The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-09-25

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toms auxiliary battery before explod-
Ing the mine. This was accomplished,
and the last touch, the closing of the
electric circuit, was now all that re-
mained to be done. While the Chief
| Engineer and his assistants were thus
preparing tor the grand climax, the
crowds were waiting patiently.
| AT 2:23 2. NJ, the first signal gun was
| fired. Expectation became rampant,
watches were looked at eagerly and
minutes counted until the great ex-
| plosion should occur.
AT 2:4O Z. NJ. the second gun doomed
| forth It's warning. Only ten minutes
now to wait. The excitement was now
at fever heat, and minutes crept slowly
| by. The eyes OF a hundred thousand
spectators were turned towards He'll
Gate Il Ell, and the ears of probably over
a million people were earnestly inclined
to catch the first sound of the impending
explosion.
Finally, at two hours, forty-eight min
utes and thirty seconds, roaring, re-
Verberating sound was heard, taking
every one by surprise, very palpable
vibration of The earth following, lasting
about two seconds. A stream of water
suddenly shot up at Hallets Point to
thirty or forty feet in height, and was
| succeeded by massive column OF black
water full of stones, loose rock and dirt,
which rose to height of ten or fifteen
feet, many pieces OF rock being thrown
seventy feet high.
There was no paralyzing shock, no
stunning or tremendous detonation, no
earthquake convulsion, and none of the
spectators experienced the grand, terri
lying spectacle they had expected.
All was over in three seconds at the
| far hest. AS the water spouLs subsidized
high wave OF dark muddy water rolled
from HalletVs Reef toward the New
I ork shore, but it's force was soon spent,
and before it itreached the shore it was in.
capable of danger. So surprised were
the spectators at the apparently insig-
nl1cant result that many of them were
inclined 10 believe that only portion of
the terrible dynamite had exploded and
| that their ears would yet be stunned by
the deafening report Of greater eX-
plosion, but no further noise was heard.
The mine had indeed been fired, aud the
| work OF seven years had eliminated.
Crowds, however, still fingered ex.
pectantly. Their eyes turned in the di-
rection of the spot where the cloud Of
white ioaming water had risen u few
minutes previous.
The effect OF the explosion was felt
tugs. IL was as ii they had struck log
and experienced trihDg shock. On
Wards and Blackwelps Islands, where
the city officials and invited guests were
assembled, the shock was very distinct
ly lelt but no damage done. -Four guard
boats had been placed ut various points
OF the river to keep the channel clear.
Ihe spectators on these boats felt the
tremor very slightly. There was no
palpaOle atmospheric shock after the
explosion. Alter some little of enthu-
siasm the crowds began to dispense.
The cars and carriages that had con-
yeyed them to the scene were again
filled to suffocation, and the Yari-
Gus river steamers were also crowded
The drinking gardens and other places
OF resort along the river did a very
prosperous business III letting out seats
to spectators a profitable prices. Many
tenants OF dwellings hired out their win
doWs and roofs for the occasion. Some
had erected scatfolds with long rows OF
seats, which were let at various rates.
so great was the crowd that some of
the rude framework and scatfolds fell
down.
Although General Newton had indi.
that the Ninety second street
SIDE was the most dangerous, still
the warning did not deter several
thousand persons from crowding there.
nearly one-haf being workmen. The
river steamers, horse cars lines ana
hackmen did good business; indeed il
appears that there were not half suHi-
cient conVeyances to be found in the
city for such a crowd as witnessed the
explosion. The cars were overloaded, |
Tor several OF the drivers were arrested
by Bergh's officers for taking on too |
many passengers.
old daughter closed the electric |
key which exploded the mine.
When at 2:48 p. III. she pressel her |
finger upon it and thereby Completed |
the electric circuit, the torpedo ex-
ploded and instantly the grand explo- |
sion followed.
In the mine was "a Sl2 pounds of DIV.
Mantle in Tin cartridge, l, i64 pounds in |
paper cartridges and 29L5 pounds in !
primers, 9,G6lH pounds OF rend.rock cart.
ridges, Ia, IA pounds OF vulcan poWderin
cartridges, making a total OF 81, 2C6L
pounds OF explosives. These were placed
In 4, 462 holes and pipes in the various
galleries OF the mine, and at the time of
she explosion submerged. The primers
were connected by wires with 9t) cells
ii large electrlc battery, this |
arge battery being subdivided
nto II batteries of 40 cells each, 4 of 43
;ells, and 7 of A cells. 70 make this
connection 100000 feet of connecting
wire was used and 100000 feet OF leading
wire. These wires We're attached to the
then brought up to the shaft in
lube, and the other end attached to
he batteries not far from the shaft, c
iere the electric circuit was to be !
Completed by bringing together
Wo metallic discs and tie explosion
1 torpedo. The actual firing
tation was some further distance
IT.. When the key was pressed the tor I
edo exploded, and the metal discs
leeting, the circuit was complete and
he explosion instantly followed. Gen, .
IewtoWs representations that the ex-
losion would be scarcely felt were 8
Ally verified, and the general expecta. Ii
ion of witnessing something on mag
ltlcent scale was disappointed.
whether the work has been success II
IL or not, and a channel navigable to n
cean steamers been opened, can not b e +
etermined till after the dragging and "
earing away OF the debris of the He'll
ate rocks has been completed. -
The morning papers give elaborate &C. +
)unts OF the Hell Gale explosion, and q
a in |