1915-02-01st

Even when there were reasonable good times in Hamilton, there were unemployed men anxious for the annual ice harvest to get underway.. In 1915, the long-term hard economic times meant that there were even more men looking for work hauling ice from the bay to be packed locally for use in household ice boxes or to be placed on railroad cars for shipment throughout Ontario and American destinations.

On February 1, 1915, it was reported that while the annual ice harvest had yet to be begin, License Inspector Sturdy was confident that there still would be a large harvest:

“He pointed out that he could remember when no work at all was started until the last day of February, and that on the 21^st of March, they were cutting ice 25 inches thick.”¹

¹ “Ice Crop : Inspector Sturdy, an Expert, is Not Alarmed”

Hamilton Times.   February 1, 1915.

The problem in early 1915 were prolonged mild winter temperatures, plus some snow on the surface of the bay:

“At present he said the men would be unable to go out, that small patches of snow might be shoveled away, but that those who cut larger fields would have to wait.”¹

Despite the inspector’s optimism, it was reported in the Times four days later that others were getting worried:

“Local ice dealers are beginning to fear that ice will be somewhat scarce next summer.

“For the past two weeks, the ice companies have been waiting for suitable weather to start operations but the storm of three days put all their calculations out. The only thing for them to do now is to wait for a thaw to melt the snow off, and leave the ice clear.”²

 “Too Much Snow: Ice Dealers Cannot Begin to Cut Yet”

Hamilton Times.   February 5, 1915.

The two major ice dealers in Hamilton, the Cummer Ice and Coal Company and Inksetter & Myers, felt that it would be too costly to clean the snow off the top of the ice that had already formed.

A thaw would be welcome and would pose not problems as both companies were equipped with planers to remove the slush.

The men in need of employment with the ice dealers would have to be patient and wait.