The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-09-29
Hell Gate Ajar-The Hinges Blown
Out Sunday.

umns of water, accompanied with con-
siderable quantity Of rock, which all
fell into the river, Hallett's Point Reef /
at He'll Gate, was demolished this after
noon. No accident occurred. The |
triumph of American engineering ac
complished by General John Newton
was complete in the precise time and
manner intended, and without single
accident
About Y o'clock streams of pedes-
tIians were vending their wav across
the city to points of observation on the
east side. Vast numbers of strangers
came to see what every ybody expected
would be a magnificent spectacle
Street cars going up town were loaded
with citizens, and First and Second
avenues, as viewed from the heights,
were black with pedestrians moving to-
ward Ninetieth street. About 2 o'clock
the cross streets and avenues from which
view could be had we're swarming
with people, and the house-tops along
the east eide were crowded. Thousands
Of vehicles of every description filed
! the heights and cross streets. Great
alarm prevailed among residents of
| First avenue and the cross streets from
Forty second to Ninetieth streets, and
some houses were entirely deserted by
the residents through fear Of rocks be-
ing hurled across the river, or a huge
wave being caused by the upheaval
Every house in the vicinity had their
doors and windows open as a matter Of
precaution, but the great mass of people
had no fears whatever, and spectators
swarmed on the piers and low grounds
directly in line with the rock, where
they would be drowned by thousands in
case of a wave. The police lined First
and Second avenues, and were stationed
among the crowds on the rocks, to be
available in case Of panic.
/ A bird's-eye view of the point of in
terest was had by twelve or thirteen
thousand people at the heights between
t Ninetysecond. and Ninety sixth streets
, AT Third avenue, where there are ne
houses. Directly opposite, across the
river, was Hallett's Point, and the tim
bers and shanties at river; but a trif1e t.
: the north was Little Island, with tn,
e boat house, and few hundred yards Il
{ the south little rock surmounted by al
y advertising board. The rock to b.
e blasted lay beneath the surface, between
Little Island and Hallett's Point. Th
. Government scow and the Police an
+ Emigration Board steamer, and hun
V dreds of barges and row boats lay be
d tween New York and Wards Island
about opposite 10th street.
e At o'clock faint puff of smok
r arose from the scow, followed by the n
re port of the first gun, and there was il
=, stant commotion, the crowds swayiD
u about in fresh eagerness to get a goo
of standpoint: Ten minutes later anoth<
r report, and deep hush fell upon II
multitude. The stiffness was unbroke
from then until the third gun, at te
ai minutes, to which was followed pr
10 else at nine minutes to by the expl
y sion. In the straight and seeming
: narrow line running north and south Fl
80 about 300 yards, the water whitens
SO and arose even three or four feet high,
40 dull thud was heard, the rocks trembls
III beneath the feet of the multitude as
he from two quick, short pulsations
eF earthquake. The water, which appes
ne ed to remain stationary for an instal
hu broke and spurted up in irregular, da
ies yellowish masses, about twelve feet hi
. mixed with dark smoke from the d
On Mantle. Then it fell back, and in N
nd mont tho r;ver -osrmod ia ,s,., ,e.,
o' fnl aspect
ne Then a mighty cheer arose from
ere the north-ea side of the city, and frt
w. steamers and boats, and steam whist
were blown and bells were rung out ic
r'h ously, and all was over. The rep
'ho was scarcely noticeable, and uot so mt
len as ripple WAS caused upon the wa
"i' save just over the spot where the exp
nu- sion took place. There was no conc
Vi sion in the air, and not pane Of gl
i'e' was broken in the City or on War
'cn' Island. Immediately after the exl
lew .;o, h,d,d, of uo,u 49,. -. 49,.
'Sn- their best speed for He'll Gate, each a
le"' ious to have the honor of first pass
ne" over the scene of the explosion. T
''eu the work was effectually done is
general feeling. and this also appe
from the fact that the police boat pas
overthe spot safely.
'wn Wards Island Was considered
the orite place to view the explosion,
pot. the applications to go there by the p
rtal ce boat Seneca and the boat of the G.
she missioners of Emigration were '
the numerous; but the invitations les
lere were limited to a select party, of WI
be were Mayor Wickham, General Artl
re a Collector of the Port, Alderman Le
mel Hess, Morris Smith, E. Lane, ex -Sp,
ket. er Hitchmarf, Police Commission
her Smith, Wheeler and Nichols, Emf
to ton Commissioner Forest, Educa
erg- Commissioner Dowd, and large n
she ber of city officials and politicians
Ian's Probably the finest view of the W
was explosion was from Hoyt's place, 8
npie seven hundred yards east of Hall
rs Point. The ground is high, and
alter Gate did not appear more than tive
peas dred yards away. 1t was from
ntle' point that General Newton and the
PLAIN graph operators sent the electric
l. In rushing into the mine. Suddenl
plain cloud of water, turned into white 81
tran shot up just off Hallett's Point.
New was followed by cloud of black su
AL rock and lumber, and at the same
ment heavy shock ran through
'un'y ground, and gave one the impressie
ar'y being lifted about two inches.