Business: Ice Man

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Davel, Trindal

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Just who the first ice man in Loyal was has not been definitely established. But ice boxes were a valuable addition.

Around 1920 the new ice man came to Loyal. Charles Davel had the land along Bear Creek east of the Trindal Elevator where he would gr flush out the pond and close the dam on Mill be Street side. When the ice was 18 to 24 inches av thick, huge blocks were cut with a gasoline powered saw, partially pulled up and sawed with a crosscut by hand. This was loaded on bob sleds and hauled to the ice house near the Central Street beside the pond and covered with sawdust to keep it frozen.

Blocks would be sawed to fit the requirements of the customers. The ice was carried in with the ice tongs. (The housewife had to see the drain pan at the bottom of the ice box did not overflow on the floor!)

Sometimes ice was also hauled to the various cheese and butter factories around the area. Later years Mr. Davel bought his ice from Marshfield. The business was sold after his death in 1949 and soon gave way to the modern business of refrigerators.

The ice truck with the flat bed was a familiar sight for many years. It had no cab and did have hard rubber tires on the rear wheels. Their faithful dog was the mascot.

The ice pond also served in the social graces of the community and many romances began holding hands while skiing. About Thanksgiving time the pond would be cleared of snow with horse and scraper -- sometimes they fell in and the job was finished by hand.

Even after refrigerators were used, the ice pond served its purpose, and for a number of years Ice Carnivals were held with an ice queen being crowned.