The New York herald., 1876-09-25
HE'LL GATE OPEN.
Successful Destruction Of Hallett's
Point Reef.
A TRIUMPH OF SCIENCE.
Thirty Thousand Tons of Rock
Blown to Pieces.
A GOOD SUNDAYS WORK
What Followed Little Mary NewtOn'S
Touch Upon Key.
THE MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE
How He'll Gates Waters Sprang
to Heaven-and Fell.
Elaborate Precautions Against
Accident.
NOT 4 BONE Oh A GLASS PANE BROKEN.
Croakers and Heacshakers Now Saw
Elaborate Precautions Against
Accident.
NOT A BONE Oh A GLASS PANE BROKEN.
Croakers and Heacshakers Now Say =
81 Tod You So"
NEW YORK RELIEVED OF ITS NIGHTMARE.
Divertins Scenes on The Streets, Cars
and Steamboats,.

victory for General John A. Newton greater than
any he achieved in war jubilee for commerce a
triumph, above oil, for sccncel The seven
years toll Of the drill and the blast ON
AaIletrs Point Reef at He'll Gate eliminated ten min
utes TO three O'Clock yesterday afternoon a grand
explosion, which successful ia every detail and in
The full accomplishment Of all tho results expected OF
Il, and without single disaster human lie or limb
Begun upon carefully matured plan; carried with
the quiet panstakng persistence OF science the long
labor Of demolishng the great reef has completed
In manner leaving nothing to be desired
The shock OF the explosion, so far rs
CONCERNED the island OF New York and tho
portions Of Long Island adjacent to the scene Of
the great blast perceptble only in the faintest
bration Never in New York's history there
much excitement expected event. Despite the
assurances Of the scientists that there little
Or NO danger Of fatal consequences an
defined fear In the breasts OF thousanda
Precautions, Otter Of tho most ludcrous nature
taken to guard against 4 shock which was COM
nunlcated s0mc thought by the underlying rock RIDGE
others by tho atmosphere Many feared the effect Of
che gases that be liberated hundreds
Of Thousands or cubic feeI
There was about the coming OF the blast thing
which had SOLDERING influence even on the mos.
assured. 1twas the Unknown. After science had SAID
its most hopeful and confdont word there margin
Of tho possible loft which might cover many dangers
sndreamed Of So New York slept uneasiy on Sunday
night and early yesterday morning full OF ex.
peetancy and curiosity and with slight Of fear
under the assuring smile. A leadcn sky and a
drixxling rain did not put citizens in bcttor
humor. and by noon tens Of thousands who
had made up their minds Saturday to get q far-of
glimpse Of tho great blast had decided not to risk
drenchng In addition to blowing up such often is
the influence Of the smaller dread the immeasu-
Saby greater. Tens oft ousands however, nocked by
TO tho places overlooking Hallets Point the
New York shore A passing survey Of tho works at
Aalfpast twelve showed group ofuinc going
two and fro upon 1t. The Astoria ferry running
An occasional tugboat gided past and trad.
Ing schoonors in from the Sound
through He'll Gate. General Newton's launch glided
back and forth from the works the reef the firing
point and thence to the scow anchored of Wards
Island, whereirom tho signal guns to be fired.
The rain had ceased spell by one o. clock and
thousands began TO pour along the lines Of the
MUGS to tho northeast OF the sand crowdng the horse
ears till there literally room for nomoro inside
outside The green carpet OF grass, sloping down
from Third avonuc above Ninetcth street, the East
River, rapidly becoming black with people. At
two N. the barometer had fallen from 20 90 % o.
and soon after the rain came again. heavier
dampcnng, but not qucnching, the ardor OF the ex-
pectant multitude now intently watching for the final
signalG The dull roar OF signal gun from the
The four guard boats police the four OPEN
ings on the rock-dottod basin OF He'll Gate arrive and
take their places respectively between Astoria and
Blackwells Island. Blackwell's Island and Now York,
Astoria and Wards Island, Wards Island and New
York. Thoy crammed with Spectators Small
sowboats hang in the OF tho mar
etcau nd I'm
maintained The water and shore. The Astorans
seem to have evacuated their dwellings and gathered
along tho waters edge in the OF the firing point
The inmates OF the waro's Island Insane Asylum have
Been removed - tho open air; the prisoners Black
wels Island locked in their ces tho windows Of
she houses within radius Of q mile ana half
he New York and Long Island shores are opened and
Dhe people begin TO stand OF DOORS Tor he Gen.
sral said So" Two millions Of people in New York,
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Jersey City and westehester
are listening almost painfully for tho dreadsd thunder
roar Tho docks OF tho East River down to the Bat
terry have their hundreds OF occupants Before overy
church and building with clock tower from Harlem
70 Trinity church hundreds and hundreds are massed
watching for tho moment which Ia W tell to
Nc senses by shock TO the ear to the
booy by mayhap some unknown catacysm,
that He'll Gate stands open wide People who have
been 10 the churches and swallowed hasty dinner
swell those throngs penetrated with innntc
eurosIty that all the Saboataran Dodges north or
south oi He'll Cato could curb
Tnoro arc fully 100000 people whose eyes fixed
upon tho reel II Is raining smarty but the drcnchng
% formidable In the morning. has become a secondary
consideration ~ thcm They damp, tremu-
lous und vigIant The MINUTES wear on The steamers
In ther marshaled lines shifting uneasiiy behind
the heavily laden guard boats which arc mildly CON-
ncnded 10 the warmer regions for their momentary
obstruction OF a view OF the works. as they lie dark
Md silent at the end OF Haetis Point lust as they have
hin Sunday after Sunday for years pust The
outline OF the Golfer dam seen from the opposite
sborcs with The dark brown buildings punched behind
and slrasgling out The great charged mne with tho
dark wator nng its tunnels that the teeth Of tho drill
and the snap oil tho blast have followed out lies still
snd siIcnt--a menace and promise. Tho second gun
fred ut twenty minutes TO three. General Newton
sith his assistants nro still busy at tho bombprooi
There Is undue has,c everything has been calcu.
Iatcd and orctimcd Tho cranks arc turned complct-
ting the battery. The bombproof door boIted; the
uaals white launch SiAan,s siraaaonsy away TO The