The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-22
THE HELL GATE EXPLOSION.
At PRECISELY 2i5O p. W. ON SUNDAY
THE MINE TO BE FIRED.

Gen. Newton's Conclusive Answer 20 the
Administrators TO be Guarded bv u. -.
Soldiers and Police-FinishipR the Work.
The printing of the charges in Hallett's
reef at He'll Gate progressed so rapidly yesterday
that Major-Gen. Newton was enabled TO flx def
nitely the hour of the great explosion, as will be
seen in the following letter:
U.S. Gov. WORKS. HAILKrr's PoIsr.l
ASTORIA, l.. L., Sept. 81, 1875.
To THE FDIToR or 1uE sUS-Sfr The explosion at
Hell Gate 10 nxed for Sunday. the Path at $3.50 p NJ.
Sheer Necessity has compelled tie appointment Of this
day, which In many other respects is objectionable.
Guard boats viii be stationed the East river at
the head OF Backwcls Island, and at the southeast
point Wards Island. line Of guard boats Will also
be stationed west OF the Great and Little Min reefe.
extending from Wards Island obhquely to the New
York line.
space will then be formed having radius OF about
600 yards measured from lactts Point which will be
kept clear OF boats and the time OF explosion
After the explosion vessels should give Halletrs
Point wiuc BERTH the surface Of the reef may IN
points be elevated above It's present line AZ soon
possible after the explosion the reef will be marked out
with buoNs
Spectators re warned not to come to Astoria on the
day iamcd, r. there are points In the town iron
which the ext oson can be- secn while a Gordon 81
police regular soldiers VIII keep spectators back to
a considcrabe distance from Halleits Point.
Toe best point for tue view win be from the New
York shore ana fIom Wards Island.
panic has been created TO some extent by persons
have no knowledge OF the matter except wha; has
been derived from explosions Of powder ana other e1-
. osives In tne open air.
Explosives imb,ddcd rock in small charges and
thoroughly tsmped viii have sction all essential
respects widely different upon the surrounding medium
There viii be cummotion Of the air and tie under.
ground egsc rH be sum tent only 10 jar buildings Uih
out rupuVinO or crdciia0 The rdHs Persons, at least
IN the neighbours Cd, Will do wei 10 hare utHdocs and
thing would to s,ds uHa tAs ezpos.on
ocer.
The mines will be nrcd at the precise moment named
JONI NEWTON,
Lieut. Colonel Engineers. Breyet JorGeneral.
BY this afternoon the work will be entirely
finished, and on Saturday morning the syphon
will be opened aud the nit filled with water
Eighty men were busy from early morning until
late last evening adjusting the one pound tubes,
wherein rest the exploders. into all the $3.50
holes That will connect with tue b'ttery. Beside
these, there Will be 5i7 full charges la the rock,
ana ibirly-nve iron pipes Allied with dynamite,
which will be held up against the arched roofs
by wooden uuriRhts. The battery. which Is pro-
tected by strong Domb-pronf. l. finished. The
two francs contain 40 cells each and from
these 500 cells will issue. at the moment the
nine Is exploded, a shock OF no intensity, but
one that Will, when the circuit Is closed, heat
the platinum wire ~ the explOder, aud Dire each
expluder IN every primer.
When everything Is ready on Sunday. the cir
cult closer viii he raised by cord running
/
| proof. On the middle Of this cord Is cartridge.
| connected ON each side with the cord. To this
! cartridge Will be attached "A single wire leading
| from II llett'- Point over Pot Cove and to the
| kn II ON The North shore Road, outside the res
| iJeucr Of Mir. L. G.. X tmsey, VINO has placed his
| grounds at the disposal VI the General. place
would We Ueen chosen lnucn nearer but there
are none where the explosion could possibly be
seen. hence Mr. kanis-y's offer has been accept
| ed. ltlOugn II Is more than 90 yards from the
| suaft Of the excavation.
Capt. Wood, Chief Of the Astoria police, In
tends 20 place the Gordon at Vo'clock A. NJ. ON
SUNDAY, aud .tter that time no one will be per
mlued To- 30 north of Fulton street or south Of
| toe North SIore Road.
| TDe visito to the mines were numerous yes
| terday. Among those given an entrance were
| Col. E1endorough Bey, Of the Imperial Ottoman
| Army: Gen. Ward Is. Burnett, Commissioner
| luomas ;. brennin. and Mr.. q. ". Blunt, who
was the hrst to get an Appropriation for the re-
| moval Of rock from our harbor.
To day General Newton will publish the fol-
lowing card to the Astorians:
CARp.-I have the pleasure 10 inform the citizens
Of toIi, who have 50 potently endured the accumu
ne nme q nhed Tor sqT cay The a,s mt
sututeJ by bathrooms OF tue male sex. The explosion
vii have no eject upon the atm lsphere. The eject
upon NE buti ings when might however, endangrr
valuable pier glasses Tue erct through the gruund
viii be host fet slong The shore line leading
aud regular ders will guard the line of Fulton stre'
ON the ferry & stevens street, up stevens street to
FranK stree, up frangn to Rensen ana ful Twin x
kcm-en 10 Pot Cove. The inhabitants Advised near
the time Of explosion TO be without the Gordon
lthed. leaving their houses with doors ana windows
OF en- In every where the ceilings are disturbed
tie would 70 yacate houses at the time OF
tue explosion There is NO LIABILITY Of va being over
| thrown VI impaired. - JONI NENroE,
| Breyet MAI JrGenera.
| The inhabitants Of Astoria will M AXE the day