Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-10-03
HeE Gate Explosion.

seas al a. 4 Tue, ana also 10 strong
rent set,ing toward these rocks, forced
that direction by promontory on
log Island, at Astoria. known ss Hal
.r.'S Pviut
tue writer OF ,his article lived Tor three
y,.us on the New York shore, just oppc-
-; .l4llet's Point, aud in full view oil
u lh.se ROCKS so we'll known and terribly
ianiii4- to SQUAD vessels Mill rock is
the, largest Ct he obstruction in His
channel, L, is never entirely covered by
wa CT. though long su5merg, reefs ex-
tend from its silas ia every dir, c.ion.
On shis island al Oh fisherman has erect
ed cabin, and the rock IS called Sandy
Gids0n's lIiud, lrom he Tact OF his hav-
luz "squattel" there 50 long 1 iimo.
Little ni.l rocS, hogs back frying pan,
pot rock AMI Way reef are the names
OF other Datucal formations ia lac chan
mel. Vessels passing through the narrow
passage be; @een Wards I,.tud and H.
let's Poia;. ate ,,elu u.!y oiugat by the
current acl thrown up)u these rocAs,
where ihdy arc badly iojureI cr' totally
destroyed. No steering apparatus is
proof against the tides, currents and
winds of hell gate. IS loe wao'e boiling
plSs4go-way i called from Hrleit'S
Point h Raudail's Island We have seen
as many rs eigh. or ten vessels stranded
at one time. aztec severe storm; and
during bad weather whole fleets were
anchored above Wsyi'S Island Tor days,
not daring Ia try the passage. Backward.
sideways, Or any way the current saw fit
to take them, was tha way they were
obliged % pass through those gates, when
tho Ha.ers ran high. Althe poor sailors
cOlti dn was 10 u,e taeir boat hooss and
push Of lr ON the rocks, or endeavor TO
guide their vessel by means OF row
boat and tow line.
Ow;og to the vast loss OF property at
this point, me attention OF general gov
eminent was early called 10 the feasibility
OF removing some or all OF these CD
s,yuc,iOns Ia 1852 Congress appropriated
$50 900 10 remove ROCKS IRON he'll gate.
Uader this appropriation somo work was
done, bu. Little practical advantage &C.
cyued. Tuo tide WIS 50 strong that lhe
clumsy machinery then employed. could
/ no. be used upon he rocks, and the work
was ,lereupJn abandoned until lS6S
when Gen. Newton was placed in charge.
\ large scow containing steam drilling
machinery was anchored OYER the sub.
merged rocss. Holes were drilled, under
water, divers placed charges OF nitro gly-
cs,ine iD;o them. a1d they soro exploded
/ by e.cc .rioitY. We spent one forenoon
On ibis sc5v ~ 1869, witnessing the whole
/ operation. From every window in our
residence yc could plainly see the effects
OF OlnSts upon these submerged rocks.
Huge columns oc water would spout up.
their foam darkeuei by nyipg rocks.
while the report would echo from Long
and Wards Islands to Yorkvile heights
where they would be beaten back again
to The dca,ened Inhabitants Of the rivers
bank.
The channel was very materially i'm
proved By this WORK. but the grand
scheme which terminated successfully
Sunday week. was still on paper. In
Augrs, 1869, the plan for removing The
whole submerged rect extending from
Hal.ett's Point was pnt into operation
a large co6er-dam, constructed OF timber,
and packed with cement, was securely
bo'ted to the solid rocks. y little below
high water marx. In October tue dam
was pumped ou,, and the work Of sinking
a shaft commenced. This shaft was sunk
80 feet below low water mark, and from
it ten tunnels were cut, through solid
rock, under the reef. These tunnels
were named for distinguished Americans.
Transverse galleries were next cut, con-
meeting the tunnels, and leaving large
pillars to support the root. A, these
pillars were pierced by steam drills, as
were slso the roof aud ground work OF
the tunnels and galleries. Each OF these
hol les was charged with miro glycerine
cartridges, and large quantities OF ex.
plosive materials were deposited at con-
venieut points in the excavations. All
the explosives were connected with wires
from a gaIvanic battery, that they might
be discharged simultaneously. Charging
these holes was most delicate task and
one which taxed the strongest nerves. a
trip through these dark caverns, when
there were no death dealing compounds
concealed in every crack, was anything
but assuring.
Water poured through the roof in large
quantities, while the faint glimmer OF an
oil torch which one carried. served only
TO make the darkness appear more hide.
Gus, as the visitor found himself facing
some unexpected pillar or ugly shape OF
rough rock. The drilling machines,
which in open air make but slight noise,
here produce sounds calculated to terrify
all but the deaf. Every stroke of the
drill was echoed from thousand pro-
jecting rocks, while the holows each
seemed endnwed with nnxers of ranro-