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Encyclopedia Dubuque

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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.




ICE HARVESTING: Difference between revisions

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Ice harvesting originally provided seasonal employment for many people of Dubuque. In 1914, as an example, it was estimated that the harvest would mean that 600 men or all the surplus workers in Dubuque could find employment with the big three packers. (4) Three of the leading packers in 1916 were [[MULGREW, Thomas James|Thomas James MULGREW]], [[CONLIN AND KEARNS]], and the [[FISCHER ICE COMPANY]]. (5) In 1916 reports showed that all ice concerns were each holding crews between 75-125 men. (6)
Ice harvesting originally provided seasonal employment for many people of Dubuque. In 1914, as an example, it was estimated that the harvest would mean that 600 men or all the surplus workers in Dubuque could find employment with the big three packers. (4) Three of the leading packers in 1916 were [[MULGREW, Thomas James|Thomas James MULGREW]], [[CONLIN AND KEARNS]], and the [[FISCHER ICE COMPANY]]. (5) In 1916 reports showed that all ice concerns were each holding crews between 75-125 men. (6)


Many companies were involved in harvesting ice and each maintained their own "territory" on the river. [[DUBUQUE BREWING AND MALTING COMPANY]] established their cutting territory in "Hooper's Cut." [[DUBUQUE STAR BREWING COMPANY]] cut ice from the river directly in front of their business. Christopher Capritz operated his own ice house and cut ice from the river below the [[EAGLE POINT BRIDGE]]. The [[MILWAUKEE RAILROAD SHOPS]] operated a field on the river and inlets near their business. Mulgrew had a field below the [[HIGH BRIDGE]] from which they expected to take 30,000 tons of ice in 1910. The Fischer Ice Company operated in an area opposite their ice house just above Third Street. (7)
Many companies were involved in harvesting ice and each maintained their own "territory" on the river within a decision of the Iowa Supreme Court. In 1901 the Court ruled that individuals or businesses could not stake the banks of a stream prior to it being frozen and ready for cutting. (7) [[DUBUQUE BREWING AND MALTING COMPANY]] established their cutting territory in "Hooper's Cut." [[DUBUQUE STAR BREWING COMPANY]] cut ice from the river directly in front of their business. Christopher Capritz operated his own ice house and cut ice from the river below the [[EAGLE POINT BRIDGE]]. The [[MILWAUKEE RAILROAD SHOPS]] operated a field on the river and inlets near their business. Mulgrew had a field below the [[HIGH BRIDGE]] from which they expected to take 30,000 tons of ice in 1910. The Fischer Ice Company operated in an area opposite their ice house just above Third Street. (8)


In 1924 the ice harvest continued as a local business although ice-making machines were becoming increasingly common. In that year, it was estimated that over one million cakes of ice (one foot long, one foot wide, and fifteen inches thick) would be removed from the river. (8) The thickness of the ice varied. In 1936 reports showed the ice had reached a thickness of 24 inches. (9) Local consumption would account for two-thirds of this, while the rest would be shipped to points within 150 miles or used in railroad refrigeration. (10)
In 1924 the ice harvest continued as a local business although ice-making machines were becoming increasingly common. In that year, it was estimated that over one million cakes of ice (one foot long, one foot wide, and fifteen inches thick) would be removed from the river. (9) The thickness of the ice varied. In 1936 reports showed the ice had reached a thickness of 24 inches. (10) Local consumption would account for two-thirds of this, while the rest would be shipped to points within 150 miles or used in railroad refrigeration. (11)


Just prior to [[WORLD WAR I]] large scale ice harvesting began to diminish with electricity making modern refrigerators more common. (11) In 1941 Conlin and Kearns employed a crew of fifty. Mulgrew and Company fielded a crew of sixty which was expected to complete their work in four days. (12)
Just prior to [[WORLD WAR I]] large scale ice harvesting began to diminish with electricity making modern refrigerators more common. (12) In 1941 Conlin and Kearns employed a crew of fifty. Mulgrew and Company fielded a crew of sixty which was expected to complete their work in four days. (13)




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6. Ibid.
6. Ibid.


7. "Begin Ice Harvest This Week," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 7, 1910, p. 9. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=px9CAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a6oMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3796,7236362&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en
7. "Important Decision," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Dec. 21, 1901.


8. "Harvesting the Ice," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 12, 1924, p. 12. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=liVFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W7sMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1235,7817184&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en
8. "Begin Ice Harvest This Week," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 7, 1910, p. 9. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=px9CAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a6oMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3796,7236362&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en


9. "Ice Harvest Held Up Due to Cold," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 11, 1936, p. 5. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oONBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4akMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3730,939853&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en
9. "Harvesting the Ice," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 12, 1924, p. 12. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=liVFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W7sMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1235,7817184&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en


10. Ibid.
10. "Ice Harvest Held Up Due to Cold," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 11, 1936, p. 5. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oONBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4akMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3730,939853&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en


11. Hogstrom, Erik., "River Museum Seeks Winter Artifacts for Ice Fest," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 10, 2004, p. 3. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XpZdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qlwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2218,2087245&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en
11. Ibid.


12. "Ice Harvest Started Here," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 23, 1941, p. 1. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nRNRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IssMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5332,1637656&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en
12. Hogstrom, Erik., "River Museum Seeks Winter Artifacts for Ice Fest," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 10, 2004, p. 3. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XpZdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qlwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2218,2087245&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en
 
13. "Ice Harvest Started Here," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 23, 1941, p. 1. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nRNRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IssMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5332,1637656&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x9rc-54s-I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x9rc-54s-I

Revision as of 17:15, 30 August 2013

A well-known figure was the man delivering the ice.
Ice card. Residents wishing a delivery of ice would place a card like this in their window. The upper number indicated the number of pounds to be purchased. Weights began at 12.5 pounds and went to 25, 50, and then 100 pounds. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

ICE HARVESTING. As a rule, ice-cutting in the United States took place in January and February, and in the early part of March. When ice was thick enough for operations to begin it was scraped, if covered with snow, and, if rough and wavy on the surface, it was sometimes planed.

When the snow has been cleared, the field was " prospected" for the best point to begin cutting. Holes were bored and a measuring rod was inserted to test the thickness. The rod was marked in inches and the lower end was turned off at a right angle to hook on to the bottom of the ice. It paid best to cut the thickest ice even if a smaller quantity of it was gathered. The preference was given to that part of the field above the ice-house, if on a river, in order to gain the help of the stream in floating the detached ice down to the house. The further away from the house the cutting took place the more the time, labor, and money required to harvest the crop, especially as the channels for floating the cakes to the house were always likely to freeze up over night.

The ice field was marked off in the harbor by a gasoline-powered circular saw. Each ice cake was marked off 22 inches square. After the marking, making a groove 11 inches deep in the ice, the circular saw cut "floats," ten cakes long and two cakes wide.

These "floats" were floated down a channel cut in the ice to a mechanical chute extending from the company's large ice house to the river. All along the channel were men with pike poles to keep the "floats" moving towards the chute. At the river end of the chute, which was 150 feet long, men used steel bars called "spuds" to break the "floats" into individual cakes each 22 by 28 inches. A water wheel at the end of the chute caught each cake and sent it up the chute to the ice house.

The ice house was divided into five compartments. Men with pike poles were stationed at each compartment opening to divert the ice cakes from the conveyor into the compartments. Inside each compartment were twelve men who moved the cakes into orderly rows with all space used. All ice cakes which appeared defective were pushed off the conveyor to the ground. The ice was packed in sawdust which insulted it and helped prevent melting. (1) Delivery was made to homes and businesses displaying an "ice today" card in the window.

Ice tongs manufactured by The Adams Company.

Using an ice pick and axe, the delivery man (shown in the picture) chipped a block of ice, stored beneath heavy canvas, to the size desired by the customer. Carried with metal tongs to the customer's kitchen, the ice was placed in wooden chests that served Dubuque families for many years as the method of refrigeration. Melted ice was caught by a drip pan that had to be regularly emptied to prevent it from overflowing onto the floor.

Human consumption of ice from the MISSISSIPPI RIVER was questioned in 1903. Citing the increase in contagious disease and the number of deaths, Dr. B. Michel, physician assigned the Board of Health, reported the reported (36) and suspected (200) number of deaths from TYPHOID was largely due from drinking impure water. (2) He stated that those afflicted were usually those who did not drink city water. He went on, however, to state that the ice fields had been inspected by the board and since the ice was coming from the main channel it should be of good quality."(3)

Ice harvesting originally provided seasonal employment for many people of Dubuque. In 1914, as an example, it was estimated that the harvest would mean that 600 men or all the surplus workers in Dubuque could find employment with the big three packers. (4) Three of the leading packers in 1916 were Thomas James MULGREW, CONLIN AND KEARNS, and the FISCHER ICE COMPANY. (5) In 1916 reports showed that all ice concerns were each holding crews between 75-125 men. (6)

Many companies were involved in harvesting ice and each maintained their own "territory" on the river within a decision of the Iowa Supreme Court. In 1901 the Court ruled that individuals or businesses could not stake the banks of a stream prior to it being frozen and ready for cutting. (7) DUBUQUE BREWING AND MALTING COMPANY established their cutting territory in "Hooper's Cut." DUBUQUE STAR BREWING COMPANY cut ice from the river directly in front of their business. Christopher Capritz operated his own ice house and cut ice from the river below the EAGLE POINT BRIDGE. The MILWAUKEE RAILROAD SHOPS operated a field on the river and inlets near their business. Mulgrew had a field below the HIGH BRIDGE from which they expected to take 30,000 tons of ice in 1910. The Fischer Ice Company operated in an area opposite their ice house just above Third Street. (8)

In 1924 the ice harvest continued as a local business although ice-making machines were becoming increasingly common. In that year, it was estimated that over one million cakes of ice (one foot long, one foot wide, and fifteen inches thick) would be removed from the river. (9) The thickness of the ice varied. In 1936 reports showed the ice had reached a thickness of 24 inches. (10) Local consumption would account for two-thirds of this, while the rest would be shipped to points within 150 miles or used in railroad refrigeration. (11)

Just prior to WORLD WAR I large scale ice harvesting began to diminish with electricity making modern refrigerators more common. (12) In 1941 Conlin and Kearns employed a crew of fifty. Mulgrew and Company fielded a crew of sixty which was expected to complete their work in four days. (13)


---

Source:

1. "Ice Harbor in 1906," Telegraph Herald, June 22, 1975, p. 4. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZwpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z8IMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6865,3326605&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

2. "Victims of Fever," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, May 12, 1903, p. 2. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iXdiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IncNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3949,6863621&dq=river+ice+contaminated+dubuque&hl=en

3. Ibid. (Lead courtesy of Jeff Yeary)

4. "Ice Harvest May Commence Monday," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 31, 1914, p. 2. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HKJdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9FwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5360,7216845&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

5. "Ice Harvesting Opens in Dubuque," Telegraph Herald, Jan 18, 1916, p. 14. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IAheAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3l8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=4034,815506&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

6. Ibid.

7. "Important Decision," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Dec. 21, 1901.

8. "Begin Ice Harvest This Week," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 7, 1910, p. 9. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=px9CAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a6oMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3796,7236362&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

9. "Harvesting the Ice," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 12, 1924, p. 12. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=liVFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W7sMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1235,7817184&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

10. "Ice Harvest Held Up Due to Cold," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 11, 1936, p. 5. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oONBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4akMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3730,939853&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

11. Ibid.

12. Hogstrom, Erik., "River Museum Seeks Winter Artifacts for Ice Fest," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 10, 2004, p. 3. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XpZdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qlwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2218,2087245&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

13. "Ice Harvest Started Here," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 23, 1941, p. 1. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nRNRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IssMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5332,1637656&dq=ice+harvesting+dubuque&hl=en

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x9rc-54s-I

An ice harvest with blocks ready for hauling to an ice house. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding
Imp203.jpg
Coupons good for 25 pounds of ice. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding
Ice picks used to chip off the needed amount of ice for a home or occasion.Photo courtesy: Bob Reding
Picture of an iceplow for cutting ice. Photo courtesy: Potosi Brewing Company
Picture of a riding plow. Photo courtesy: Potosi Brewing Company
Photo courtesy: Potosi Brewing Company
Photo courtesy: Potosi Brewing Company
Photo courtesy: Potosi Brewing Company

Harvesting the River: Harvesting: Ice: Ice Harvesting Process ... www.museum.state.il.us › Home › Harvesting › Ice

Home Page of Ice, Harvesting & History. http://www.museum.state.il.us/RiverWeb/harvesting/harvest/ice/ice_harvesting.html.


Oldt, Franklin T. History of Dubuque County. http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/franklin-t-oldt/history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl/page-21-history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl.shtml