A more thorough explanation:

FREE ICE

Free ice refers to ice found in navigable streams that does not belong to the owner of the land next to the stream or to anyone else with the right to use it. Instead, it belongs to the person who first takes it.

During the winter, a river near a small town freezes over. A local resident goes out onto the ice and cuts blocks of ice to use for cooling food and drinks. Since the ice is in a navigable stream and not owned by anyone else, this person has the right to use it for free.

In another scenario, a company that sells ice for commercial use has a plant located next to a river. They have the right to take the ice from the river and use it to make their product, as long as they are not taking more than their fair share.

The examples illustrate the concept of free ice, which is ice that is not owned by anyone but can be taken by anyone who first appropriates it. In the first example, the local resident takes the ice from the river and uses it for personal use. In the second example, the company takes the ice from the river and uses it for commercial purposes. As long as they are not taking more than their fair share, they have the right to use the free ice.