Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-31
ICE SEASON Will BEGIN today,

ent there is an average of eight inches
of ice on the Hudson, and also on the
Mohawk. which is about as much as
the New Workers allow to freeze he
fore commencing to cut.
The present calculations for worl, To
be done on the Kennebec river provide
Tor the Milling of the houses at l. places
between Randolph and Merrymecting
bay, they being the Randolph houses.
Smthtown. independents, Hathorn,
Berry. Cedar Grove, Iceboro. Modoc.
Hodges Underwood, Swan Island and
Stearns' point. OF the three places
above the Randolph houses. which are
the Rich house at Farmingdale. with
capacity of 10000 tons, the Old Or
chard house in Chelsea, with a capaci-
ty of 10000 tons. and the Chelsea house
which is situated Il short distance be-
low the houses last named and has a
capacity of $4,000 tons. it is doubtful if
any are filled this winter, on account
of the lack of depth of water in the riv-
err. The Rich house will not be flied
anyway, and the other two places will
only be filled if necessity demands.
The ice along the river at places
where the fields have been cultivated is
betwn u and Is inchs in thickness. and
although the operators wiuld like to
see it few inches thicker it is of suffi-
cicnt thickness to house. This thick
ness does not include sap, but is the
clear blue crystal for which the Ken
nebec is noted. But there is plenty of
time and there need be no fear OF a
lack Of cold wather to bring the ice up
to the required thickness. Compared
with last winter the ice cutting season
is away ahead. for the middle OF Feb
ruary came before pound of ice was
harvested on the Kennebec.
In speaking of the numbeftof men
now at work on the river Manager Bal
lard said that there were about 600,
and that 500 more would be added to
the force the coming week. There are
also about 200 horses. He also said that
there would be plenty of opportunities
for work Monday, and that all who APP
piled would be given a job.
Over on the Penobscot the season is
not SO far advanced as it is. on. the
kennebec, as the freeze came later.
There is an average of eight inchs ir
the ice fields of that river. They are
scraping at present and about 100 men
and so horses are engaged in the work
1t is probable that about 10000 tons
will be housed.
On the several ponds where the
American Ice Co. has houses the work
CT running in has already commenced
the ice being OF good thickness. AT
Bristol there are about 100 men work
ing and the amount of ice TO be housed
will be about 21.00O tons. At Boothbay
the force of men numbers about 80
and the amount to be housed will be
81. 900 tons. There are about 12J men
working at Portland, but The amount
of ice which will be housed cannot as
vet be stated, as it will depend upon
the weather.
The quality OF ice throughout the
state is good. especially on the k"nne-
bee river. The freeze coming AT 4 time
when there had been no rise Of water IL
the river found it clean. and ill consc-
ucnce OF which there is no dirt and nt
| chips in the ice. and the same report
| comes from the Pcnobsc"t. and the
| quality Of the ice as 4 whole may be
| said to be above the average.