Mother Nature was our ice cube maker in 1901. From the February 8, 1901 Skidmore Standard:
The Ice Harvest is On
The ice men are working full hours this week and are getting a very fine quality of ice. It is from 9 to 13 inches thick and is as clear as crystal. B. Carr, the meat market man, finished filling his house yesterday. He has up about 80 tons. C. W. Yetter has his house filled and J. T. Tate has a large force at work filling his house on the river’s bank. He intends to put up about 600 tons. B. E. Wood and A. Pinkston have their houses filled. Altogether, from present prospects, it would seem that Skidmore people are in no danger of having an ice famine next summer. Ice tea and ice cream will be as popular as ever.