The New York herald., 1876-09-28
NEWTON'S CHANNEL.

DIVING TO THE SHATTERED REEF Y1srKRDAY-
WORK TO RE RESUMED ON FLOOD ROCK IMME-
DIATKLY-soxB LETTERS TO GENERAL NEW.
TON.
Hewion's Channel has already become . familiar
phrase In the mouths OF all who In any way
nected with the navigation OF the locality and
other week shall have passed away will doubtless bs
universally adopted as the OF the passage %
handsomely and skilfuly wdcned by the General The
latter did not 60 TO He'll Gate yesterday,
but remained oil day In his Office at
Army Headquarters, corner OF Greene and Houston
streets, whore he conferred with his assistants to
the expediency OF st ouco resuming work on Flood
Rock. II was decided TO begin week. Captain
Mercur up TO Halctrs Point late in tho alter
and rowed out to raft made fass
$50 feet from shore aud on which Mr.. striedingen
stood, note book In hand. marking the condition OF
tho debris Of the old reef tho bottom OF tho rvoD
q It reported him by two divers, who IRON,
time to timo lowered into the dcpths Early
In the morning, when the water was low, the
divers descended several times. did also Ar. Strod
niger himself knot OF curious visitors, who stood
tho Point and watched these operations, anxiousy
awaited the OF the officials shore In order
learn whether the demolition Of the reef had been
thorough ~ had boen conjcctured Mr. Striedingcr
camc toward tho wharf when the tide began 10
as 70 render diving impossible, and
ABOUT LAND,
when he caught sight OF several reporters Turning
HIS boat about Immediately he pulled the New
York side. and landed Twenty third street. whence
he made his way to Astoria by crossing tho ferry and
TAXI ing the up the Long Island side The specta
tors iniorsd from these efforts escape questions that
oil was not right al the bottom OF the river Two
groups OF twenty holes each were II was said not n
circuit with tho battery before the firing OF tho mine
and lnese was conJecturea had not gone OF with The
rest OF tho blast. When tho lido ut flood The
evening the raft again hauled from the Har
lem sde and the divers resumed their abora Re-
porters were not permitted 10 so on board. Captain
Mercur, who IL always courteous, gave to the re-
portcrs after hts arrival in the evening figures.
showing tho depth OF water various places IL
Is generally beievcd that the rock has been shat
tered into even smaller pieces than anticipated.
There arc Captain Morcur says several large masses
ing machine. To-Day Mr. William Preuss, tho surveyor
OF tho work, will make careful examination OF the
bottom with poles and mako precise map OF II
WHAT Is SAID OF TnE BLAST.
On Sunday night General Newton tclcgraphed tho
result OF the great blast TO General Humphreys Chief
OF Engineers at Washington. and yesterday he
Tho following letter in response
,,.u,. c.,on. s Wssa.so1os TON D. G.. Sep. Is 1879
Lieutenant Colonel NEWTON, Engineer, Army Building.
cougratuate you upon successful accomplishment
the greatest OF the age 10
sssrns - az A. A. U2fHKEYs. cSisf Of Engineorss sHs
THK GENERALS CORRESPONDENTS.
number OF letters referring terms OF praise 20 his
letter 10 Mr. W. e. Dodge. When asked yesterday TO
published he said mo; never kick fallen enemy"
Among the epstlcs he received yesterday com.
plimontary ono from Colonel Juan j. Mar,n Royal
Spanish Engineers, and tho following:-
To rnx OrrcKRs IN CnAnGx GovxRsxKSr woRxi
GxNrLKxxN-Now that tho explosion Hell has
20 .gnaly and with no accident the l.des Of
s sIsm aa''' -''' S'-''' 'A'A-' " " you A.'' ''A'
and your po.ision your sesn @
perimsn, YOU have had tho mos. ihoashtai Care and
oysrshs Of 'hs property and person. DANGER
soothing the nervous aud BY your timely .na e.pei. ad
them from snock aud unnecessary alarm.
The ladies you most heartily on tho snccss:
They sincerely hope that subsequent labvs be
name viii Remembered With gratitude by those who
'ss sy a them you.
mos. grateful sssnfs and nd Is:s si w'h0.
TuB GRIDIEox AND FLOOD ROCK.
Twenty-Five pounds oi dynamite were placed under
the highest spur oi the Gridron Rock before the
greut explosion, and II was calculated hat the
from the latter would explode IL The shock
light, however, that tho dynamite not affected,
and to-day, At low water, Bernard Boyd will proceed
place small quantity OF explosive beside
IT, and to Are tho new charge by Of electric
current and thus insure the explosion OF tho larger ~
Flood Rock, on which operations are now com.
monce, about seven acres In extent and hos 10 tho
miudle OF the river ABOUT 900 feet from Haets's
Point and $50 feet from the Astoria shore IN drcc.
OF tho OF the great blast OF Sunday
With penty Of funds II will take two years 10 destroy
this rock and IL will ncccssitate the 0 lou, 600
pounds OF explosives Work begun the rock In
July, 1875 and went steadily forward until May ass
when was suspended. principally Tor lack OF iunds
A visit to the rock yesterday showed thus
much progress s.-rwO shalls have been partially
completed. They run parallel to the current Of the
river and are about sixty i've cet apart Tho larger 10
cct by twenty feet IN plan and ttyone feet decr
the bottom being forty feet below mean low
The smaller SHAFT about twelve feet In plan
and twentythrec feet dccp The aggregate length Of
pnels driven from the shaft 220 feet and II 10
calculated to roof OF rock similar that the
Hallets reef excavation from 70 ten feet thick
There been 462 cubic yards OF stono removed
A. the southwestern extremity OF the larger tunnel
smaller shaft has been sunk from the surface
being about eight foet wide and ten
feet long, There has uIso been q tunnel cut
right angles with the other two starting from she
smaller. which is nearer TO the New York side,
nng through the larger and beyond that eevon feet
toward the Astoria shore The ground plan 0f the
three tunnels described II in the shape Of Indian
tomahawk, the longer tunnel lying parallel with the
and the Astoria sido being tho handle
LIS feet long, the smaller parallel tunnel IS feet long,
forming tho blade, and tho cross tunnel connecting
Tho blade 10 tho handle aud projecting forms the
hammer or pipe part, IL feet long The point at
which the shaft Is sunk being above high water
mark II was not necessary TO bud Golfer dam, and
the removed has to great extent been disposed
OF In building tho lower part or tho rock surround
ing the shaiI, making now little island with love
engine house, containing tho machinery TO DC used In
drilling and in pumping out tho tunnsIe. which arc ~
present full OF water.
A TESTIMONIAL PRoPcsEI
Wu nol 1H1A-