The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-27
For Il is fact that thereawas nothing In
inred, nothing broken, twisted, or comfort

down INTO the pit, had been iIlSed from ITS
piers and thrown upright some twenty five
feet away. Yet even here only two VIM
dows had been shattered, and this evidently
BY the torrents OF water that had fallen on
it and washed It from end to end. The top
section of the stairs had been uni totnted and
placidly deposited on the bank, the second
section was floating calmly upon the Wa
tiers, but the third and fourth had
westerners. cali &. eternal smash" In
the compressing-house and the, engine
house not pane OF glass had been
shattered, not an object had been stirred,
and even that resolute black and white cat
was alive and unhurt. She stood upon the
top of one OF the boilers mewing piteously,
with her hair and tail In a highly electrical
disturbed condition, from which it might
be inferred that the tremor which had been
so lightly felt at the firing point had given
her most unpleasant experience. Yet,
without doubt, the whole party might have
remained in the bomb-proof erected for the
protection of the electric batteries without
The least bad result, though, Ike poor pussy,
the nerves OF some would have been I'M
pleasantly shocked. =
THE SCENE.
The scene now became exceedingly AMI
mated. The steamers cruised as close to the
spot MS they dared, and gave forth series
of steam-shriekings Us q proof OF the gene
raj Joy. The people in the boats landed and
commenced to forage for bits Of wire; for
these abounded in every direction. Yet
there were immense masses that remained
uninjured, and the police had some difi.
Guilty in persuading individuals that they
must not attempt to cut of sections OF
this. Vast crowds had now crossed over
from the New York side and were pour
ing in upon the spot, and thousands
more were advancing through Manson
street, all Of them filed with the widest
curiosity to see the effect Of so great an eX-
plosion. Those who had seen encountered
those who wanted to see, and rs both par
ties were exceedingly eager to get on, and
the road was very narrow, progress became
almost as difficult as civil-seryice reform.
When upon the ferry boat there was similar.
scene on arriving at the dock at Ninety-se-
cond street, for the crowds there were equal
ly great and equally impetuous, and Durst
upon the boat before the landing was made,
forcing their way through the people. py
sheer impetus. There was force OF police
men at the ferry entrance, and they were
compelled to use their clubs to restrain the
ardor OF those who would not get into hne
y
turn. In fact, all the tens OF thousands
who had swarmed upon the slopes and
blackened the green sward had poured
down upon the ferry, and were endeaYor-
ing to take it by storm. Third avenue was
equally crowded, and the condition OF the
horse-cars was something equally ludicrous
and painful. They were so full that q dog
could not have got on, or in, even OF
the smallest breed, and as eacn
hopeful pedestrian emerged from the hill up
Ninety-second street upon the avenue, and
ruefuily surveyed them, he was saluted
by the street Arabs with derisive cheers and
cheerful cries of HPlenty of room, Cap'n
hang on to the bell-punch." The hasty and
spendthrift took the hacks which had been
brought there by speculative drivers, the
impatient but reflective walked on to Modl-
son avenue, and got into the cars OF that
line, and the patient sat down and wated
until a car came along which had not been
filled up before reaching that point. This
was not for hours, for the crowds were 1m-
mense. W. .tar.fs. .a.,..,.-. t,f.
SUBSTANTIAL SUCCESS OF THE EXPLOSION. u
With regard to the more substantial sue
cess of the explosion, General Newton and
all the engineers who were present. say
that nothing can be definitely known till the
reef has been carefully surveyed and sound
ed, though they have every reason to nope
that the reef was entirely blown to pieces.
One piece Of indirect testimony can be ad-
duced by the writer in favor OF this surmlse.
In addition to being we'll acquainted with
the position and general outline of the reef
and the arrangements OF the headings and
galleries of the mine, he had taken the pre-
caution to have in his hand at the moment
OF the explosion small diagram OF the
reef. When the small columns or series OF
Jets of water first thrown up by the explo-
sion had fallen, but while the disturbance
OF the water was still in full bubbling ac-
tivity from the escape Of the remaining lib
Grated gases, he was enabled to compare,
momentarily, the shape OF the water
disturbance with the shape Of the
original reef. They corresponded in
remarkable degree, the only notable
difference being lesser surface disturb
ance as the depth OF water increased
over the reef. This would appear to point
to an equal action in the mine OF the eX.
plosiyes, and to correspondlngly equal
break-up of the rock. AS to the success OF
General Abbotrs interesting experiments
with regard to the shock-waye nothing can
ha known till he has collected his data from
bis various points of observation, and made
his calculations and deductions. This IS
impossibIe for day or two, and any
statements Of the results Of his labors
will be mere guess-work and totally un-
reJiahle. AS mere matter Of science Gene
raj Abbott's deductions will be most IN
teresting and valuable; for practical pur-
noses the He'll Gate explosion has shown py
its innocence of all harm that they are I'M
important. No one will again fear any great
shock from submarine explosions or dyna-
mite. Too many thousands OF persons nave
secured Inementoes of the comparatively
lamb-like explosion Of Hell-Gate In tne
shane OF pieces OF the insulated wires W6lcn
conducted the electric current Whlcn
caused 1t. sat@ ~
The following extracts are from various
New York papers:
GENERAL NEWTON SATISFIED.
A reporter sought General Newton I'M
mediately after his inspection OF toe scene
10 the blast. In reply to the reporters
question whether the result had met bis ex-
pectations he said: ss Entirely, sir, entirely.
The current has been shifted completely
and instantaneously. I expected it would
do So" -.LEe
success, then
General Newton: Yes, sir, q perfect sue
cess as complete as could have desired.
Reporter: What will be the next move ?
General Newton: To buoy the channel.
You see. there may have been q SERIOUS
change OF level 1t is possible that the DOT
tom has been rendered shoaler than before
ON the outer points OF the former Teer.
q Dnra.<ae. uoxu 1or1r will IL take to make