Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-26
THE ICE HARVEST
Will Be Much Larger Than at
First Expected.
First to Be Cut Above Gardiner Bridge
for Three Years.
The Frozen Crystal Is of the Very
Finest Quality.

Ice cutting on the Kennebec will as
sumo it's old time appearance, this
morning. The American Ice Co., find
ing such an elegant quality of ice this
season, will house much larger
quantity than has been predicted. Car
penters were put to work on the Ran
dolph and Smithtown houses, Saturday,
where the housing will begin during
the early part of the week. This will
be the first ice cut above the Gardiner
and Randolph bridge for three years.
This field has been cultivated by Mr..
Shepherd, and is about ready for hous-
ing Chas. Clarke of Randolph, the
house superintendent, says that in
quality the ice equals any he ever
housed. At Smithtown, VIM. Rollins
has his field about ready, and predicts
a good crop. 1t is expected that cut
ting will commence there about,
Wednesday morning.
A large crew will be put at work, this
morning, planning the field and getting
the engines, boilers and machinery in
order for running. AS this machinery
has been idle for several years, some
extra work is necessary in putting the
machinery in line. The ice men here
seem to know just where to commence
the work, and there will not be much
delay in time before the blocks will be
running into the houses.
Ice meE say that this is the best To-
cation in Maine, and more tons of fine
ice have been loaded from these houses
since 1870 than any houses on the river
"Smithtown ice'' has long been known
to customers in Philadelphia as the
best.
At the Independent houses, w. D.
Haley has the north houses about two
thirds full The men at these houses
also seem to know their business, and
are looking after it. Although Saturday
was a very cold day on the ice, and the
men had hard work to keep warm, the
chains were kept moving, and some so
blocks per minute were counted drop
ping off the incline at the top of the
elevator
Down at the Hathorn and Berry
houses Gideon Barker has been getting
out his aprons and tools for housing,
where he is already to open up as soon
as the fires are started this morning At
Cedar Grove, and on the opposite side
at the Haynes & Dewitt houses, the
ice is running II inches in thickness
and as fine as could be wished for E.
III. Barker is at Cedar Grove, and Capt.
Chas. E. Hewitt at the Haynes & De-
Witt houses. Albert Alley is foreman
at the former houses, and Silas Terrill
at the latter, and ats1both of these
places the work is going on in the same
businesslike way. ri
A gentleman who wds at the houses,
Saturday, in speaking of the work of
housing, said: I'm the ice houses the
packers did not seem to be earning
their money, but it could be plainly
seen that unless the man at the fan
tail knew how to place the blocks
quickly in position and be ready for the
next which Immediately followed fol-
lowed, he was not in it. But the devils
in careless way, apparently, caught
the right end of the block at the right
time, and in it went, cross wise of the
tiers, every time.
Il noticed that among the crew all
the men were particulrly quiet. There
was no excitement, the ice and machin-
cry making all the noise. The men
seemed to handle themselves as on an
old job, yet l was told that they had
been working together but four days"
Down at Stearns point the housing
will commerce, this morning. Geo. Kill
lam is superintendent of these houses.
and Saturday he was getting up steam.
putting on the apron, etc. These fields
are all ready for housing, having been
previously cultivated, and the ice is
about II inches in thickness.
There is some speculation regarding
the housing of ice this winter and from
what information there is available at
the present time, it would appear that
the quality of the ice has as much to do
with it as the weather. 1t may be y
blessing to Maine coming indirectly
from the coal strikes, as cheap coal
means cheap manufactured ice, and the
Maine ice, this year, if cut at a low
cost, will give the machine ice men a
black eye. Anyway, the ice men seem
to be working hard here to give them a
lesson on making ice next summer.
both in quality and price.