2023 RETA Breeze Jan-Feb

from Siebe and Company. A company in London, England, known more for their diving helmets than other endeavors. David ordered a small Harrison ice machine from Siebe; however, after waiting for over a year with no machine forthcoming, David would hire legal representation and retrieve his payment. The delay proved quite beneficial for the industry as David continued to study and eventually build not one, but two experimental ice machines. In 1872 he would patent his first ice machine based upon his second design. United States Patent #128,448. “An Improvement in ice machines”. He would also be issued patents in 1875 and 1881. These machines would ultimately prove failures. In November of that year, 1872, David relocated his family to New Orleans, Louisiana. In New Orleans, he began construction of a one-ton ice machine. By June 1st of the following year, 1873, he relocated to Jefferson, Texas nearly destitute with only a partially completed ice machine. While in Jefferson he finished the construction of his ice machine. Unfortunately, the machine was also a failure, it leaked and had to be rebuilt from scratch. But David had no money to do so. His machine would have died there, had not fate intervened. David’s wife, Margaret, had saved some money in case of need. Such was her faith in David’s abilities that she gave it to David and his partner and brother, James, so they could began rebuilding the machine. David worked diligently and by October, began producing ice in a lean-to beside a local lumber company. Unfortunately, David’s health was failing, his debtors were demanding payment, and being October, ice sales were insufficient to rescue David. The winter was a hardship. They say hope springs eternal, and that spring is the time of growth and renewal.

Patent #128,448.

David prospered from both hope and renewal… and an unusually warm spring. In the spring of 1874, his machine would start again and began producing clear ice. It is important to remember that at the time most of the ice produced was cloudy. Not only due to impurities, but due to ingrained air bubbles. Clear ice was much more appealing for beverages. Clear ice was more valuable in the marketplace. David would produce ice for a few short months. We do not definitively know why David stopped producing ice but, it is thought that his machine was the machine destroyed by fire at the Louisiana Ice Manufacturing Company later this same year. A reasonable assumption, but this has not definitively been proven. By some accounts David would once again come on hard times, but by August, David’s skills were in demand. He accepted a business offer in Quincy,

Illinois with William. B. Bushnell. A business arrangement that would spell trouble in the future. Over the next year, David andWilliam would produce two machines. Both were installed at the Capitol Ice Company of Austin, Texas. This was a project for Richard King of King Ranch fame. In August of 1875 David would relocate to Chicago, building machines with the famous Crane brothers. A new design was introduced in 1876, but only one machine was produced that year. Two machines were produced in 1877. Five in 1878. 1878 also saw the first Boyle Refrigerating Machine by the Boyle Ice Machine Company. The Machine was installed at the Downer & Bemis Brewing Co. in Chicago, Illinois. Many reports falsely credit it as the Bemis and McAvoy Brewery; however, John McAvory would not become involved as

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