South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-09-29

HE GREAT HE'LL GATE EXPLOSruN.
The great event az New York vester.
day was the blowing UP OF what IL call.
ed Hell Gate, in the river at Iallctt's
Point, which was fxei 10y Gen. Newton
Mt go on Sunday. Those who expel.
ted anything like an oarlhquakc were
disappointed. as tho only noise heard
was dull thud, and 40 damage ensued
above the waters or on land The state
of the tide, Tho nature OF the explosive
compounds employed, and the like, had
been urged rs reasons why the explosion
should occur on day which is among
Christians regarded rs sacred and peace.
full. Gen. Newton, a. writer in the
Ereni,,Y PjSt states, has been under q
great ,.rain OF mental anxiety in regard
to this important T!cce OF work, and hal
been called upon by representatives OF
church organization - protest against
u Dissertation OF tEiuss which flcy I'D
sacred. GcH. HcSton gave to these ron.
tiemcn tho facts which he regarded .s
jnstiiyirg his action. lie took the
ground that the explosion must not re
delayed an hour longer than is a5sol g.
iy necessary, and that the high WAGER
fixed the hour beyond possible danger.
lie said to Il reporter that he thought ii
would be almost criminal in him to allow
that immense mass Of explosives to re.
main n single hour longer than could
possibly be avoided. High water would
occur at $50 l.. VI, Sunday, and the ex-
plosion must take place then. II the
mine, by some unforeseen accident. hap
pcned to explode in the night and at low
water, when no preparations had been
made for such on event, there might be
loss Of life.
He'll gate is narrow, rocky pass in
the East river. about seven miles north.
cast of New York city. The name is n
corruption Of the old Dutch word IIorll
Gait, sisnifying whirl passage or whirl.
pool strait, which was applied to the
place on account Of the dangerous ed.
dies formerly produced there at certain
tides. The removal Of the rocks which
have caused these eGdies. il successfully
accomplished, will be very important to
the safety of the navigation OF the Fast
riycr.-Btaf. SIN, Seji. %.
Gen. Newton on Monday pronounced
Hell gate explosion thorough ono.-
Some persons were inclined TO believe.
from the slight noise and shock. that on.
IS part Of the cNp'OSion had been dis.
charged. General Newton's daughter.
Mary. q child aged three years, touched
the key which exploded the reef on
Sunday.
rEoT. HENRT's EXPERIMENTS.
Among the visitors seen on tic grounds
after the blast was Prof. Henry Of the
Smithsonian Institution, who expressed
the opinion that the result Of tic cxplo
sion vas admirable
WHAT Az OLD -AuoH SAYS.
An old sailor who visited the scene
Of tho explosion Yesterday said -
"Well, I've been sailing over this reef
% years. I've seen the water at low
tide here for n quarter Of century, and
never until 90 day did see IL 1T low
tile without seeing those treacherous
. rocks At the moment OF his speak ING
the tide was at its lowest and not only
was 30 suspicion Of q rock visible. but
the smoothly flowing water gave no init.
nation That ilallctCs reef was not redu,
ced 70 utterly iwpalpablc powder.
Congress for the He'll Gate and East
River improvements since 1868 TO 1876
has appropriated $l,9iO.O0O. The total
amount expended by Cen Newton ND
to August J. 1876. was S1,GSG.841 IS.
The estimated cost OF completing the
entire work Of improving He'll Gate and
the East River is 50 l3912O.
Gen. John Newton, the hero OF the
great engineering feat nc He'll Gate, was
born in Virginia ABOUT the year 1928.
and graduated at the West Point Mill
taiy Academy in 1912. During the last
six years Gen. Newton has TO the mind
OF thc American public been identified
with the great works al He'll Gate.