The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-25
A Child Firing the Mine.

Inside the gates of the Government
works, with their staring WARNINGS, Danger
Nitro glycerine-no admittance," all was astir
early yesterday morning. The United States
troops ana the Long Island city police were ON
the ground by 9& o'clock but the Gordon OF
guards around the works was not drawn until
afternoon. The police and soldiers gathered In
empty sheds, aud lager beer saloon a few hun
nred feet from the bomb-proof containlng the
batteries. Many persons with passes went in
bide the bomb-proof; or stood upon the point
Of the reef AT the mouth Of the main shaft, and
pazed at the water covering the mouster mine
md tormehted their imacinatlons with tho pic
ture of what would happen TO them II the charge
should accidentally explode. Meanwhile the
rain poured down, aud light mist hung over
Tho water. Sloops tackled this way and that
right over the mine on their way up and down
the river, and tugooats M they rushed over the
dangerous water screamed as n In alright.
The rain 1t was feared, would inJurs the
power OF the batteries, and Mr. julius Streidep-
ger the electrician, sat with his assistants un-
der canvas awning In the rear Of tho wide
open mouth of the bomb proof, testing the
conducting power OF the wires with a cal.
vanomoter THIS was a delicate operation and
70 the uniDitiated seemed dangerous. To be
told that sn electric current was shooting
through those wires, and that a little piece Of
tnterposed platinum wire. no bigger than q hair,
~
bundle Of wires that led down into the shaft
and connected with the explOders In the mine,
made "A man feel that he would rather be few
thousand feet further of while they were fool
ing with the lig thing. But the brOuzed face
OF MI SueidengoT showed no emotion, HIS
fingers did not tremble In manipulating the
wlres, nor bis voice in directing his men. Above
quo bOinb PROOF was "A KIND OF Eallows frame,
rom which uahgled rope. THIS Was right over
tue great battery, and from II was to hang the
stout rope. divided in tho middle by torpedo,
and supporting at the other end the heavy brass
plate conuectcd with the wire. Cuder this Bus-
ponded flhte was another of the same size con-
nected with the wires leading into the mine
Ihe upper Plate was studded with brass points,
and tue lower one with.nttle CUPS to contain
mercury. Alter the connection, were COM
pletod "A sp4fk sent through the main wire by
usn. Newton would EXPLODE tie toruedo avid
lug the rope over the OOmb Ir4af thus seyerina
II, and allowing the suspended date or disc i'm
Inen the PROJECTING points VI The one would ,liu
iutp tie a. MtrCufy cups Of the other, thu, max NJ
Tue whoIe crcut compete, and sending Tho
elechicity on Its terrible errand through lsi
WHO intJ tue hO n uf the gTrAf mine.
Ihs m0dih Of the shaft was nllad with water
and II looked like gr al pool, showing that TIE
cageIu- beneath were iull 10 tncir TO0fs. A ew
men wtro working around tue shaft clearing
away COINS ana carving, Mith eItfrine careful
ness, boxes Of dynamite th.t hrd been left over
down TO "A boat which preseutly Nas IONed 10
Black Tom island. The lnhAl ifed houses within
fhe danger lines were AZ an enry hour deserted by
thelT inmates. Everywhere anxeiy and sIspeuse
wois visible. Those who were cngl Iyed about
the batteries In tue bomb proof talked Ia low
yOicos. and stepped AS carefully az though their
feet, too rudolY touching the AoOr, mignt excite
ths t.Tribly sensitive dynamite IN i's rocky
prison - u premature explosion. Ins bomb
pIoof Was strong work. made with heavy
s'0hv walls and Toof lhIekly Todded outside.