The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-12-11
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~ @EOH tAO sAipOo1 aoQ 10 ~ tLIapSc4
In very simple way, that it always acts in q
line with the drill, whatever the angle may be.
at which this is fixed"
is tne steam generator upon a tripod also?"
mo, that is in the scow or lightener, and
the steam isconveyed to the engine through
strong rubber tube, longer or shorter accord
ing to the necessities of the case"
Now, being all ready how do you fix the
tripod In place so as to begin operations"
wa 90 down to the surface OF the rock and
explore it carefully in every part, so as 10 de-
termine at what point to commence; for a good
deal depends upon this, as to making good
blasts. We want to know the character of the
rock; and if stratified or in seams we want 60
know the dip of the strata or the angle Of the
seams, il we can ascertain that Having de-
termined the point at which tine first bore shall
be made, we place over 1t the cast iron cyr-
der, standing upon its three iron legs, each of
which can be adjusted easily to the
inequalities of the rock. Then the tripod is
put in place, so that the drill shall bs exactly
in line with the bore in the iron block. This
being done, steam is let on and the drill begins
it's wo,k with slower or quicker motion ac-
cording to the particular case"
Chow large are these bores which you
make?"
"The size varies according to the crcum-
stances of each case. We employ drills of one
and half inch diameter and of different sizes
est
How long an operation is it, the drilling of
these hoes?'
"Tte depth Of them varies, of course, accord
ing to the circumstances Of the case; aud the
time required per foot of bore, depends upon
the character of the rock and the sizs Of the
drill. The smaller drill makes more rapid way
than the larger. We always make the bore
foot deeper than the new surface is to be after
the rock shall be removed. A three inch drill
may be driven one foot 10 ten miuutss or 10
twenty minutes according to circumstances
.Now the bore is completed, what is the next
thing done?'
moved away SO far as TO be out of danger. Our
cartridge case is of tin, fitting easily into the
bore, and is longer or shorter, according to the
need Of larger or smaller charge. This case
is half filed with dynamite or what
ever other explosive If employed. then
powerful explosive cap is fitted into II, and the
case is filled with the dynamite. Connected
with this cap are two wires about o foot long,
by which it is exploded. Into the top Of the
case is fitted wooden cap with hole through
which the wires pass, then this cap Is carefully
covered with pitch 10 make the whole water
tight To these short wires are then connected
the logger wires-all perfectly insulated
which lead to the battery in the scow. Now
all bsing ready, the driver goes down with the
cartridge, and with a wooden rod thrusts it
carefully down to the bottom of the bore.
This done be comes up; the electric circuit 10
completed aud the cartridge exploded"
ais there much commotion Ia the WAGER at
the explosion?"
see en-ra,Iy, not much, about as much as
upon the surface of pot that boils freely, bat
this will depend upon the shallowness or depth
of the water, of course, and upon the depth Of
the bore, and the m agnltude of the charge. In
shallow water we are care fol to keep at very
respectful distance"
"Now you have loose rock below, and how do
you remove it?'
'In our scow or scows we have a crane prop
erly rigged, sctuated by steam or not (t will
work by steam and by hand ss we wish). We
take these scows over the spot of the ex piosion,
and the divers fix chains or grapplings, as the
case may be, to the large fragments OF rock,
which are then raised from their bed suffi icienty
to clear all obstructions; and then the scows
move away and drop the rock at the nearest
point that will be out of the channel we ars
formipg We have an iron cage also, sas-
pended 10 the cranes, and iuto these " o put the
smaller fragments, which are removed in the
same manner"
but sometimes rock may be broken up by
exploding dynamite on the surface"
"Yes, we do that often when the quantity OK
rock is not great"
''How do you proceed in that case?'
eve examine the surface of the rock care
fully with reference TO its form and as 10 its
qualification aud seams, il any, as in the for
mer case, and determine the point at which we
will commence, which is generally upon one
side or edge Of the surface to be operated oD.
We place cartridge upon the rock and ex-
plode it. This will shatter the rock TO the
depth of about six inches under the cartridge,
and after the loose rock is removed We repeat
the explosion upon the same point until our
depth is sufficient We have now wall or
shoulder of rock upon the side where the rock
is to be removed, and we place our charges by
the side of this aud on the new surface which
we have made. The explosion of these charges
skaters this new surface as before, and as the
same time knocks away great quantities from
the wall or shoulder, and we follow this mp
untl we have knocked off the entire surface of
the rock to be removed and to the required
DEPTH"
"Where do you ind your divers?''
81 do that work myself L used TO hire divers
at SIS day, but found my jobs prolonged in
defaitely These men, instead of putting the
car tridges into boxes prepared for them at great
cost of time and machinery, sometimes placed
them on the surface of the rock, so as to spin
irg the work myself make an enormous saw
ing in many ways"
''Then there are unfaithfal servants in your
business as well as unfaithiul administrators
of trust funds?"
''Yes, everywhere, some such are to be found,
Pm sorry to aY-evervwhere; bnt there are al
SO many honest ones"
"rhe power of these explosives is enormous
immeasura5le In fact, and the danger in deal
ing with them is great, especially with nitro
klyCcIluCs Wcub W odu II IduOisCO cOuC hAAo
ago, being employed by the government to re-
move formidable obstruction from the waters
of the Golden Gate. On examination found
this obstruction to be an enormous rock, rising
somewhat like sugar-loaf from the bottom Of
the sea, in deep water, and extending twenty
feet above its surface. The operation upon this
rock was not easy, because it was exposed to
the full sweep of the Pacific ocean, on which
there is almost always swell. and could not
work except in smooth water"
"I had everything ready, after forming my
plan, and after many days there was smooth
water. In steam-tug L went to the rock and
put around It's top, like necklace, an iron
cAaio. To this l suspended strong, irsn-
bound cssk, charged with eight hundred pounds
of nitrc-2ly ycerne. The cask was sunk twenty
two feet below the surface, hanging against the
rock. The charge was exploded with q tremen-
dous conclusion and report as of the simultane-
ous discharge of park of artillery. The waters
flowed smoothly over the spot; there was no
rock there. 1 did not trouble myself to see
what had bscome of il; nobody knows
N ID.