Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-09-25
The Explosion a Most Complete
SucceSS.
/ Great Triumph for Amerf-
can Engineering.
No Accident of Any KIND Occurred
Neatly 100000 People Witness
the Explosion.

| new lOTk, september "a. Inc American
glneering triumphed without more than percep-
tible quiver over the city, and with the single
throwing up OF two columns of water Hallett's
Re is destroyed. There was no accident
New York, september "A. Shortly after 2.5l a
despatch was received at S7th street precinct
STATING that the shock was felt at that place An
other communication from the penitentiarv states
that the report was dull and the vibration very
| slight. A telegram from the twenty five precint
states that no accident occurred and the explosion
was complete success. A despatch from
foukers states that a slight tremor was percept-
able there. Br. Pemod, IN charge of the signal
station At New York, 6 IA miles from the scene
of the explosion says he heard the noise
of the blast which resembled voley of musketry.
| Large crowds on the New York aud Astoria shores
ON Wards and Blackwelis Islands were watching
| for the exp osion.
| To-day was celebrated by New England cas-.
ter} rain storm and all the dIscomforts attendant
| thereirom. notwithstanding the fact thousands
of eople at beg an their routes towards Hal
cts Point, He'll Gate TO be in ason to witness
| the grand explosion prom sed by General Newton.
| They were not disappointed. The arrangements
| under the supervision of that distinguished Amer
lcan army engineer, were all completed Satur-
day night to the mlnutest details.
Ills cautIOnary advice to all interested were rig
idly observed, such as the yacaling of domlciles
III close continuity to the reef, aud houses even at
| II considerable distance, while doors and " nlows
lett invitingIy open for sneak thieves in As
tOrla. The general however had arranged for
soldiers OF the reg uiar army to guard property so
that noting was lett to the peculation of thieves.
| The steamboats, which were to convey the in
vited guests all rendezyoused at Odd street, East
| River, as well the U. 5. officials who were
transported thither upon the city police boat.
Quite number of invited guests were present
| upon Wards island, which is to the northw ard
aud eastward OF Hallett reef. The high hills on
| the New York side OF the East River and the
streets and avenues were literally black with peo-
pie, reminding many military people present Of
the appearance OF Gettysburg Heights, just before
the great battle OF Gettysburg. The pro-
| gramme of Gen. Newton as 10 the guarding of
tue river, was carried out to the letter. Steam
boats under his orders were stationed at points
within radius of three quarters of q mile, east
and west OF the reef, TO prevent any vessels from
approaching within the supposed danger lines.
There were some two dozen steamers loaded to
their guards with people, which were within safe
| sightseeing distance of the doomed reef, while
| the government scow, which has for many
months done duty at the reef, anchored be-
| tween Wards Island and the New York shore
with the family of Gen. Newton, and several dis
| tnguished American and foreign engineers, and
army and naval officers and friends. Lining the
| shores were quite large number of yachts, steam
| launches, row boats club boats, racers dories
shells and dingies, filled with adventurous oars
| men, and risky families of the traditional New
Workers, who would almost welcome eternity If
accomplished in sensational sightseeing. There
were at least from the standpoint, Wards island
|
touch of the electric spark to the grand battery.
| AT % O'Clock, the first warning gun was fired,
| and the great crowds then began to fully realize
that the decree of regular army officer of the
| [ nited States was something to be depended up.
on The second gun resounded, as was previous
ly announced, and it was accompanied by q fresh
gust of east wind that came booming from the
ocean, over Long Island, with b downfall of rain
mist that was uncomfortable in the extreme. The
great crowds remained immovabl only watching
| nn M to hpmh nd tha do,
at llalletts point lest there might be premature
| explosion and they would not be prepared for it.
There not a boat to be seen within the pro-
scribed limits. The Dogberry police even insist
ed upon the thousands OF people on Wards island
keeping rigidly within an imaginary line, drawn
from where the favored Police Commissioners
stood toward the brick insane hospital. The
steamboats, had all their boilers so arranged that
any undue atmospheric disturbance should not
disarrange their equilibrium At 2.30 o'clock,
solitary L. S. marine, in u blue overcoat with his
bayoneted rifle at the shoulder, paced before the
bomb proof within few yards Of what has been
known as the heading of the Main shaft to the
hone, -combed reef. lie was shortly afterwards
Withdrawn, but would have undoubtedly as i'm
pertur badly have performed his duty during the
next hour, as If on q common daily tramp back
aud forth at his accustomed barrack. The sus-
pense between 2.40 and 252 was q thing almost
iet. AT last the third gun resouantly echoed
among the islands, and sulenly lost itself against
tina easterly gale and the woods of Long Island
Watches were Immediately d. avn, and field and
opera glasses were levtled toward Halett's Point,
and the seconds were counted. Fifteen seconds
went by and several hasty people exclaimed in
an unuertone, cts too bad for Newton, the bat
terry has failed him." Five second, more of sus
pense, when there was suppressed rumble, an
exclamation of, There she goes" "Bully for
Newton" aud the crowd of refined gentlemen
on W ards island, headed by his honor, Mayor
WICkam and the Police Commissioners, paving
no heed TO the oticIous policemen, rapidly walked
nearer the edge of the water The scene was
one never to be forgotten. The elevation on
| Waid's island, for the spectators, was perhaps
some fifty feet above high water mark. The
powerful glass of the writer had been rigorous
~ kept upon the Golfer dam When the rumble
commenced ithere seen first 10 tie centre
where the heading of the mine was located a
beautiful white spray, that lifted into the air $50
feet in jet, not unlike the spray thrown up by
geyser, supported on each immediate side by
volumnous sprays of an hundred feet, these again
hanked by smaller sprays, upshootlng from 50
down to 10 feet in height The body of water
thrown up was very heavy, altough not apparent
at the moment, extending three hundred and if
ty feet.
The area of disturbance extended evidently owe,
three to five acres of surface, aud that amount oil
water was liiteu bodily into the air. The detona
ton was at the distance of $50 yards from which
it was viewed by the writer, and resembled the
sound of park OF artillery ofsix six Founders OF
= militia training day.
The moment that the explosion was an accom-
plished fact, all the steam whistles the river
were opened, and their shrieks of rejoic ing wer,
heightened in noise by the unearthly howl anc
wall of half dozen lunatcs who shouted in tn,
chorus from the open windows of the insane asy
lum. Nor glass was broken on any of the out
laying and contiguous islands. The subsistence o
the waters after The explosion showed that thu
coffee dam and it immediate appurtenances hat
been entirely destroyed.
Everything was accomplished as Gen. Newton
said it would be, and the navigation of He'll Cat
hereafter, thanks to him, will be probably as SAT-
as the deepest portions of Long Island Sound
MARKIAND