposes, since IL
making can ice"-the usual process-any
water must necessarily be distilled or the
ice would be opaque.
The artificial ice business started in
New Orleans in 1856, and has been stead
lily moving northward, till today the coun-
try may be divided into three zones, manu-
featured ice monopolizing the southern
and natural ice the northern, while in
the middle zone the two are in vigorous
competition. The census shows that the
range of competition is moving north
ward; ten years ago the distinctly south
ern states had 70 per cent. of the manu-
featured ice plants in operation in the
country; today they have only 40 per cent.
The relative merits of the two products
diner about-as much as cane and beet
sugar, butter and oleomargarine, in the
experience of most housekeepers. That
qualities is probable, in view of the con-
-
manufacturers already claim that it is
fully equal in. this respect TO natural ice.
but that they have secured the trade of
fish packers and other critical buyers of
ice in the competitive zone may be doubt
ed. On the other hand, manufactured
ice possesses an obvious advantage in
purity, since a distilled water product is
the purest thing possible
The surprising growth OF the artificial
ice industry puts to blush the accounts
of manufacturing progress under a new
protective tariff. It's infant start was
made against the greatest of natural
odds; but by the progressive display of
our native ingenuity it has now reach
ed the stage where it employs thousands
of men and millions of capital. and, what
way for the Development, in the south
and on the Pacific coast. of many indus
tries which were impossible before.
Americans are great consumers of ice;
it is a luxury in almost every other part
of the globe. The city. in distinction
from the rural districts, is also a great
consumer of ice the year around. due
doubtless to the complete warming of the
modern house and apartment In old
times many roomst in every house were
unheated in winter, and these furnish
ed a natural cold chest for butter and.
other things perishable that needed to be
kept cool, just as the market man usually
has a heated office in winter for his
own convenience, but lets his supply
benches remain in the natural tempera-
ture. In the country. and especially in
the south the people. have long habituat-
ed themselves TO use wells and caves for
refrigerators Because of the high price
of the Maine product in the inland towns
of the south. after long railroad hauls
from the seaboard and perhaps further
conveyance over rough country roads, ice
has been used there with great frugality
until the coming of the artificial product.
This will in time make the south as great
a user of ice as the north. since the eli
mate makes longer demand for it.
In 1870 all four of the artificial ice es-
adjustments reported were in the south
ern states. and the same is true of nearly
all of the thirty-five plants returned for
the census Of 1880. Between 1880 and 1900,
although the number of establishments
increased remarkably throughout the
south. the greatest and most striking
increase occurred in such middle and
central states as Pennsylvania. Indiana.
New York. and Ohio. Not one Of these
reported fewer than forty ice manufac-
turing plants. and in Pennsylvania the
number reached seventy-three. This re-
markable growth of the industry in the
north is largely accounted for by the
perfection Of the refrgerating machines,
and general economies which enable ar
tificial ice to be produced so as TO COM
pete successfully with the natural pro-
duct. Maine. New Hampshire Vermont,
Wisconsin. North Dakota, South Dakota.
Montana. Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada
reported no ice manufacturing establish
ments.
The production Of cold by artificial
means began in the warmer climates.
especially in India. China and EGYPT
where ice and snow were not available.
II was early discovered that porous re-
ceptacles would keep the contents cooler
than non-porous In Egypt and East
India the vessels containing the water 70
be frozen We're covered with stalks Of
ccrn or sugar cane. References are
found in the works of many ancient
authors indicating that some Of the prin-
ciples Of artificial refrigeration were
understood by the Greeks and practiced
by them in cooling wine. water and va
rious other drinks. The Egyptians were
accustomed TO allow jars Of boiling wa
ter TO remain on the house roofs over
night. and in the morning moisten them
with water on the outside. bind them
with grass or plants and put them in
trenches The discovery of the principle
that not water exposed 20 the air is sus-
oeptible OF greater evaporation than cold
Is generally ascribed n Nero. although
Aristotle relates that. Il it was desired
To cool water suddenly. X was customary
TO expose IT arst to the suns rays It IS
believed that saltpeter for refriserating
purposes was first used by the Italians
in 1855. The liquid 70 be cooled VS. put
into little necked bottle. whic-s vas in
mersed in receptacle filled with cold
water. Salypeter was then added 70 the
water 81 the outer vessel and the bottle
containing the liquid 10 be cooled was
;wirled around On its axis IKE modern
ice cream freezer.
The beginning OF the natural ice indus
Try in the United States dates back %
iSC The pioneer VAS Frederic Tudor. q
BOSTON. who II that year shirpad z car