Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-04-11
BLOSSOM ROCK.

L TanClsCO, Is n SuulucI Seu s0iiustoiio
formation, which has been a great and
fatal annoyance to the vessels coming
and going out Of the harbor; and not
long ago it was deemed necessary to
adopt steps for its removal. Colonel
Won Schmidt, 4 civil engineer, was
accordingly employed to effect its re-
moval. The Alta, ofSunday morning,
publishes n very interesting sketch OF
the operation, from which we make
the following extracts:
The first work to be done, according
TO Colonel Won Schmidt's plan. was to
make n careful survey of the rock,
ascertain where it dipped in, and
where IL projected, so that in the work
| of excavation afterwards to be accom-
plished. sufficient of a space might re-
main to resist the pressure OF the
water. This was carefully done, and
from 1t plans were drawn Of the rock.
The next work was to construct a
water tight Golfer dam on the rock,
aud around that part OF it through
which the shaft was to be sunk. ms
was found to be most difficult. AS
| already stated the water rolls here In
| great force in large swells, and being
interrupted by the rock naturally gives
il more force in passing over it than In
any other part OF the bay. The Golfer
dam was first put in its place, and then
4 scow was built around 1t, into when
about two hundred and fifty tons OF
stones were thrown. The dam was
lined around with bags Of sand 70
morr efectually keep out the water,
and when this was complete, an iron
turret was placed inside Of it. This
turret was embedded or sunk in the
rock a distance Of three feet, and
closely and thoroughly cemented at its
place. This being done, the work OF
excavation or sinking the shaft COM
menccd. 4 platform was erected on
the rock. fifty-six feet in length, and
about twenty in width. On this All en-
CINE, and 4 complete hosting appa-
ratus was placed at Il end, and ut
the other q shanty was erected con-
tanning six sleeping apartments and n
kitchen. which Is also used a. an eat
ing room by the workmen. When the
| shaft had been sunk sufficiently to
! permit the work of excavation to be
extended to either side, the work was
| considered fairly begun, and from that
| time forward it was pushed with all
| the dispatch possible. When the shaft
had reached a certain depth, a small
cylinder was placed inside the original
turret extending down into the shalt,
which made the hosting of the ballast
| from below more convenient.
The space ~eXcavated measures In the
clear inside 40 by so feet, and it is
| estimated that about 40, 900 cubic feet
| of stone has been taken out, or Will be
| before it is blown up. The shape OF
| the surface Of the rock Is nearly oval,
but for q distance of about l20 feet 1t
| slopes very little. The hight Of the
highest pillow inside is 30 feet, and the
lowest / feet. The stone is exactly
the same rs Alcatraz lsland-a sand
stone, and porous. When struck with
a hammer it falls to pieces readily.
and reveals 4 series, of seams running
through it. There is no mixture of
slate or granite or any OF the harder
Kind of stone in it, from which the
highest hopes are held that it will
blast well.
1t is expected that the work of ex-
~cayation will be fully completed by
Monday, when preparation will be at
once made to charge the cavity with
the powder. On this, the final act, the
whole success of the undertaking
hinges, and hence the utmost precau-
ton has been taken to have everything
as complete rs possible. The powder
is at present lying in a barge close to
the rock. There are - casks contain.
ing 2O,625 pounds, and 4 boiler tanks,
containing 222,575 pounds. But this Is
not all, and it Is estimated the whole
amount of powder to be used to pro
duce this terrible explosion will be ~
tons. The barrels are English ale
barrels. double coated with q heavy
pitch varniSh inside and outside. so as
10 make them waterproof. The boilers
are of wrought iron, firmly bolted
together, and the largest measures $
feet in length and = feet in diameter,
The barrels will be placed close to the
side of the excavation. near the juno
ton of the arch or roof with the floor,
so as to blow away the arch from the
lowest point of excavation reached.
They will be placed resting on their
sides. The sever boilers will run
through the center of the chamber.
They contain each more powder, and
their explosive force will be much
more powerful. Hence they will be
placed where the distance from the top
10 the bottom of the excavation Is
greatest. They also vary i'll size, and
the largest one is intended for the
center of the chamber. This Is done
TO euualizc the force on each part OF
the rock. A perforated piece of gas
pipe, two and i half feet III lengtn,
charged with fine gunpowder, VIII run
into each barrel from the cad, and 4
piece six feet long into the boilers,
charged in the SAINT way. These diff
ferent tubes will be connected Will
insulated electric wires, which vii
pass from one barrel to another. while
the end in each tube will consist of q
Illuminating cartridge, which, when
reached BY the electric spark, will ex'
plode and ignite the powder III the
tube. This will in turn explode, ant
communicating with the powder in the
barrel or boiler, will cause them tt
to explode also.
An idea of the grandeur and effecI
to be produced by the explosion o.
twcnty-threc tons Of powder con
fined in 4 submarine vault or chamber
can be better imagined than described
tSomc suppose that the report will moi
be heard in some parts of the city
and that it will not he felt all, on &C
count of the immense volume o.
water dividing the city from the rock
and the depth at which the powder
will be placed; but.thiS is scacrcly pro
bablc. The sound at the place of the
explosion, is expected to he tcrritical
" grand. 1t is presumed that the pc:
ton Of the rock remaining, will b,
blown high into the air, and scattered
3, in small fragments through the bay
The water Immediately over the rocl
will be thrown upwards, 4 distanc'
of perhaps three hundred feet, whil'
: the surrounding water will be thrown
back in swells resembling those Of tn
Atlantic. After the force OF the eN
plosion shall have spent itself, TIL