The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
ROAD BUILT ON ICE
Michigan Town Proud OF Its
Unique Railway.
CENTER OF A BIG INDUSTRY
Development of the lee Business
Has Made East Tawas an Impor-
tRnt Town in Great Lakes COun-
try-Traeks Laid Out over the bay
for the Loading of Freight Cars.

East TaWas Mich, March ls'-This is
the town tnat --cuts some Ice" The ex-
preston is used hguratively and literally
II is one OF the biggest marketing centers
OF the Great Lakes country
The development OF the business here
has brought about a unique institution
a steam railway out on the ice fields, an
extension OF a regular railroad system.
In the winter Of 1890 representatives OF
a Cleveland company arrived here in
search OF a good quality Of the product.
Each morning for several days they call
ed at the Office Of II &. Bristol, who was
then United States signal observer. for
the purpose OF getting the weather indi-
cations. hoping. as the winter was very
mild, 20 get indications Of cold weather.
To all appearances there was no ice 10
be had here. as boats called at the docks
every month OF the winter. However.
Mr.. Bristol informed them that there
was a large field Of ice in the blight OF
the bay. which they investigated. after
which they left to look over some inland
lakes. which they had in view.
After ten days absence they returned
a.
during which il transpired that they were
about 10 abandon the proposition and 60
TO Otsego Lake. where a site for an ice
house was offered them; whereas, here,
after obtaining deed Of land for a site.
they were met by demand from a claim
ant Of the land for 500 before he would
allow a building 70 be put up.
BEGINNING Of Industry
Mr.. Bristol convinced them. however.
that this man had no claim on the site.
and promptly the next morning men We're
sent TO break the ground. This was the
beginning Of the fee industry in East
TawaS
The company built two large ice houses
on this site and also a pier from which to
load the ice 20 two barges. which. with a
large lake tug, were kept running be-
tween here and Cleveland all summer.
transporting their Zee harvest.
Owing 20 the scarcity Of work here at
that time no man was engaged unless he
presented ticket stating that he was a
married man with a family. or had a
family depending upon him for support
until an such had employment when
single men were given a chance. Four
other ice companies have since located
here and built large houses and filed
them.
During the winter also 81. clair and
Port Huron parties came with the steam
rrs Dean Richmond and City Of Concord.
and after making the boats fast % the
ice foe. loaded them directly from the
field
Carried Into the Lake
One day while about fifty men and five
teams were al work loading the boats the
ice started 10 go out into the lake. The
breach between ice and land was TOO wide
for them 10 land before they had dis
covered their plight. so the Dean Rich
mond put out the gangplank and men.
horses. and tools were taken aboard and
brought 70 the city dock
The Cleveland company filed its houses
the two succeeding winters. but for sew
cral years thereafter the winters were so
cold that ice could b. obtained az nearer
points. Later shipments began 10 be
made by rail.
This year Sheriff Charles Cuddy took a
contract TO cut and load 800 carloads
This time no houseSe were built, bat a
track was laid directly on the ice for
about one-fourth Of a mile. Scanoldings
were erected on which the fee is carried
by slides and loaded directly into the
cars About twenty-five cars are loaded
daily and nfty men are employed. The
ice is thinner this year than for many
previous years.
Although the ice harvesting industry
has been the means of bringing a large
sum Of money into the town. il has prob
ably been more than cOunterbalanced by
the devastation it caused when the steam
or Sea Gull, loaded with ice. caught fire
at one Of the docks and burned % the
waters edge. also setting fre 10 the dock
al which il lay. Before the confagra-
ton could be gotten under control three
large docks belonging 70 the Emery, the
Locke. and the Bearinger mills were con-
sumed. together with about 2,0ooo 900 feet
OF lumber.