Description
Journal article about developments of the ice industry in the Florida cities of Fort Pierce, Gainesville, Miami, and Sanford in 1904. In Fort Piece, Joseph Jefferson, C. C. Chillingworth, and A. R. Beaujean organized a company that planned on erecting an electric light plant and ice factory in the city. The Diamond Ice Company planned to enlarges its 20-ton ice and cold storage plant in Gainesville. In Miami, the Florida East Coast Ice Company began building a 30-ton ice plant with ice storage rooms and machinery furnished by the Frick Company of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. The Sanford Ice Company also made plans to enlarge its ice factory in Sanford and to install new machinery.
Ice manufacturing became a prominent industry in the United States by the beginning of the twentieth century. Most ice houses consisted of two stories with the first floor used as food storage and the second floor used to store the ice. Ice houses provided blocks of ice for home ice boxes and allowed agricultural businesses to transport their fruits and vegetables in refrigerated vehicles.
External Reference
Hiles, Theron L. The Ice Crop, How to Harvest, Store, Ship and Use Ice: A Complete Practical Treatise for Farmers, Dairymen, Ice Dealers, Produce Shippers, Meat Packers, Cold Storers, and All Interested in Ice Houses, Cold Storage and the Handling or Use of Ice in Any Way. New York: Orange Judd Company, 1893.
Wallis-Tayler, Alexander James. Refrigeration, Cold Storage and Ice-making: A Pratical Treatise on the Art and Science of Refrigeration. London: Crosby Lockwood and Son, 1902.
Williams, Ada Coats. Fort Pierce. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2003.
Sawyer, Gordon. Images of America: Gainesville 1900-2000. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Pub., an imprint of Tempus Pub, 1999.
Bramson, Seth. Miami: The Magic City. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2007.
Sanford Historical Society, Inc. Sanford. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2003.
Transcript
FLORIDA
Fort Pierce.—A company organized by Joseph Jefferson, C. C. Chillingworth and A. R. Beaujean, of West Palm Beach, will erect here an electric light plant and ice factory, according to local report.
Gainesville.-—The Diamond Ice Co., now operating a 20-ton ice and cold storage plant, has decided to increase its capital to $60,000 and to incorporate, with the object of enlarging the plant, made necessary by increasing business.
Miami.—The Florida East Coast Ice Co. is building here a 30-ton ice making plant and ice storage rooms, the machinery, including d. e. piping (for storage house, being furnished by the Frick Co., Waynesboro, Pa.
Sanford.—The Sanford Ice Co. is enlarging its ice factory and installing additional machinery, according to local report.