New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-25
HE'LL CITE DEMOLISHED.

There is a familiar story of a sufferer from
toothache who had had considerable experience
of dentists. On one occasion he employed
skilled adept in the art of tooth-pullmg, and
his aching mOlar was suddenly and promptly
extracted. He remained still seated in the
armchair, with a dissatisfied expression on
his countenance. "Why,o he said to the den
fist. 81 thought that you would be half an
"bour doing it, and that | wouid be pulled
call around the ROOM" similar disappoint-
meut overlook many people in and around
this city yesterday. The list OF the dlsap-
pointed ones is long and cannot be given here
in full. Among them were the elderly gentle
men who hurried out of their hotels Just for
"a stroll" and by singular coincidence all
sought the middle of our open parks, so that
Madison and Union and Washington Squares
were crowded at fifteen minutes before p. m.
and nearly deserted shortly after 3. There
were the people who Tisked their constitutions
in the nOrth-easteTly storm by standing on
their house-tops all over tbe city III vain
hope that surrounding bOuse-tops would not
cut off their view of uplfted water and flying
understanding thus in general till long
after 3 o'clock aud then concluding that
the explosion did not take place. There
were the people who were crowded on the
wrong end of steamboats, on the East River,
and who had word sent to them by more for
tunate passengers just after the explosion
occurred There were the citizens who packed
up their vauables and went out OF town III
Saturday nights Storm to stay till the ALTAR
was OVER and the residents in the nciglibor-
hood of He'll Gate who added to these pTecau-
tons the removal of their window sashes from
the frames But most unfortunate OF all were
they who have been predicting ali sorts OF
danger in our public prints and tlling the
minds of the community with needless alarm.
On the other hand there are those who
rejoice, and with good reason. First among
these are Gen. Newton and his CONDUCTORS.
who have brought this great work to n sue
! cesgful issue. However deity and surely all
the arrangements had been made, the hours
before the great event must have been
frelghted with anxiety for those to whom they
were bringing the elimination of success or
, failure for seven years labor and ingenuity.
| He would have been more than n stole who
could have suppressed his feelings ut that SUI
preme moment when the hand Of child
pressed the lever and fifty thousand pounds
of the most terrible of modern explosives went
| off at a touch; when the waters of the East
| River rose like majestic fountain, followed by
| the crushed and crumbling rocks and showing
| at n glance that the whole work was an, IN
qualified success 1t must have been almost
equally gratifying to note that Gen. Newtons
predictions as to the slight effects of the ex-
plosidn upon persons and property III the
| vicinity were fulfilled to the letter; so that
the precautions which he had very properly
| suggested proved almost needless.
! OF the greater results which must follow the
completion of this work and the entire re-
moyal of the distinctions at HGlletts Point,
no adequate estimate can yet be made.
! There seems TO be some doubt III
the minds of our steamship owners whether
the opening of He'll Gate will make
it the favoIite channel to the sea. Com
| merce always hesitates befoIe leaving the
beaten track; but the large saving in time
and fuel that the East River route will pre-
sent must sooner or later give it the preference
for Atlantic traffic. Perhaps some OF the
smaller shipping interests will he the first to
accept the change, and it may be several
wears before warehouses will be more nu-
merous than factories in the vicinity of Har-
lem. But whether fast or slow, the change
Will be progressive and sure, and it will not
prove change alone but an absolute addition
tc the business and prosperity Of this city.
|