The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-03-17
Boy Lets Pals Filled With Water
Freeze and Stores Cakes.
GOT Idea by Thawing out Pail In Hen
yaro and Now Is Capitalist Him.
seIf-Sells Product to His
Neighbors.

ware, Mass.-How would you like
to be Independent of the ice trust
next summer when the hot rays OF
the sun are beating down and your
refrigerator is empty. though you
nave had card in your window for
several days and have telephoned the
Ice trust and been choked off with the
reply you will get your ice when it
arrives and not before?"
The l1year-old son of a Ware sign
painter has solved the problem Hav-
Ing already made two tons OF ice and
sold 1t to his father for 30 cents a
hundred pounds, he is busy making
further supply which he proposes to
sell to neighbors next summer. Je-
rome is the son of Mr.. and Mrs. A.
Henry Eldredge of 81 East street and
is one of nine children
1t is case of hustle to keep the
family supplied with the necessities
of life, and to each of the children old
enough to be of assistance is assigned
a task which makes the burdens light
er for all. Jerome feeds the hens,
which are supposed to keep the fam
lily table supplied with fresh eggs, but
usually fail in coming up to expecta-
tions. He also feeds the lone family
pig and keeps Mrs. Eldredge supplied
with coal and kindlings from the
shed. Jerome has a longing to get a
college education and become a law
yer. but has been told repeatedly
that a college education costs money.
and the only way he can get 1t is by
strict economy and thrift
1t was while watering the hens one
cold morning that Jerome hit upon
the scheme Of the ice plant. The pan
containing the water was filled with a
cake of ice each morning, and 1t was
necessary for Jerome to turn the pan
bottom side up and pour hot water
on 1t, the cake Of ice then dropping
out In short time there was a pile
of ice that worried Jerome, because
It came from water that had been rem
dered muddy and impure by the hens
and was unfit for use, but 1t occurred
to him that he could draw water from
the kitchen faucet that was pure.
place 1t In receptacles, allow 1t to
freeze, then get the cakes of ice out
in the same manner as he did from
the hens pen. He asked his father II
he would pay him the same price for
ice that he had paid the iceman last
year Mr. Eldredge said he would be
glad to do so If the ice were Of good
quality and he would contract for two
tons. The ice has been delivered and
paid for.
Jerome has about two dozen recep-
tacles of various styles and sizes. He
first began with what stewpans and
kettles he could abduct from his moth
er's pantry, but now he has pressed
the family washtub, coal bod, wash
pan. wash basin and about everything
else into use, and has made square
wooden boxes, which he fills with wa
ter and makes large cakes of ice in.
These boxes he has already sold to
his mother for use next summer for
flower beds. The price was more
| tndn cost OIL IHe luHlUSI W mdk0
! chem.
The cakes of ice vary in size from
two to seventy-five pounds, and dur
ing zero weather Jerome has made as
many as fifty cakes of ice In a day.
| Jerome attends the seventh grade in
the South street school. His four
year-old brother, John Harold, sug-
gested a few weeks ago that he be
taken into partnership on percent
age basis, and he would keep the
| business moving while Jerome was in
school. The suggestion was favorably
received, and Johnny is as interested
IN the business as any one could be.
When the neighbors' boys come
around Johnny keeps his eyes open