The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-04-04
Interesting SpectacIes On the
Hed River During Past Winter
Description Of The Ice Industry and Its EyolaionAl Sorts If Weird
Looking Tools Are Used in Extracting the Huge Block.

in the industry. In one form or an
otner the ice-plough has been known
10 commerce since 1889, but in more
recent years 1t has been the subject
OF various patents and today 1t repre-
sents a highly complicated piece of
mechanism. Roughly speaking 1t con-
sists OF half dozen blades placed
one behind the other with interstices
between them for the escape of the
powdered ice.
To the Slefghs.
When an area of ice has been
marked out and ploughed, the task
OF pricing of the single blocks and
OF transferring them to the huge
sleighs which all winter are a famil-
lar sight upon the Red river. has next
to be performed.
Not the least interesting feature
connected with the ice industry is the
construction of ice houses. The art
OF making ice houses was known to
the Greeks and Romans, and curious
ly enough they built ice houses on
much the same principles as govern
their construction nowadays. BY plac-
ing partition of sawdust or bark
between an outer and an inner wall
heat is efectually kept out of the ice
house. The four walls being imper-
vious to either heat or air the low
temperature within is maintained. No
hot air can rise upwards through the
building because no hot air can enter
1t. But how Is the ice removed? it
may be asked. From the top, block
by block, layer by layer as required.
The top layer of ice is covered with
nay, which in turn prevents the suns
rays from melting the ice. Hot air
being lighter than cold air naturally
rises and this physical fact also tends
to preserve the ice. Altogether the
amenities of an ice house furnish an
interesting study in calorimetry.
"Don't Cut Any Ice."
We may note that the ice cutting
industry has furnished the United
States with one of it's most treasured
colloquialisms. "That don't cut any
ice" was doubtless said repeatedly by
Ice cutters in Maine or on the Hud-
son when they found their crude saws
and plows unequal to the task. and
thus arose the phrase which today
comes gli'bly from the lips of all
Americans. The earliest records of
natural ice as an article of commerce
date back to the end of the eighteenth
century when natural ice was shipped
from New York to Charlestown, S. C.
During the nineteenth century the
merchants of Boston built up large
trade in natural ice. One of them re-
ceived a contract from Great Britain
to supply the West Indies with ice
and later on one from the Spanish
government to supply Havana with
the same article. This trade develop
ed and gradually extended to British
India, Brazil and other parts of the
American continent. Towards the
end Of last century the natural ice
industry received a decided setback
owing to the invention OF more scien-
tific and more economical methods
for manufacturing artificial ice. Thus
we find that the export of natural ice
from the American seabOard reached
its highest point in 1870 when 65,SO2
tons of ice were shipped, valued at
$780,, 900.
Natural and Artificial.
The battle between natural and ar
tificial ice has come down to the pres
ent day. though speaking generally
natural ice cutting is only remunera-
tive in districts where the supply is
plentiful and the general conditiones
of harvesting favorable. Grand Forks
it is interesting to learn, is one of
the most favored spots ON the whole
continent. There is no other city of
it's size where natural ice is sold SC
cheaply. The cost of harvesting a
ton of ice varies, of course, greatly.
Weather conditions play great role
not only during the process of ice
formation but during the whole ice
harvest. Under average conditions
natural ice may be said to cost about
$1.00 per ton to harvest.
In this figure the cost of transport
tation is not included, and this is ma
turally an important factor in the
price, especially when the ice has to
go considerable distance. The cost
of artificial ice is good deal higher
than $1.00 per ton. but when the ice
is made locally the cost of transport
tation is saved. and this in many
cases makes the artificial ice the
cheaper. There can be little doubt,
however, that in places such as Grand
Forks, where natural ice can be har-
vested under exceptionally favorable
conditions the manufacture of artifi-
cial ice would make but little head
way.