The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-28
The circle with radiatlng marks or Haliett's
Point represents the place OF the submarine tun-
nelling
The locality OF the Gridiron Rocks is marked at

Imvself advocated the removal OF the Point and
sought to accomplish 1t twenty years ago. Any one
should see at u glance the effects which will follow
the removal OF the rocks, uttng out they do 800
feet beyond the shore and directly across the line
vessels would properly steer IN passing through the
vessel cannot he seered with the purpose OF just
avoiding the reef. II must have room for errors.
and an allowance OF fifty feet at least will be made
In passing through the Gate at ebb tide (and the
current IN the east channel Is eight knots and
a haln, if the vessel Is run too close In towards
the point 1t will Strike IL, and II great allow
ance Is made 1t VIII be thrown by the current, set
ting down upon the Gridiron group either into the
middle channel or upon those dreaded rocks. 1
noticed as I came over in the rerryboat not long
since tug thrown upon them IN this way, and now
lying wreck high out OF water. That alone Is q
silent but strong argument for the
NECESSITY OF TIE OPERATIONS
now progressing under General Newton. The simple
widening OF the channel that Will be effected by TINS
work will in itself be OF great importance. The
width With the removal OF the Point 1t Will
oe nine hundred ieet ana the velocity OF
ton to the widening My removal of Pot Rock,
Ways Reef and perhaps other rocks at that point had
an indirect effect and reduced the current from
eleven knots to eight and half its present velocity
should judge that the removal OF Halietrs Point
will diminish 1t TO probably six knots" NJ Maeforr
tions on Pot Rock Ways Reef ana smell Drake, and
incidentally recountcd tile particulars OF the expo
casioned by the accident he suddenly frightened up
with the remark that the shock had forever
CURED THE RHEUMATISM,
with which he had previously been much
troubled and with ts grim lr smile rss advised
case cas- ne ' ever had an attack 81 the disease.
Speaking OF Shell Drake said he, ~ reduced Its size
from sixty by ninety ees 60 thirteen oy forty and
should soon have removed every vestge OF It, have
had much OF misfortune to encounter In my twenty
years. efforts to get aid In the removal OF these rocks
and finally had to 60 away and undertake distant
operations to better my own fortune. which sunk
out there In the river pro 00nO pu0iico AT odd
times and indeDeudentlyi worked Mt the
DIAMOND REEF
and reduced It from 100 feet to three distinct
bOulders, and do you know, / had to laugh
when | some time since saw report made
about two years ago to the Secretary
stated that mistakes must have occurred In the
ports made by the government engineers and sur
amount OF rock had been removed from Diamond
Reef for which no one GAINED credit" In speaking
OF the Grldiron M. Malllefort said:-"lf the same
lis pursued there as upon Hallett's Point and
the demolition OF the Is sought to be effected by
tunnelling can only claim this-I could blast 1t out
by surface blasting before the necessary Golfer dams
could be erected and the main operations COM
menced."
PRESENT APPEARANCE OF THE NINE Al HALLErT's
POINT.
Landing from the ferryDoat TO Astoria which
leaves The foot OF Ninety second street. and turning
lane you approach the scene OF the government
works for the demolition Of the reef at Hallett's
Point. long causeway formed OF planks resting
meadow covered with rank grass to the buildings
used as an engineers ONCE the office OF the Super.
front OF these you find them enclosed by a high
picket fence, and upon the gate before you notice
that no person Is allowed to enter the works except
on business. Looking back then, you observe a
huge pile OF broken fragments OF rocks extending
away over the meadow IN o direction Parallel with
the cauSeway. These rocks are from
THE MINE UNDER THE POINT.
II you have IN your possession pass from Major
ment operations, you pass through the enclosure
and are shown TO the Office OF q. z. Reithemer, the
announcement. He Is an anabe gentleman, or
rations, having been in France ana with DE Lesseps
on the suez Canal, as well as employed as superln-
tendent OF mining on the works at Hoyhead, In
Wales. In company with the superintendent you
proceed some hundred Yards towards the extremity
OF the point and arrive at the mouth OF the SHAFT
ing o greatest measurement or lO5 by 90 feet, with
depth OF AZ feet below the shore line. Descending
into this SHAFT by means OF huge ladder, over
which three or four might Chamber abreast at the
same time, you soon reach the bottom, and take ut
once
LONG BREATH AND A LOOK ABOUT You
You hear the constant chanping Of drills and
sharp blows Of the hammers mingled with the
tricklng and splashing sodnas OF water. In she
face OF the two angles irthes from YOU Won see the
mouths OF ten tunnels, and now and then the
grmed, wet ngure OF q miner enters or energies
from them. These are all CORNISH miners and there
are Two hundred OF them, brought from the copper
mines OF Lake Superior and from the silver mines
OF Colorado, Nevada and Idaho. other miners
have been tried, but no men save those from Corn
wall can he found long TO Withstand the effects OF
wet mining on the system-tne rneunatisu tue
ague and the other results OF confinement IN low
damp atm0spheres and amid constantly dripping
and oozing water Like all miners. they are super.
stittous, and will not work In tunnel which Is not
named in honor OF some protecting saint Al saints
are very rare IN America most OF the tunnels bear
THE NAMES or SINNERS.
However, they have been given The benent OF such
Of the former as we have ana OF any doubt where II
exists. First OF all, over tunnel NO. ! they were
given the name OF farragnt, and over the others
respectively the names OF sherman Je1erson Madi-
son, Jackson. Humphrey, Franklin, Grant, Hoffman
and Mcclellan. As you look upward where these
names are Inscribed you struck by the peculiar
syratilcaiion OF the rock. While the north side OF