The Portland daily press., 1876-09-25

the battery. The subsistence of the waters af-
ter the explosion showed that the cofferdam
and its immediate appurtenances had been en-
tirely destroyed. The wharf just above was torn
away, the small work bouses in close juxtapo-
stion were wrecked. There were two of them
and perhaps less than fifty feet of the earth
facing the water were broken away There
were several little wooden houses within 100
feet of the explosion where windows were moi
broken and large iewelry factory less than
sixteenth of a mile distant with at least 500
panes of glass had not one window pane crack
ed. The fleet of steamers that with thousands
of crowded humanity Immediately steamed
through the debris that hoated on the tide was
equalled only by the hundreds of row boats that
sped their way to the scene in search of dead
fish or drift wood. The number of fish found
were ridiculously few, one of them being leap.
tured in stunned condition which weighed
less than four lbs, a striped bass. The govern
ment police, charity, emigration and excursion
steamers all made trips over the late reef and
then steamed for home.
The praise of Major Gen. Newton, the repre-.
sentative scientific engineer of this age,is upon
everybody's lips, and no man in this commune
ty is held in,higher esteem than he. Everything
was accomplished as he said it would be, and
navigation of He'll Gate hereafter (thanks to
hlml will be probably as safe as the deepest
portions of Long Island Sound.
The high grounds of New York City were
literally covered with people, and all spots Civ
ing an unobstructed view of the explosion were
crowded and jammed. Schooner Trade Wind,
Gray, from Rockland, Isaac Stiwell pilot, was
the first vessel to pass through He'll Gate after
the explosion.
VIM. E. Dodge having addressed long let
ter to Gen. Newton on his unnecessary. desc.
Grafton of the Sabbath and intimating that he
was making a public show OF the explosion,
Gen. Newton forwarded the following deserved
reply:
HALLETT's POINT, Sept. 20.
Mr. VIM E. Dodge-Slr, I received COM
munication from you, dated Sept. %, in which
You decline an alleged invitation from me to
witness the explosion at He'll Gate on Sunday,
the oath inst AS you take a great deal of
pains to 60 out of your way to violate the COM
mon courtesies of social intercourse, take this
occasion to inform you that did not write you
nor even knew of your invitation until the re-
ceipt of your refusal of acceptance The truth
is left the matter of invitation to the chamber
of commerce and LIEUT. Willard, q. 8. engin-
eer, with instructions to invite certain num-
Der of gentlemen. regret to find that in one
case he has made a mistake.
Your obedient servant,
JOHN NEWTON,
Lieut. Col. Engineers.
About IL o'clock streams of pedestrians were
vending their way across the city to points of
observation on the east side. Vast number
pected would be magnificent spectacle Spec
tators swarmed on the piers and low grounds
directly in line with the rock where they
would have been drowned by thousands in case
of wave.
At2 o'clock faint puff of smoke arose from
the government scow, followed by the report of
the first gun. Ten minutes later there was an
other report and deep hush fell upon the
multitude. The stiffness was complete and up
broken from then till the third gun at ten min
| utes to 8, which was followed precisely at nine
minutes to 8 by the explosion.
In straight and seemingly narrow line run
ming north and south for about 800 yards, the
water was whitened and rose evenly three or
feet high, a dull thud was heard, the rocks
trembled beneath the feet of the multitude as
| if from two quick, short pulsations of an
earthquake The water, which appeared to re-
main stationary for an instant, broke and
spurted up in irregular dark yellowish masses
about - feet high mixed with dark smoke
from the dynamite. Then it fell back and the
river in moment resumed its usual peaceful
aspect Thea mighty cheer arose from all
the northeast side of the city and from the
steamers and boats and whistles were blown
and the bells were rung ont joyously and all
was over.
The report was scarcely noticeable and not SO
much as ripple was caused upon the water
save just over the spot where the explosion
took place. There was no conclusion in the
air and not pane of glass was broken in the
cityfor on Wards Island. That the work was
efectually done is the general feeling and this
also appears from the fact that the police boat
passed over the spot safely.