The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-10
The Threatening Icy Mountains
Still Intact.
HOPES And FEARS on THE INHABITANTS.
Explosive Experiments Of the Scientists
of the NeighbOrhood.
Breaking the Bonds AsUnder
with Nitro-Glycerine.
How to Make the CleaneSt
Town in the State.
Description Of Port Jervis and It's
Surroundings.

PORT JERvIs, N. Y, March o, 1875.
Port Jervs Is still in suspense. On the one hand,
with few days more of waiting weather the Ice
In the stream may crumD!e and slip away, bit by
bit, III the ripping thread OF water constantly
active beneath IT, till the whole mass passes
harmlessy down the current, and then the town
will wonder that there was ever any one so TOOL
ish as to apprehend any danger, and the supremacy
wise will laugh their loud guraws at the silly fears
OF "nervous people," On the other hand, # the
thaw now sending thousands OF little ris
into the river continues or increases, and,
Still more, If the ram comes down heavily
Tor twelve hours, there Will come rush of water
that win make this the ceanest town in the State.
Then, OF course, the afflicted people Of the town
win be heard crying in the Wilderness and there
Will be no end Of fierce speeches against the
thOrties who let 30 many days go by, looking on
hopelessly and taking no steps to avert the long
Impending calamity. 1t Is the turn OF . feather
III which Of these tunes the sweet voices OF the
people will be heard for.y-eight hours hence. 1t
Is this painful uncertainty that troubles the mind
Of the public functionary VINO has been called the
Mayor. but who is, IN fact. the President Of the
Board OF Town Trustees; for though on business
he is bent he has frugal mind His
Honor would not object, perhaps, to re- election
next April TO his present once; but. then, il he
he should extravagantly squander q dollar and a.
half or two dollars Of the public money In avert
ing calamity from foods that never came, 1t Is
evident that the sweet voices OF universal suf
1rags viii not be for him. On the other hand, II he
should fail to dsburse these moneys as aforesaid,
and the mood should come, perish the thought
that any intelligent voter in . community Of free
people should support public functlonary so der
ect in the duties OF his once.
THE THAw GOES on.
Meantime the weather is pleasant and warm
and the thaw goes on actively all along the lines.
Early 1t was bright and sunshiny, but during the
forenoon it became overcast. Every breeze came
saturated with moisture, and 1t seemed as # the
apprehended rain, big with the fate Of the Mayor
and OF Port Jervis, was already here. Bus it
cleared again, ana alter noon the sunshine,
dangerously warm, poured down Oh all the hills,
sending the snow in thousands OF riyulets down
every depression toward the river.
THE AUTHORITIES CONSULT
At one p. N. there was consultation OF the
authorities. two or three Of the Town Trustees,
with their President and Mr.. Chanute, the Erie
Engineer Councils Of war never night, and au.
thorites who meet for consultation only adjourn.
Norning occurred In the present case TO mar the
beautiful simplicity Of this rule but happily the
Dreadful responsibility of deciding 10 do some-
thing was taken from the shoulders of those dig
nitaries by the fact that there was nothing to do
IL with. They might have decided to try paphtha,
but the naphtha is not here. 1t is ordered-ten
barrels they say-and will come Tomorrow They
might have determined TO try more nitro gycerine
blasts, but none OF the shops In town keep the
article on sale. They have sent for some, and that
also has not come. 1t is expected to-day. II it
comes some blasts may be made this evening.
THE NITgo-GLYCERINE BLASTS.
From what has hitherto been said in regard 20
the nitro gy cerIne blasts here, one would sup.
pose that they expected to explode a charge OF
this compound some where near the middle of the
ice gorge, and then see the whole 1--WE miles OF
packed ice msjesticay move away seward. II
is objected that the blasts do not rift the ice in
great seams-as they would masses OF granite
but that they merely crush 6nely small section.
1t Is odd that an objection like this should be
made when the effect described is precisely the
one that is wanted to overcome the difficulty.
A. the lower end OF the gorge the river is open
In some degree, and that is the channel by
which the ice must 60. obviously It eau
not go in very great masses. for the
stream that moves amid the ice Is narrow ard
not deep. Ten or twenty or thirty small charges.
10 disposed as to act on defined section OF the
ice At the upper extremity OF this open part OF
the stream and to be exploded simulta ous y,
seems to be the sort or operation called for. As
the explosive acts on ice only within Q small
radius, the distribution Of its force Is the only
way to effect larger area. II this plan removed
the Ice It would do ir by making it so small that
It would not obstruct the stream below, and .h e
operation could be repeated as many times as
might be necessary TO open a way up to the
BRIDGE say hall mile. With such way opened
II is very possible the river might do the rest
THE TOWN AND THE ICE.