New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-02
THE BLOSSOM ROCK EXPLOSION.
A GALA DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY-PREPARA-
TIONS-INTENsE INTEREST-THE EXPLOSIONS
"A GRAND sIGHT-COL. Won SCHMIDT.

GALA DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY-PREPARA-
TIONs--INTENsE INTEREST-THE EXPLOSIONS
"A GRAND sIGHT-COL. Won SCHMIDT.
The Alta California of April "a has the fol-
lowing account of the explosion which annhated Bios
som Rock in the harbor of San Francisco
Never perhaps, on any occasion whatever did the bay
present lively gay and spOrtiye appearance never
did its waters NJ any one time afford pleasure to 50 many
living souls From early IN the forenoon it was com
peiey dotted with small craft, but about noon the
scene was changed and steamers heavily freghted WIN
seekers, anxious tn get view OF the great ex
pOSiOn, were Observable. During the afternoon, ana
Yachts and steamers shot brisRly around Blossom Rock
TO satisfy the curiosity Of those on board and take last
rather uncomfortable distance and very late Around
the wharfso the city ~ far ~ the eye couId carry
crowd OF human beings presented almost unbroken
front Telegraph Hill from the barge, was III
orally black from base TO summit with human beings,
and the hill and the crowd taken together looked like
of flies y sugar loaf Away to Black Point
every elevated or other piece Of ground commanding
view Of the rock was occupied by dense croWds-sau-
hills and green fields had the same black appearance
AL the material Of value that could he conveniently
taken away, such. as anchors, chains tools engine,
large quantity Of lumber, and the slanty, had been
placed n anchored to the rock. The water had
been let into the chamber during tine morning the Wire
and battery ready and the gun from Fort Acataz
had doomed forth the first signal. The second gun was
heard aud yet the ow had not left Blossom Rock hut
everything was ready, and in few minutes seantug
Scbmid amd Mr. Inndhcrc occ0mp1uied by a half-,oZen
remained the rock, but followed In few MN
the direction of the barge: This was the work
of only a few minutes when the se9w was
form about 30 feet in hight, to which it was intended
To he attached and by this elevation raise 1t out OF the
the slack the post the rock tOpped over and fell The
third gun had now been ircd and many thought taking
the experiment had been tried and found failure some
were hugely d gSted, and were long and loud IN iner
Remuneration of the whole thing sublime hunibug
Many left the different point. they had taken up To nave
view, aud returned 70 me cry GSe'lhE tiat I sr.S
sooner had the fan OF the staff been noticed than COL
Won Schmidt, who seems equal TO any emergency, lett
o. u
They took with them reel OF insulated wire, WHICH ad
been on board in anticipation OF accident 20 make
the connection only the work OF few minutes ana
again Col Won Schmidt being rOwed away for the
last time from Blossom Rock. lie proceeded in south
easery direction until lac had got about six hundred feet
from the rock paying ont the wire a. ne Went II Wis
thought he would return to the scow but The current ran
high and lie considered prudent 10 avoid as much as
possible. Now the boamen rest their oars IN me water
and Immediately every eye Is TUNED on that niue ta
Many doubted that the electric spark wOud be st FORM
at that short distance from the Iock YET 70 ieaGh me
stand so long stretch. Scarcely had these ideas
the white flag is raised by Mr.. Ludberg He holds
it up for second and then waves II gra s,aad
over the water A IIE Txrios .Io,Su anu
II was five minutes past o'clock and all eyes
were riyeted upon the framework above the rock the
only thing visible in the water, when suddenly the eec
trc spark j. sped forth, row runblnS hoise suuI
gush loud. heavy, thudlike report are suoce,sNry
heard followed by loud, clear and sharp explosion az
though the connection not instantaneous Now the
Of water about feet diameter, shot into the air to
the hight OF about 100 feet while in the center ana
umes of smoke and sheet Of stones the latter ascend
ing above the water and presenting on the whole
auearance of a vast volcanic eruption Immediately the
after the explosion every steamer ana tuSD0at De"
their whistles and dipped their coI0rs EeH' were
rIne and guns fired, and general feeling OF de-
light aud admiration seized every spectator. Inc
Of the most brilliant and imposing ever
witnessed in the city and one that VIII be "a long re-
membered. In the center OF the vast column cone Oh
water OF smaller radius was shot up huG iHo a. a.
scene already gnceutly sublime. feature no less
admirable than attractive The frame work. too, was
torn into srods and thrown mp with terrible iorce Inc
heavy volume Of water returned Immediately to rs Kun
dred element leaving the ar dlrkened WIN si1oke anu
after the lapse Of seconds the stones and thcrs
came showerng down WIN terrible Iuly; ne S S9 ft
around the rock for distance OF near! l.oD i1et
changed its native grcouiSh hue Tor yellow uuduy,
dirty color Tmhers foated in all directions ana the
surface Of the water seemed hled with me dgpIs 81 t9
wen carried out was brought 10 successful ternina
ton Blossom Rock but afew moments PreIlOlsy the
object OF intense anxiety, now completely ami
THE fSGISrsPIc6I voS SCHMIDT AND his WORKS.
Col Won -chrni n. "a Civil Engineer has displayed
roprcnton. Under The guidance Of his father, dstin
I.hed General in the Russian army he early acquired
and in one " he Departments at Washing
ton he originated several important pnbhc lhpIoIe-
Haf yeoI iIntT"dnction OF wt,r from Mountain Lake
@ @ Frac" q Introduction of the spring Valley
water by which the city i AT present supplied from sa
M,teo County g. Planning and building OF the Dry Dock
AT Hunters Point of the largest work. Of the KIND
in the world. T. Invention and erection oI ne pIiS
and liftng machinery by which Treasure IN ana many
mills at White Pine supplied with water o. iNeh
ton OF The plan for the destruction OF blossom lnck
which was Yesterday successfully contaminated g. Inc
Lake Tahoe project by which the waters of lake 20 miles
long Nv about wide and O0 feet deep situated IN the
sierra Nevada mountains, several thousand ieet ABOVE
the sea, are to Ice brought Coy tunnel piercing the
ouufain 10 the California slope and conducted 10 ya-
Gus localities mining and irTgaung purposes ana Tor
supplying cities and towns with pure water IIa tunnel
j. now being constructed, and viii doubtless ne uNeh
10 completion with the energy that has character
lied an Of Col. Won schmidt enterprises; Meahths
his skill and success the Pacific Coast having reached
the Atlantic states, he may possibly be called upon 10
solve that problem Of the last quarter NJ centurythe
removal Of Pot Rock and other Instructions NJ Hen
cate In some his works be has with the holiness Of
original genius dcviatcd from the old routine 81 engineer
ING. a laid down in the books ana has, OF course,
encountered the customary predictions Of failure But
the stamp Ia b" lndeuny impressed
uuon all his undertakings. What AT first has appeared
10 he chimerca 20 tmId projectors, was WIN MN
merely the result Of fertility Of resource ana lnuoulid-
Ile perseverance His attention will hencelOrth pToa-
Div be devoted to his Lake Tahoe pruect-one oi Tie
most important engineering enterprises That ha' YET pee
conceived I'm California for magnitude" of anu
il, beucl!C al results upon tine STATE AT large.
OUR CONSUL IN JEDDO