The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-09-24
A. BRILLIANT EXCURSION.
INSPECTING THE GOVERNMENT WORKS.
The Secretary Of War and General
Sherman on the Tour.


ing and Describing the work-A Visit and
Torpedo Experiments at willett's
Point-Review Of the Troops
In accordance with arrangements made by
General A. A. Humphreys, Engineer in Chsef OF the
government works In the vicinity Of New YORK was
commenced yesterday morning. The General not
wishing TO make the tour an ordinary, dull survey
determined to inaugurate q kind OF excursion 80 as
70 commence the work as pleasantly as possible, by
having a number OF ms friends with him, and ac-
cordinely after his arrival in this city Friday
morning from Washington, accompanied by the
Secretary or War, General Balknap and General
sherman, he chartered the steamboat Henry Smiru
for use on the river &C.
The programme for yesterday was that the party
should first VISIT the gigantic work undertaken by
General Newton at Hell Gate and thence proceed
10 Wilett's Point, witness the manner In which the
.tOrpedoes are manufactured and afterward expert.
mems by the General In charge OF the battalion OF
engineers at mat place. the blowing up o. various
tOrpedoes and a review OF the garrison by General
Sherman.
The hour appointed for starting was ten O'Clock,
nom the foot OF Twenty third street, East River.
Accordingly at about ten O'Clock the steamboat
belonging to the First artillery, from Fort
Hamilton moOred alongside the wharf, and
almost Immediately aiserward the company
began TO embark. The first to arrive
were Secretary Belknap, General Sherman and
General Humphreys, the BAND playing "Hah to the
Chief' as they srepped board. Immediately fol-
lowing were General irwin Mcdowell General
Thomas G. Pitcher General h. G. Wright, General
g. W. cullun, General e. B. Tower, General Rufus
Ingalls,, General w. II. Barry General Foster, Gen.
.sral Wallen, General Newton, Major Howell and
Lieutenant Adams, from New Orleans; General
Swift Major King ana others. At fifteen minutes
past ten the moorings were thrown or and the boat
proceeded up the East River at q rapid pace
while the Generals and their friends chatted freely.
and the strains Of martial music sounded upon the
clear, palmy air, seeming to be re-ech0ed again
from the two opposite shores A plea
SAINT run Of about half an nour-during which
time General Sherman and Secretary Belknap
discussed the pleasant state OF affairs in the City
Hall, OF the vouchers and the general political
luton IN New York-brought the boat to the landing
stage at Haliens Point, or, in other words, at
HELL GATH WORKS.
Here the gentlemen Of the survey and their friends
aisembarked and began march over tar-covered
paths, thousands Of tons OF broken heavy of
rock and quartz, and across long, shaky platform
stretched over an unhealthy and ugiy.look1ng
swamp or marsh, en- route for the scene OF one OF
the greatest undertakings OF the present age.
Crossing over immense embellishments OF stone and
various lines OF railroad on which the rock is
brought rom under the river, the visitors found
themselves at the mouth OF the pit from which the
~cavation OF the three acres of nint commenced
WORKS: 1t seemed as though they had been
Large buildings oi IRON ana Wooa
PIG whole distance from the direct path at the
friends visited machine shops, flied with active
mechanics; carpenters shops, stone masons rooms,
rooms and every KIND Of department. necessiissee
N inc execution nc, OF sncn an interesting and i'm
after leaving the various workshops is
AN IMMENSE PIT OR SHAFT
s se ns aS %
about sixty feet high, having all the apparatus and
2; cars attached for niEing out the stone and for
mass Of rock extending three hundred feet ont into
the rlver In the form OF a semlclrcle and eight
hundred Ieet at the extremes had to be com.
menced. As most OF the readers OF the HERALD are
purpose Of giving q depth OF twenty-five feet OF
water from Halletts Point TO the island oppo-
porant entrance to the port Of New YORK for vessels
or large size, whereas, up to the present time by
this route only smaller craft can navigate.
THREE ACRES OF SOLID ROCK
had to be removed before this could be accom- |
piished: The work was planned I'd and commenced
y
HIS plan, as he yesterday explained, is this:-
Alter sinking the SHAFT at the waters edge, already
described he marked out ten immense alleyways or
cuttings at equal distances OF about fifteen feet,
pit The illustration given, 10 show this more !
clearly, was TO suppose person down well and |
making subteranean passages.
THESE TEN PASSAGES ARE NAMED
son; No. 3, Humphrey: No. aerma nan No aa
Sherman; NO. g. Jefferson; No: T. Grant; No. 8, Nc
Of these '6eadlngs,'' commencing from the level Of
thirty two feet below the BED OF the river. extends
T1" Of rock to by ne pillars
by the excavation. Some OF the headings have
been bored thirty feet s feet but the
attained in the Grant heading winch last night
penetrated forward lao feet The first thing to be
done alter cursory glance OF the surroundings
from the top was TO descend to the bottom. Gene.
raj sherman, General Newton, Secretary Belknap
and General Mcdowell first stepped into the car,
and In an instant they were high up in the air-not
up IN baloon--the next instant they were lowered
with the rapdity Of lightning to the bottom,
LIKE A DESCENT INTO THE LOWER REGIONS,
seen rom the In Ee nearly the
Die looking hole. IL could now be seen that the
water was tricklng through the roof Of the alleys
underneath waterproofs OF good quality would be
an absolute necessity. These were soon furnished
the Secretary Of War cnvelOped IN an India -rubber
SUIT and a ''sou'wester,'' and General Sherman
on ms head and shoulders. General Newton led the
way ana IN few seconds the whole OF the gentlemen
were engaged in viewing the long, dark passages
cut IN the 1inty rock. The plan ADOPTED by the
miners 10 first excavate the long passage out un.
der the river and then again cut across them at
distances OF only few feet apart, so that the In
slant you enter you can see the entire width Of the
WORK from these cross sections. This leaves huge
pillars OF about fifteen feet by twenty-five feet 10 SUD-
port the roof above II was curious and interest
ing spectacle 10 witness the miners working in
every conceivable position, on their knees backs,
sides or feet In these passages with only
the hickernR glimmer Of o candle TO hight,
en- up the somDre opening, while the con-
slant drip. dnp' '.splah, splashu |
Of the water seemed to keep time to strokes OF
the pIckaxes and boring rods. In each OF these |
alleys line Of rails Is LAID down. which the cars
are run In and with the excavated stone on 10 a
,tat,la m apffh a ptt Of tha