Relates the experiences of the author and his predecessors on artificial ice plants. History of ice manufacturing in Illinois and in North America; Purchase of ice plants by the author's grandparents; Life of icemen and ice delivery men; Reasons for the high number of ice plants in Columbus, Ohio; Anecdotes on the railroad car icing station in Galesburg, Illinois. INSETS: Mechanical Refrigerator Was Ice Industry's Villain;Why Columbus Had a Lot Of Ice Stations.