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Before refrigeration was invented, where did the iceman get
the ice he delivered to homes during the summer? If large blocks of ice are stored in well-insulated buildings and covered with sawdust, the ice can last for most of the year without melting. Years ago it was common practice during the winter to cut large blocks of ice out of a frozen pond and store them in an "icehouse." The ice was cut into smaller blocks for delivery and transported to families in the neighborhood. Few people realize that transporting ice around the world was once an extremely lucrative business. Schooners transported ice from Alaska to other parts of the country as well as to Mexico, Central America, and South America. Ice from New England was shipped to the West Indies and other parts of the world. In the mid-1800s, ice distributors in Seattle and San Francisco wanted harder and thicker ice and an Alaskan company invested heavily in the ice trade by ordering seven new steamers to haul the ice. Each winter the company cut about 10,000 tons of ice from a local lake. A crew of 150 to 200 people cut the ice, moved it into an icehouse, and covered it with sawdust to keep it from melting. The following summer the ice was transported by steamer to the distributors. A typical New England icehouse was built next to a pond or lake and was framed using 2-by-10 pine or spruce studs. An inner wall was built 10 inches from the outer wall and the space between was filled with sawdust for insulation. A layer of sawdust was also spread on the floor. The ice was normally cut into 250-pound blocks. When the icehouse was full, all the ice was covered with either sawdust or hay. Because of the insulation the ice melted very slowly and lasted almost all year. In the 1870s new refrigeration techniques made manual cutting of ice from lakes obsolete. As a result, the once flourishing world ice trade melted away. Greg Hopper
"Why is it that our children can't
read a Bible in school, but they can
in
prison?" |
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