The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-09-28
TnE HE'LL GATE EXPLoN."N.
The Baby Hand That Blew Up :sai-
I,lt'S ssrP..

The Baby Hand That Blew Up :saI-
te.t's Irc:.
New York sun.
Between the first and SECOND guns NJ
Ganeral Newton, with her little dau- I!
ter Mary and nurse, arrived At Pot
eve IN launch from the government
sew. The second gun sounded and then
somebody said: "Only ten minutes; now;
loo, out About the same time the lit
tie white launch ntaining Gener-
al Newton, Mr.. Streidenger, Captain
Nerrur, Lieutenant Willard and Barney
BOYLE lett the landing near the mouth OF
the shaft for the last time and steamed
rsnidly across Pot Cove Haste was
needfll, for these men had completed the
electrical connection in the bomb proof
NV .lowering the elements of the batteries
INTO the fluids, and in that condition II
slight accident might cause q premature
explosion. The moment the launch
touched the landing near the canvass
,ant General Newton and the others
snrsnr ashore. and Mr.. Streidenger hast
ened to his battery, anu with the assist
snce of two of his men arranged the
wires. and "lowerei the elements of these
batteries into the fluids Only the little
epsce of air between the two plstina
pnin,s Of the Morse instrument separated
Tho electric fluid couched ready to spring
IN the batteries, from the narrow but un.
swerying copper path that was to lead it
ipstsntaneously into the dynamite.
General Newton. perfectly cool, took
ont his watch and stepped to the edge of
A.
dts lust six minutes yet, he said
cheer,ly AS he glanced over the water.
4 hush of expectation fell on every
hodv in the tent General Newton turn
eJ TO the nurse who held the little girl in
her arms, and taking one of the chIlds
hands in his. while the Morse instrument
y,srnomentari!y disconnected, he pressed
one CT the little fingers upon the button.
"See, Mary" he said, smiling.
Then he looked at his watch again.
alt is five minutes yet" he said; Il
promised TO give the people ten minutes
After the second gun to get out of their
houses. and will keep my promise, but
CHANGING at the tide, which was flowing
rapidly, IL want very much to do 1t
row.
Gen. Newton was perfectly cool and
free from all nervousness, while Mr..
Streidenger, with his handsome dark face
all aglow, stood by his batteries with the
wires in his hands.
Now, III give the signal said Gen
Newton, taking out his pocket handker-
chief and waving it at Gen. Abbott, who
was stationed little further up the cove.
Rooml came q cannon'S voice in reply.
The echoes had not ceased when there
was quick adjustment OF the wires. The
box of the Morse instrument was opened,
and the kew placed in the hands OF Mrs.
Newton By the general. The nurse APP
proached the instrument with Mary IN
her arms. The mother, smiling, took
the child's chubby little hand IN hers, and
again the little finger pressed the Key.
That closed the circuit, and the light
ming flashed on its mission. "A dull rum
HE a shock that was felt distinctly, but
not severely, and then the river IT front
of Halletts Point seemed to leap from
its he'd and TO hurl itself in q white, foam
ING mass between fifty and one hundred
nm into the air. There it seemed to re-
main suspended for twenty seconds over
the whole three acres space covered by
the mine, like beaten froth. A few black
specks like upheaved rocks appeared in
the midst of the foaming mass, while
straight out from the broken end OF Hal
let's Point shot great black column OF
mud, piercing and traversing the white,
aersted water, it seemed for hundreds of
feet, like a column of black smoke burst
ing through volumes OF steam.