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Iceman (occupation)
Encyclopedia
An iceman is someone who sells or delivers ice
from a wagon
, cart
, or motor-truck
.
The profession was formerly much more common. From the late 19th century to mid 20th century, in cities and towns icemen would commonly make daily rounds delivering ice for icebox
es before the electric domestic refrigerator
became ubiquitous.
Many icemen in the Northeastern United States long had their origins from Southern Italy
. Arriving in the United States with little or no education or trade skills, many of these immigrants began ice routes, especially in New York City, where various ice routes were and are still a common sight. Modern day icemen no longer use a wagon or cart to deliver their ice, instead use freezer trucks which contains pallets stacked with bags of ice cubes as well as large blocks (known as cakes) of ice. Many of the old fashioned small time routes were bought out in the 1980s and 1990s to big corporate ice corporations that both sell and produce ice as well as ice machines to restaurants and bars.
The tools of the iceman were wires, to tie the bags of cubes, hooks, tongs, and ice picks. Being an iceman was a very arduous and straining lifestyle. Icemen usually began their day at 4:00 am and finished late in the evening, depending on both the season and day of the week. Many icemen worked seven days a week and through holidays.
As Arthur Miller
recalls in his autobiography Timebends, "icemen had leather
vests and a wet piece of sackcloth slung over the right shoulder, and once they had slid the ice into the box, they invariably slipped the sacking off and stood there waiting, dripping, for their money."
The occupation of ice delivery lives on through Amish
communities, where ice is commonly delivered by truck and used to refrigerate foods and other perishables.
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
from a wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
, cart
Cart
A cart is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people...
, or motor-truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
.
Icebox
An icebox is a compact non-mechanical refrigerator which was a common kitchen appliance before the development of safe powered refrigeration devices.- Design :...
es before the electric domestic refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
became ubiquitous.
United States
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Arriving in the United States with little or no education or trade skills, many of these immigrants began ice routes, especially in New York City, where various ice routes were and are still a common sight. Modern day icemen no longer use a wagon or cart to deliver their ice, instead use freezer trucks which contains pallets stacked with bags of ice cubes as well as large blocks (known as cakes) of ice. Many of the old fashioned small time routes were bought out in the 1980s and 1990s to big corporate ice corporations that both sell and produce ice as well as ice machines to restaurants and bars.
The tools of the iceman were wires, to tie the bags of cubes, hooks, tongs, and ice picks. Being an iceman was a very arduous and straining lifestyle. Icemen usually began their day at 4:00 am and finished late in the evening, depending on both the season and day of the week. Many icemen worked seven days a week and through holidays.
As Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
recalls in his autobiography Timebends, "icemen had leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
vests and a wet piece of sackcloth slung over the right shoulder, and once they had slid the ice into the box, they invariably slipped the sacking off and stood there waiting, dripping, for their money."
The occupation of ice delivery lives on through Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
communities, where ice is commonly delivered by truck and used to refrigerate foods and other perishables.