The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-18
TIE HE'LL GATE OBsTRUCTIoys.

Plans In Operation to Remove Them--G on oral
Newton's TunneIina Method Under Way.
Blasting Yesterday on the MaiIlefert Plan.
Operations, having for their object the complies
removal OF the distractions at He'll Gate, are now
actively going on and there is reason to hope that
with the different projects now being carried ont
the desired end will be attained. Two dic
ferent plans are in operation, aud one other.
which has been going on since october last has ust
ended In failure The one which is now attracting
most attention is that Of General Newton who some
time ago resolved to try what could be effected py
constructing on the shore 'coner'' dam, from
which tunnel could be made under the reefs which
form the obstruction, the tunnel being made Of such
size tnat when filed with gunpowder and the ROCK
above blown up the whole mass should fall into ana
Ill up the space beneath, thus completely removing
the obstruction.
Haletts Point on the one side and the Frying Paa
reef on the other form the entrance to He'll Gate.
The former IS about 275 feet In length and At low
water about 240 feet Of 1t is above the water s ex
IRENE width Is 275 feet 1t Is this reef which
renders the navigation OF the East river most dan
gerous, and II this obstruction were removed tho
coast line would be rounded and the navigation rem
dered easy. The removal Of this reef therefore, b
claiming General Newton's first attention. and
there the tunneling plan with the Burleinn
drill viii first be tried. The work has already
begun. large coker dam, ssl fses
in circumference, Is being sunk on the promontorg
Of land Of which Hallett's Point reef Is the extern
sion. The land here is soft for some considerable
distance below ths surface and the work Of sinking
men arrive at rocky foundation, surface blasting
will be resorted to to complete the dam. sufclens
S sSnDne s' unaer Sas s'e Point viii S
and will be enected BY the Burlelgh dri1
sod y S1 WITH T T hys eeo sss
placed in the main tunnel and It's various arms, and
space tSssaeatS perfectly Clear channel having
depth 81 water Of twenty-aye feet, win oe LEFT.
e s4n@sn SsTGa ane X fRs
at He'll Gate are Sanguine as to the success Of this
. cost sssn 0a q q
opposite s9s % r.: ga
drilling l With tSo rsn dfsT this Sss but he
time for his contract has just expired. is expert
has Seen eeted by them and Ss
been arrived at that surface drilling with the pre-.
sent implements IN use, OF rocks beneath the water
Beyond the entrance Of He'll Gate three reefs form
the remaining dangers to the navigation Of the river
Mr.. B: Malefert's plan Of surface blasting is now
IN active operation in order to remove sufncient
OF water above them. Eighteen years ago Mr. Maille.
ferts plan was tried successfully at He'll Gate Then
IN something less than two years, he succeeded
In removing from 1900 to 5000 cubic yards OF
these reefs, and thereby giving above Ways reef
tue channel which was previously nine feet at low
water, depth OF thirteen feet and depth OF Water
at low water mark above Pot Rock OF eight ngtsad
Of twenty-one feet. The blasting operations now
being carried on By Mr. MailIefert are Intended 70
give depth OF water at low water mark, above
both these reels, OF twenty-five feet. II Is some
what difficult NJ present to test the extent to which
his plan 10 proving effective Yesterday he made
seven blastings, the mode Of operating being -
foiiows:-ADout the centre Of Ways reel, which
u 2d0 feet IN length, he has placed 4
poie i enabled 70 test The depth ''1
water above any part Of the reef a aiso
to some extent the eject each explosion has Ia
breaking up the rock. Carrying out with him In .
rowing boat cans, each containing 1875 pounds Of
powder, Mr.. Maillefert sinks one Of these cana "a
which an electrical conducting wire Ia Attached q
whatever part OF the rock he wishes to blast and
then, the boat being removed from over the place
where the explosion IL to be made, the end OF the
wire 70 placed In contact with powerful battery,
and the explosion instantly fOlloWs Yesterday the
force Of the explosions threw the water above to tho
height OF twelve OF nitsen feet Several Of these
Dlast,ngs were made Yesterday on ways reef ah6
POT Kook. When the surveys now being made OF
sneiidrake reef are finished the same plan wiz bA
tried thera