The New York herald., 1874-08-19
HE'LL GATE.
How the improvements
Are Progressing.
4 Tour Beneath the Waves---Graphic
Description Of the Work.
THE GRAND EXPLOSION.
What II Done, What Ii Being Done and
What Congress Should Do.


An afternoon or SO ago HERALD representative
5tspped from one Of the East River steamboats, at
Astoria dock, ana turned hts face to where the
Dlumes OF neecy smoke and the snbdued murmur
of machinery announced that the drilling opera
lions against the rocky reef that extends danger
eusiy beyond Haiiett's Point, L. l., into what IL
nown a. "Hell Gate" were in active operation
He had been sent thither for the purpose OF ex.
amming the progress Of the work. the complica.
mons understood to surround the appropriation
made BY Congress for the Improvement OF the East
kaver, % far a. regards the special help to the
work as "Hell Gste," were so vaguely understood
that It was deemed necessary to have Q lucid
recital OF the facts. For that purpose
and also with o view to examine personally
me work as 1t now is, we Knocked at modest
eostage, situated within q stones throw OF the
snaft and asked for Captain William H. Heuer, Of
me corps Of Engineers, United States Army who
, in charge Of the enterprise. A young gentle
nan, who was busy with some chsrts-snd
siSar-at table, SAID he was the person in ques.
hon, ana that he would be pleased to show us
N that was to be seen. First Of all we visited
THE IMMENSE sHAFT-
Une d1smeter OF which is $50 feet. the other 100
Iest, with depth Of 1orty-fve feet--whtch ex.
esnds from the shore line down TO where the
"headinRs" Of the tunnelling rad1ate, like the
Bt1cks Of . fan, to distance or hundreds of feet
beneath the tumulsuous waves OF sHel Gate"
standing on the narrow plank that runs atop the
scooter dam" one could look down into the abyss,
snd see below q strange melange Of kissing en-.
nanes' ROCKS dripping with water, grinning crea-
sures. with lamps fastened to their caps and che
gfuesome mouths OF caverns black as night On
one side this on the other the river and the sun.
nght with sailing craft, pulsating steamers and
nsners seated calmly in anchored yaWls; beneath,
hn Inferno, half lit by nickerlng lights in which
NAKED men sweated, and strain1nQ machines Dit
dercely 1t tue stubborn rock.
A we passed around to where giant crane held
IN its iron grip quantity or
BLASTED ROCK,
which went to add to the extensive dump piles"
In the rear OF the SHAFT Captain Reuer stated that
the government WORKS at the point were complete
In themselves, including machine shops black.
smith shops and all other necessary mechanical
departments. he added also that the land had
peeh rented from gentleman who, in addition to
Ms rent, received three.iourths OF the stone taken
Hom the excavation.
''Wul you 60 to the nitro -glycerine house, where
We have stored in bulk our explosive material :m
Certainly" 1t was across narrow plank walk
70 frame building, to the outside OF which was
sacked board bearing this notice."
admittance except on business" Certainly no
one would desire TO call there unless business OF
vhe most urgent nature demanded 1t. In tub
tnat stood In the corner, covered by lid on which
nitro-eiycerine, the detonating and destructive
power 9! which Ia equal that Of l,ooo pounds OF
the cover and allowed the reporter to gaze upon
the monster more potent than any giant woven
INTO
.... The xEsHEs OF A FAIRY TALE.
II wW under water for the purpose Of reducing
nD Da yew 1
lined with piscs Hall way into suostanss
minutes; The cartridge is placed, the fuse IS nred
and the disruption OF nearly cubic yard OF rock Is
FROM tne in nowfseI pleasant nitro.glycertne
chamber the party proceeded to room In wnich
i waa q year and q malt ago. A copy oi ruis model
wes on exhibition at Vienna last summer. From
Sn 4 m osns o. are
st this time twenty-elgnr raolal headings and ten
sSnSentsic con galleries: In some places the ROOT OF
ten Ieea Tnere are iso pillars supporting THIS
THOUSANDS OF ToNs or WATER
tn9t roar ABOVE It, These pillars are 70 be trimmed
to the WORKERS % previous to the Grand Ciow ou
winch according to Captain Heuer, IS NOT Mxeiy
arc iof Two M the
and vary nom eight to twenty-five Ieet IN nelgnt.
Ihe reel tnat IS being excavated slopes nom 1oW
1e ts time to descend the snalt. At the entranca
and ju. where II yawns below one, Ike the mouti
and torches One necessary for the tearlui rives
the other to illumine the gloom tnat holds almol
O3S east IN aa sns bess sn1
clouds OF steam until we stand in t5 e
centre Of the shat and are agreeaoly apprised Of
she coosing change in the temperature. BusN ne
and activity are all around US. There are dc
Ssrs. laden with rcck, running from the dark ,ss
etY0gk1n9 with clashlng machinery and cont mn.
Any caillng 70 each other. There is a sad and
d. VINO looks as II % he wonaered was H II l'a9 saS az
aoout. All around US are the ''headinGs" re hat.
Ing darky 70 where iaint lights are seen. and
n from tne sunnens and the steam, the pr nne
macntnery and the dyspettc mule we pl age,
By THE LIGHT OF THE LINKS
held close to the feet while the water st cams
psttefs upon the umbrellas. .'How far ni s 70 We
EotW Two hundred and lorty-seven feet ir IN the
Sivefin 'Ffty.two ieet." It Is strange weird ira
ycehe. Save Burleigh dril two or three llerlea
away--a drill that hits the rock suriace $50 = mes
Ranute-there ID no sound except the drip drip OF
the wafer. There is nothing to be seen ,ut the
shadow outlines Of the party standing Il re IKE
Dante at their head, and the faraway gI am OF q
workmen's lamp. suddenly there Is a trel ,endoua
brslas are tossed violently to and iro WIN
THOUSAND YELPING DEMONS
SGss es sH % e SsSag ae game M
are necessary" 1t had oil the enect OF ,e expo.
MON OF 'twelve- -pounder" field piece.
Once out OF the mine, and seated In Il ofBca O,
Captain Heuer, the HERALD representatlv obtained
rom that gentleman his views OF the work "a IL
now stan0s ana MS ioeas fegarulng tne ecessities
tno scneme ana bne proDaDllltles or he future.
They are as foll0ws:-COngress during q iast ses.
NON appropriated $225000 Tor the impr vemeut OF
the East aud Harlem rivers, at or near He'll date.
A. Jet General Newton. In general 4 ,mmand Of
we WORK, mas not toucned the rock IN Harlem
1lver. Out or tne $z2S,oW only $l4 ! 900 are Ia
Oe devoted TO Hell Gate. Tnat sum III run l20
Mon tnrougn the year There are iOugn room
and machinery to employ coo men. 4 lie work Is
9Dout nall done-perhaps little mo n ,. The dan.
gerous part. at least, has been goi en- through
VITA There are stx Burleigh drills sed In tun-