The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-27
AN ICE PLANT
IN EVERY HOUSE

Another Edison invention may soon
take its place in the household. 1t is
the electric ice-box. When next the
first touch of warm weather comes to
town. hatdwellers will no longer hear
1t heralded by the CHEEKY call of
want any ice today, lady?" from the
depths Of the dunlbwaiter shaft. They
will merely press the button and turn
on the refrigerator
This was the prediction made by
Thomas e. Murray general manager
of the New York Edison Co., in an
address before the association Of Edi-
son Illuminating Companies, now in
convention in the Thousand Islands.
Mr.. Murray who is president Of the
association, said that New York's vast
system of electric lighting stations
might soon be devoted to the manu-
facture of ice during the season when
the city needed ice more than electric
light
At the conpany's headquarters it
was learned this afternoon that the
idea had been under consideration for
some time, and that in all likelihood
it would have trial before long. 1t
would go far, it was predicted, to solve
the ice question which has harassed
more than one housekeeper since the
invention of the old-fashioned ice
box
The theory, from the electricians
point of view, is this: In New York
all electricity that the great power
houses can provide In winter is used.
1t seems about one third that amount
in mid summer. Conversely, it uses
all the ice cibtainable in summer, but
little IN winter
Those who furnish electricity for
lighting have put two and two togeth-
er. And they have come to the con-
clusion that the electricity which is
not wanted for light in summer ought
to be kept busy making ice. The
thing can be done, and will be done,
in time, according to Mr. Murray.
Ice Making on Large Scale.
"In the city Of New York and vicin-
ity," said Mr.. Murray, "the consump-
ton of ice approximates 10000 tons
a year, of which, probably, 100000
tons are natural ice, and the remain
ing 100000 artificial ice. The maxi
mum demand for ice is in the month
of July, with daily consumption of
December and January, with a daily
consumption of about 5000 tons. The
conditions which determine the best
location for an ice-making plant are
not dissimilar from those that receive
consideration in determining upon a
site for a central station. The power
required for the operation of the plant
and the handling of the ice on a large
scale is from 50-55 kilowatt hours per
ton of ice.
ITO supply New York and vicinity
with all the ice it consumes would re-
quire an energy consumption amount
ing to something like 250, 100000 kilo-
watt hours per year! The station ca
pacity required would be about $4,000
kilowatts, or a demand, during the
months Of heavy lighting and power
load, of about $500 kilowaUts. This
could be reduced to zero during the
lighting peak of two or three hours in
the winter months, by the provision
of small brine storage capacity.
"The power necessary to operate the
ice plant could be obtained with very
small extra central station investment
and at very low production cost The
total ice consumption in the United
States is now approximately $4,000 900
tons a year. Statistics of Cincinnati
show that of the total ice consump-
ton in 1889, the percentage of natural
ice was rs, while in 1905 only 10 per
cent was natural ice and 80 per cent
artificial.
making on a large scale by
central stations satisfies a number of
conditions required Of an allied indus
try that might be developed to absorb
the extra output which the station
could produce without additional in
veStment."
Those who favor the new scheme
declare that it will mean considerable
reduction in the years ice bills. The
electric refrigerator will furnish ice
or cold storage, which amounts to the
same tl1ing-more economically than
he man. How much cheaper it will
De, they are unable TO say. The chief
interest, of course, is in the increase
If income to the monopoly and the
saving of expense of maintaining
icore Of idle power plants during the
summer months.
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