The Republican journal., 1870-05-26
THE GREAT SUBMARINE BLAST.

which have already been communicated by tele-
graph:
Everybody familiar with the character Of our
harbor is aware that Blossom Rock has always
been the most dreaded and dangerous obstruction
in it. Little Alcatraz and Sheep Rock are bad, but
they are both out of the ordinary track of vessels
coming into or going out of the harbor, and they
are both visible. Blossom Rock, however, lies di-
rectly in the line of entrance to the harbor and near
the route which the river steamers take, and is a
sunken rock. The engineers of the United States
coast survey marked its position with buoys which
have several times been swept away. The water
at the Rock at low tide was about five feet deep,
and the current at the point was generally very
strong. Several vessels have struck ON it, and it
has always been an object of dread to seamen and
naylgators. Last year the Federal Government
appropriated $4,000 in currency for the removal of
the rock, and the plans presented by Col Won
Schmidt were adopted.
The rock had been carefully surveyed and found
to be $50 feet long, 80 feet wide with abrupt sides,
and comparatively smooth surface. 1t was soft
sandstone like that in Telegraph Hill and Alcatraz
Island The first work attempted by the engineer
was TO
REACH THE ROCK.
For the accomplishment of this task a large
staunch, flat-botomed scow was constructed, and a
healy framework, 81 feet long % feet wide and 30
feet high, erected upon it, double tank or Golfer
dam, about feet square, was built of plank in the
centre OF the craft running from its bottom to the
top of the platform, similar to fishing smack'>
well room. The space Of two feet was left between
the inner ana outer casngS of this tank, was filled
with tough clay, packed i'll bags, thus cfectualv
shutting oil the water from The outside. The bot
tom of the scow was armed with number of sharp,
steel-pointed spikes, arranged in semicrcle near
the outer edges and after thorough inspection and
overhauling, the whole structure was towed to the
spot by steam-tug. The craft was sunk upon the
comparatively smooth surface of the rock, anchors
were carried out in different directions, with chains
hove aut on board the vessel, and 200 tons of rock
thrown n The spikes penetrated the sandstone
on account of the pressure brought to bear upon
them, and the structure, which rises eight feet
above the surface of the water, was immoyaby set.
The water was easily pumped out of the dam, and
the surface of the rock ald bare for further opera
tons by the workmen. A circular groove, two
feet deep, was drilled in the rock, into which an
iron turret was hoisted and firmly fixed.
EXCAvATING TIE ROCK.
The surface of the rock having been exposed. Il
shaft was sunk to the depth of twelve feet from
which tunnels We're run in different directions, the
ballast worked being brought to the center shaft
hoiscd in tub through the turret, and discharged
by 4 swinging derrick out in the deep water.
The excavation, when completed, resembled an
immense bake-oven. Its dimensions We're as fol-
lows: Extreme length, 1872 feet, width, 60 feet
height at the shaft. II feet the lowest point. feet
the thickness of the crust shell about 10 feet 6
inches. as near as could be estimated.
CHARGING TIE BLAST.
II is Il characteristic of human nature that we de-
light in the contemplation of scenes of ,estruction
-
penSty to destroy whatever obstructs, annovS or
cndangers him. He is grated by exhibitions of
force in whatever direction made. He stands trans
fixed in the presence of the sea- lashcu TO fury by
the gales and the tornado whirling and sweeping
its wrathful couriers through the air. The awful
shock of armies, the thunder of nayics and conl;-
grafton of bcsieged cities, carry him to the utmost
pitch of animal eNaltatiOn 1t was for the eratitic;-
ton of this instinct that thousands of men, women
and children came from all parts Of the city to-day
to see this famous rock blown to fragments with %
tons of powder sunk i'll its deep caVerns. Many
expected to see column of stoneS water and tim
berS thrown two or three hundred feet into the air.
and calculated the chances Of the entire city being
shaken TO its foundations. They wished these re-
suits might follow upon the explosion Certainly
=; tons Of gunpoWder is an immense charge. and to
explode it under ordinary circumstances would be
like blowing up a good-slzcd powder mill. This
huge quantity was contained in large boiler iron
cylinders. Early i'll the week it was taken to the
rock on barge and placed i'll the chambers. The
tanks or cylinders Were connected by wrought-iron
pipes, through which the electric Wire was run 50
as to explode all of them simultaneously When
the powder was all in. the anchors. chains, tools
engine, &c., were all taken away. leaving nothing
of value to be involved in the general wreck
THE THEoNG or SPECTATORS.
10 those who wished to witness the spectacle
from the land, Telegraph Hill afforded the best ana
most popular view. BY y NJ people commenced
of the hill The cars on the lines of street railroads
leading to North Beach We're crowded with men.
women ana children. and by O'Clock p. NJ rrpp-
graph Hill was black with the Multitude North
Point and Meigos Wharf were also thronocl an
thousands lined the wharyes and docks ana shin
ping, wherever view of the locality could be Oh
tanned. One speculative individual stationed 4
large telescope on The summit of the hill but very
few Wailed themselves of the opportunity and he
turned thc instrument SkyWardS. Advertising
,LosonI 2 t; m 'i,;ii ,ii,ii ~ ~ Il, aus nun
.mJ fnit bi't t't ,o .i, my I @ ti' ,.il tdnS
,,,,,a1 i ~ +Ii t5S''" T'o''' "iu "Nertto
hnI n.'' ~ .,i'.a iliost ptlsol> VINO
,;, csI '''u X. S'1:Hts Ntlt iiiuFn en-
I, ~, , ~ .ntti ~ isihS ''spenstlS "i nuldN
Gr % IL ~ ,li. ~ tlu 'll'l Soo'i bll>l-
ta, Why .hcll s'oeh h trite lisieu farhtS
tI ~ tuSs' m SloolS aid row boat>
te % ,.s ~ "a r u .' l kept it Il re-
,; "I,t''ivo - i1u ,ic ioeh' ABOVE Whlrh tlle
% ~, ~ ,i , "'s IL, M '''. "eI "Ineh the noatS
VI .i1 cchSlie.is iioNeieu. AZ l NJ gun tllllh-
ao11u , tui J -At'.l'1 'uiu s'utleu hunurcus VINO
''iU'.sn m ~ IN? monster pist @ liel 'eel exploded
HS ,s tlilic at eist oV,W'V ~ people were present,
u !hr aplc.li'ilMnG M oi IeleSfaPh ~ was mex
pnessi'1 sr'1'.,t ii ~, 1me "ioie le1elcd grand
s ,,1 ~ '.li ' 'iev. : 'iu io.''tM ~ :" 'hc hIS
I ii''...iuoe ~ ~ i1'S,, uu5Sts; wagons ana
'''iiV'eN VI ''' MINUS lo'''co "Nh peoP".
TIE LAST GUN.
AT two mn,tos bnfore b,Itn,st ON, tho last ;.
mi ol1n was fired from AIratr,z an,l nvoryhn'iI >
rynercl to SEQ tbr rock shottrrrI ME- .n,,, v;th
hn onnncnrS was an.hornI at sof Iist,, " t '',t
when tLn time comr for thn rvnioSnn tn tal,o ,lo
st,r an tho tr,,nnwor1- m AZ rnl ,ll .,' amy i''tu ,
nhont titfnnn MINUTES ln,y ! hn,t @ ''i'' ,', ,,o
''o''' NN"'s '',p ~ ~ HtNtldl