THE ICE HARVEST ON THE HUDSON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7002, 26 April 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE ICE HARVEST ON THE HUDSON.

The gathering in of the ice, on the Hudson River, is called "harvesting." The ico harvest lasts about two months, from the beginning of January to the end of February ; but sudden thaws, or what in these localities are technically known as thaws, often come to interrnptthe operations. The ice can be advantageously' worked only when it is "dry," and.a sudden rise of temperature, though the thermometer may remain below the freezing point, causes a moist, stickysurface. The Hudson Valley country i 3 subject to these variations of temperature, sometimes of as much a3 25 or oven 30 degrees within the space of 12 hours. These hindrances, however, occasion the work to be carried on more briskly when the weather is favourable. Thousands of men and a largo number of horses are engaged in the operations ; and as the ice harvest comes at a time when farm work cannot be carried on, the whole of the hired labour of the locality is employed on the river. The labouring population thus derive great benefit from this traffic in ice, and the companies are able to obtain readily the hands and horse power they need at a minimum cost. The work of harvesting may be said to begin with the new year. The river, which for the preceding two months has been frozen over and deserted, all at once assumes an animated appearance. Men and horses crowd its surface and idlers saunter on its banks. The stranger who visits these spots during the ice harvest will come away with impressions that will linger long on the memory. The broad expanse of dark ice, bordered on each side with snow-mantled banks that rise gently up from the ice surface and stretch away in undulating plains to the white hills in the distance; the throng of men' and horaes upon the river all busy with the work allotted to them ; the continuous hissing of saws, the volleys of thuds from scores of " breakings bars" striking the ice at the same time, and the low'grating sound of the ploughs as they cut their way through the hard surface ; -the sharp, startling crack as a floe is broken away from the firm mass ; the loud, excited shouts of the 'workers as the floe frees itself and slowly floats ! away raftlike, with its' burden of several men to steer it to shore ; the commands of the onlookers, given at the top of their voices; to distant workers in the throng ; tho call of the drivers as they urge their horses to step with quick, clattering tread over the frozen surface, and the sharp, frosty air through which these sounds ring' with impressive clearness —all these combine to make up a scene the like of which is nowhere else to befound.