Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-26
EVENING STAR.



FOR more than week, says the New York
sun me residents OF Astoria we're taking
all possiose precautions for TIE sav,ng -,
their houses and property from. NE disaster
That many sHprehended might attend the
great explosion At Hell Gate, aud ~ earlv as
soclock Sunday morning the yourselves OF
the streets near the government works were
busy, encssed In waterproofs, packing IN
large baskets OF bay their china and GAS
ware, and superip lending its removsI 10
places OF safety. From many houses the
lighter articles OF furniture were tske-, 20
the piazza, and the heavier placed In the
center OF the rooms and covered with mes-
tresses, as a protection nom the expected
fall OF plastering. In one solid stone house
an excited German, assisted by women, was
busily taking down beds and removing them,
as well as all the other furniture, even the
carpets and door-msts, 10 the back yard.
Finally he emerged from the house wildly
ktsuculating aud shouting orders TO the
women who followed him Juggling al q COOK
stove, which they deposited Deueath a large
apple Tree. Seating himself upon IL the
master announced TO the oystsnders. "If
90. United States pays for IT."
When toe mine was fired on Sunday last
zen. Newton, with his wife aud infant
daughter, Mary, three years OF age, together
with several Others, were at Pot Cove ahnot
GO yards from the reef to be blown up. The
opinion OF almost everyb body at Pot Cove
- emed 10 be that there was no danger from
failing rocks, but that the enormous mass of
water displaced would create a trenendous
wave, which might come across the cove
Al q dash high up on the sIoping bank. The
approach OF this wave would, ho viewer, IL
was thought. be detected IN time 10 allow
every body 10 use his heels and get away.
Between the first and second guns Mrs
General Newton, with her little daughter,
Mary, and nurse, arrived at Pot Cove in a
launch from the government scow. The
second gun sounded, and then somebody
said: "Only ten minutes-now, look OUT
About the same time the little white LAUNCH,
e conf, Mag. Cen Newt9n, Mr. streidenger,
Boyle left the landing near the mouth OF tue
shaft for the last time, and steamed rapidly
across Pot Cove. Haste was needfui for
these men had compl eted the electrical CON.
pection In the bomb proof by sslowering tha
elements OF the batteries into the fluids,
and In that condition q slight accident might
cause q premature explosion. The moment
the launch touched the landing near the cam
vas tent, Gen. Newton and the others sprang
ashore, and Mr.. Shraidenger FASTENED TO his
ba ttery, and with the assistance OF two Of
his men arranged the wires, and lowered
The elements OF these batteries into the
nu1ds." Only the little space OF air bet veen
the two platins points OF the Morse instru-
ment separated the electric fluid, coucheh
ready 70 spring In the batteries, from the
n LAT put answering copper path that
dynamite.
"Ah," said grsy-haired workman, look
ing curiously al the wire coiled on the grass
at his feet, "ttof's the devil. He's got long.
crooked road, but he won't be a second 90,
ing"
form.
"It's just six minutes yet" he said cheert-
~, as he glanced over the water.
A hush ofexpectation fell on everybody In
the tent. General Newton turned To the
nurse who held the little girl in her arms.
and taking one OF the child's hands In his.
while the Morse instrument was moments-
rally disconnected The pressed one OF the lit
Tie white fingers upon the button.
"See, Mary" he said, smiling.
Then lnOkHl a
at is five minutes yet" he said, 81 prom
fsed 10 give the people ten minutes after the
VIII keep my promise, but, ;" glancing at the
tide, which was flowing rapidly, al want
very much TO do it now"
There's the flag" said somebody, break
Ing the silence, and pointing TO a white dag
lying from the government scow.
ave seen that for some time," replied the
general; sit doesn't seem TO be signal By
me way, streadenger," he continued, II
promised General Abbott to give him half a
minutes warning. He's up at the boat
house."
II seemed as though the people were hold
Ing their breath and listening TO the beat of
their hearts. But Gen. Newton was perfect
~ cool and free from all nervousness, while
MI Streidenger, with his handsome dark
lace all aglow, stood by his batteries with
the wires Ia his hanus.
Now, I'll give the signal" said Ct sneraI
Newton, taxing out his pocket hand kerchIef
and waving IL at Gen. Abbott, who was sta
TONED little further up the Cove.
Boom came lannon's voice In reply.
The echoes had not ceased when there was a
quick adjustment OF the wires. The box OF
the Morse instrument was opened, aud the
Key placed in the hands OF Mrs. Newton by
the General. The nurse approached the In
sirument with Mary In her arms. The
mother, smiling, TOOK the ohild's chubby lit
Tie hard In hers, and again the little fnger
pressed the key. That closed the circuit and
The lightning flashed on its mission. A dull
rumble, shock that was felt distinctly, but
not severely, and then tue river In front of
Point g0Rma6 m ffa had
and 10 hurl itself In q white, foa ming mass
between fifty and one hundred feet up into
the air. There II seemed to remain suspend
ed for twenty seconds over the whole three
acres space covered By the mine, like beaten
moth. A few black specks like upheaved
rocks appeared in the midst OF the foaming
mass, while straight out from the broke3
end OF Halletts Point shot q great black
column OF mud, piercing aud traversing the
white, aerated water, IL seemed for hundreds
Of feet like column OF black smoke burst
ing through volumes OF steam.
"Oh, splendid see, they're going of one
after the other" exclaimed somebody near
the tent, as the volumes OF whitened water
continued TO leap upward into the air.
Just before the blast was fired, Gen. New
ton said that there would probably be a
strong wave, and he had the way cleared 30
that the ladies could easily escape up the
bank. But no wave came. Toe water at that
distance did not seem TO have been disturbed
more than IL would have been by the passage
OF large steamer. AS the upheaval ceased,
Gen. Newton, with genuine delight besming
IN bis face, exclaimed: "a splendid blast
perfectly successful"
"Yes, perfectly successful" said an engi-
neer.
Then every body rushed TO seize Gen. New
toms hand and congratulate him on the evil
dent success OF his great work, and the
screaming OF steam whistles, shouts and
cheers. eN pressed the joy OF the spectators.
Hearty cheers were given for Gen. Newton,
Capt. Mercur, Mr.. Streidenger, and Mrs
Newton, and then the general and his wife
and all the engineers embar Sed In the launch
and rode over 10 Hallett's Point TO look at
the results OF the explosion.
A tug boat soon landed party, but that
boat was Immediately ordered Off to make
room for the light house cutter Putnam, un-
der command of Commodore RhInd, which
bad on board four spar bouys sixty-six feet
long, painted red at the tops. To each OF
these was attached q stone weighing 1000
pounds. With these spars the ruins OF the
reef will be staked out Among those on
board who greeted General Newton was
Prof Henry OF the Smithsonian Institution.
General Newton and his wife msde q circuit
OF the works, accompanied by Captain. Mer-
cur, Captain Joseph Willard, and Mr.. Boyle,
and alter assuring himself Of the successful
explosion, and that no danger was possible,
81 naodf e sxf.,