Back to previous section -- Forward to next section -- Return to Table of Contents

Ice Business

Curtis DeLancey, resident in the town, and David J. Lamprey, of North Hampton, are the principal ice dealers. Formerly, most of the ice was cut on the meadow, near the ocean, and was sometimes a little brackish. That has been abandoned, for ponds further inland.

Mr. DeLancey employs an average of twelve men and twenty horses during the icing season, and cuts fifteen hundred tons of ice annually, from ponds at Bride Hill, Drake Side and Leavitt's mill. He packs ice for most of the hotels and boarding-houses, and supplies private families from his own ice-houses.

Mr. Lamprey cuts two thousand tons of ice annually, in Hampton, besides his business in other towns. The Lynn Milk Company, established a station in Hampton, and built an ice-house, of a thousand tons' capacity, in 1878, which Mr. Lamprey filled till 1884, when it was taken down, and the present house, of thirteen hundred fifty tons' capacity was built. This, Mr. Lamprey contracted to fill for ten years. Accordingly, he leased, for that period, a meadow of forty acres, belonging to J. T. Brown, C. G. Toppan and others; grading the road along its front, one and half feet, and keeping it in repair at his own expense. This meadow is flowed from Drake's river, and furnishes a full supply of ice.

Express Business

Lane's Express. -- Twenty-five years ago or more, Jesse A. Lane began to do express business between Hampton and Boston, with great convenience to the public, and fair profit to himself. As years went on, his trips became more frequent, till patronage so increased that he went daily, sometimes with an assistant; but failing health compelled him to retire, in 1884.

Batchelder's Express. -- Warren M. Batchelder, of the firm, Batchelder Brothers, Butchers, began to do a local express business between Hampton and Boston, in 1884, when Lane's express had been discontinued. After a successful run of three years, he sold out, the first of August, 1887, to John S. and Ames B. Robinson, in order to give his whole time to the meat trade. There is now no local express.

The American Express Co. has an office in Hampton; also Jackson's Express, of Portsmouth.

Back to previous section -- Forward to next section -- Return to Table of Contents