The New York herald., 1876-09-25

break through the lines OF police and soldiers and
column OF them como rushing down the narrow road
toward tho site OF tho excavation like mill stream
which had carried away its dam. They irresist-
bic, and swarming over the place they demolished
the wires carrying OF whole coils OF II mcmcntocs
One managed TO sIcal mercury from the bat
terry cups, and proudly exhibited IT, The Ninety
second street ferry carries over all that the boats will
hold OF the crowd that had viewed the blast frcm Har
lem, and in a short time the grounds fairly black
with the moving. shouting, excited crowd Even the
wires tho poes leading to the ferry battery
cut down and stoen and it required all General
Abbotts energy to save bis special WIRE
GENERAL MALIIFERr
General Malefert long Identified with the works at
He'll Gate, and civil engineer of great repute
found Vt late hour last evening his home in Astoria
Ho told the HERALD reporter that soundngs
had yet been made, but Of course would be at
once IL was .dec,dedly his opinion from his
knowledge of the subterranean structure and
the manner Of the mining, that the explosion
. decided and wonderful success There not
shadow Of doubt in his mind that the whole super
incumbent rock Tor roof had fallen and this would DO
demonstrated, he thought at an early day. The dome
ike shape Of the roof and the very thorough under
mining. leaving but the arches support. would in
sure Its destruction with blast like that Of yesterday
This opinion from eminent source of course seems
to make 1t certain tho work a far
tho crumbing Of the entire reef is concerned
WARDS ISLAND.
II clear to the cxpcctant visitor ho stepped
ashore yesterday at Wards Island tha, something very
unusual was 10 progress Crowds OF we'll dressed
people were moving about in every direction. Astrong
force OF police scattered tho grounds, and
officials constantly going and coming with busy
air This the state Of things from the latter part
Of tho forenoon up till about two O'Clock. Al that
hour the majority OF those the island might be
making their way to the nearest point from which
visitors allowed TO view the great uphoavaL
Previous to following their example tho writer walked
through such portions OF the grounds would afford
interesting incidents, in company with Commissioner
Starr aud ex-Commissioner Stephenson 1t ex-
pected that the certainty OF shaking Of
sort, with tho supposed possible contingencies OF
tumbling ceilings and rent walls, would produce q
considerable effect upon the untutored minds OF tho
denizcns OF the island The HgnALD representative
was not therefore surprised NJ seeing the wards and
detached buildings vacated by the aoIo bodied and
such OF the sick could walk some timo previous to
the explosion. But it with very considerable
constituent that he observed, soon after two O'Clock,
bed-riddcn patients lying in the open air in sharp
drizzling rain. This probably due to the humane
account Of their unreasoning terror taken by the KIND
hearted superintendent They were, however very
properly ordered back TO shelter. At tue viowing
point, where the police wero drawn up, the crowd
cannot be said to have been very large and still less
can It be called demonstrative one When the
second gun fired comparative silence fell upon tho
long line OF eager onlookers, and watches
suited For tho i've minutes previous TO the explosion
this silence absolute and oppressive, and every
man in tho crowd knew from the tremulousness OF his
own cardiac region how everybody else felt. Thirty
Ave seconds moro, " shouted out a stawart In the
crowd During these thirty 1--WE seconds tho placid
appearance OF the waters right tho reef had
thing Of dread suggcstivencss about it. The mird
rapidly calculated the porenious latent forces beneath
ready leap into mighty activity at the beck Of man,
and seemed to Tor preliminary ierment by
which the effect and tho result OF those dreaded forces
could be measured But the -hucd water gave
not Only the crowded steamers and boats just with
tho prescribed line of water enforced. by their
contrast the omnous absence OF all craft within
that line, the idea that huge and dangerous affair
| was hand. After the shout OF 'thirty-nve Soc
onds," mentioned above, the silence OF tho
assomblago unbroken until dull, muhed
| rumble under tho feet Of the expect
ant crowd, and that dreaded quverng Of
mother earth not unfamiliar TO the inhabitants OF VOL
canic regions. itself TO the frames Of tho
| statuc-lke and evidently anxious gathering. This
quivering jar lasted but couple Of seconds 80
| much-timo und6r these circumstances fcarfally
| loug-but It WIS = jar which once experienced is
forgotten 1t has the element OF the unnatural
III IT, The thing Of oil which ought be the last to
undulate, vbrato quiver-tho earth-secms to do
all this once; the motion. whatever It may bo
termed, Is SO composite and rapidly multiplied that
the mind Is nstantaneousy distressed ut this uncanny
! shaking OF tho tenement which It inhabils Much
moro than said hero passed through onc's head
the second that the quivcring lasted; but the
| attention Immediately diverted from this cur
rent Of thought Directly In front OF tho
| ing point there suddenly arose. as though by
magic, solid wall Of water, looking, at the writer's
distance from it, about forty fec. in height bu. actually
sixty. and resembling improvised waterfall
gigantic transformation scene Tie long line OF this
| aqueous embattcment was OF snowy whtenoss and
oven at tho distance OF which standing could
be recognized In outline markedly distinct feature
from falling wate. When 1t had attained its greatest
height seemed for instant to be poised in tho
and looked iiko a huge but disordered lace curtain
drawn the distant landscape The beauty OF its
color tho extreme right was, however, marred
Tor a second body Of dark, backish gray shot RICH.
up into II, seeming TO contain within itself solids Of
| an over deeper hue. All this lasted but moment
During that moment not man viewing it brca;Led
Thou It suddenly to collapse, the
| river beneath foamed and fretted toward
the spectator Of dirty, grayish yellow, and the great
| explosion The line which had been kept
back by tho police broke forward with ringing
cheor to the accompaniment OF all tho steam whistles
| OH the river Enthusiasm seemed TO begin and end
here. The mind Of most present had been worked up
| to such q pitch that. stupendous the sight
doubtedy was, evidently fell far short Of tho general
expectation and is clear that General Newton
NAV proceed, whenever ho chooses, the same way
| with ton times the amount OF the tremendous ex-
posives used without rung the serenity OF tho most
decatcly balanced in the city Tho crowd had
seen sight and made for the steamers In waiting
without making any further demonstration. Uni.
versal satisfaction was, however, expressed that Gen.
| cral Newton's long aud arduous toll had been thus
| splendidly crowned.
BLAcKwELLs ISLAND
of uutlc I'M m and nj Csuk