New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-29
The Explosion.

General Newton has abundant reason fol
reorganization, and New York rel ices
with him to-day. His great work has
reached q succetsful crisis and has passed
it triumphantly. Science has achieved a.
other brilliant victory, and the success is
all the more welcome because it was blood.
less. The work of yesterday demonstrated
that the most powerful and dangerous ex-
plosives which modern chemistry has dis.
covered can be safely used 10 immer SO
quantities by Q competent and courageous
hand. Heretofore III. SO things have been
valued for their effectiveness in destroying
human life, but the world is beginning to
learn that even gunpo wder has economic
uses, and gets new valuation from the
work dcns in the HOosac mountain. 1t ia
rot 80 . man killer but rock breaker and
road maker that nitro-glyceriue will be
esteemed, and Hsllett' Reefs will be noted
as the place where it was first used in large
quantities. Peace need more powerful
agents and fuer implements than war.
1t IL too soon, however, to boast over the
results OF yesterdays explosion, for we do
not know what the effect on the sunken
reef was. Perhaps the result has been far
less complete than IL expected. This would
dieoppoint the saDguine and necessitate q
still larger outlay of money and prOlopg
the work. We are little surprised that
most OF the papers represent the work at
this dangerous point 10 practically COM
pleted, when ct the most it is only begun.
Hallett's reef IL but one of score of ship
Nrec king rocks that virtually close our
harbOr to commerce at the upper end. If
yesterdays explosion was completely sue
cessful it 10 only the b. ginning OF the end.
and the work of drIling and boring
and exploding will have to be re.
peated lOr years before this danger
Gus channel is cleared of INSTRUCTIONS
a t.a ~
cess at This point, however, will stimulate
the work at all others, and hasten the com.
pleie opening OF the gate. 1t is pleasant to
note TIE tone of cOngratulatiOn in which
every body speaks OF yesterdays achieve.
ment. General Newton is the hero of the
day. IL must not be forgotten that he is
an fficer OF the government and that the
work he has carried forward 9th 60 much
energy and devotion is one of the results of
1asnIon with 60 many people to disparage
and dtplOre. 1t is part of the policy Of |
public improvement which has been VIC |
ienfIy resitttd and condemned by Demo-
cratic politicians. And this important
work illustrates the true uses and tunc-
TORS OF government. 1t should do every.
thing OF this kind which the public |
lnMrsst ana welfare require 1t
should undertake what is neeoful for |
the public prosperity which private enter
prise can not accomplish go we'll Indlyid.
uals could not have done the work 40
cheaply nor 60 we'll as it had been done by |
the govern ment, v hich could command the |
beet talent and bring all the resources Of |
science ind art to Gear on the result. A
private corporation would have made
greater waste in prosecuting the work, and |
have swiDoled the country in the end. The |
best wsrks If the world have been made by |
2Overnmepts. IA the EyyDtian Dvramida
and Roman aqueduc.s and roads, and even
our own public buildings, show. And yes.
terdsy's explosion, which was the culmina-
tion vt seven years of patient, wisely d. |
recfed, energetic labor, shows what the |
govern meDt can do and ought to do to pro-
mote the SAFETY srd national interests of |
York Graphic.