New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-08
THE WORK AT HE'LL GATE.
PREPARING A GREAT EXPLOSION.

Il
PREPARING A GREAT EXPLOSION.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS IN CHAMBERS UNDER THE SEA.
There will be an explosion worth seeing
next time said Superintendent Boyle at Flood Rock
the other day to a TIABUNE reporter Its field VIII
cover about nine acres, while before only about two
and tive-eighths acres were directly affected
The magnitude Of the works extending under Hell
Gate IN every direction Flood Rock only be APP
preciated after visit When the Astoria eTryboat and
the Government tug have conveyed the visitor 10 the
rock he IL greeted by pandemonium OF clanking ana
hanmermg coming from the air compressoIs and the
drills Clamberng up the ladder along the pies
possibly barely escaping the discharge OF mass
Of broken rock from the chute above into sco~ he
enters one OF the unsghtly wooden sheds and finds
suveriuteuGent Boyle The visitor leaves this shed an
altered man. huge rubber cap with long NsoF ana
cape allows just the tip OF his nose to appear anu
long rubber coat hangs almost 10 his eeWHch aye pro
tected by shoes OF the same material Inc re-
marks OF spectators his consciousness hut ne
struggles 10 appear II he enjoyed IT, grasps hr loren
and follows his guide.
The first after lighting the torch and the lamp IN
the miners hat the descent Of several flights OF steep
stairs They aud slippery and offer every tenpta
ton to an impctIous but UuCignhed slide downward Ia
d sitting posture. huge iron pipe extends straight
Gown through the landings through which the water is
nuued u from the works Reaching the bottom Of the
stairs a snort passage TO the foot Of
the main hoist" Here the centre OF the works and
here is much Of the machinery. The broken rock is
tuuded hther cars and then lifted mp the hoist and
eu,pfi~d INTO scows From this underground chamber
the visitor begins his exploration Of the little city under
the sea Like city tAIs territory Is LAID out ana named
with regularity the headings being dlsu1 gushed by Ie
ter, ana the galleries by numbers AT Heading aud
iner ~ at Fourth5ave and Tweuty-thlrd-st." to the
The iGe starts of into one Of the low damp galleries
and the vsor follows. ON every side is u4ss OF roca
IRON which the water continually trickes Underfooi
is car track with pools OF water between the eT ana
II the traveller stralghtens himself up 10 peer
into the darkness anead a stunning thwack re-
minds him painful " that The stone TooL OF me gaey
the guide. after having raversed distance tHa seens
lnIes Suddenly lights are seen violently dancing ABOUT
THE MULE TRAIN
violent rafting and ban gng heard and huge
uncouth shape thuuders across the path That's the
mule train" says the miner. But mule train, fore
shortened in the presents the most curious ef
t.c+ Looking down the gallery, there are seen two
branching horns bobbing up and down and approaching
with considerable speed and much more noise Behind
these g1lcsome horns faint lights, Ike wio the-
,yisps and under them dHly seen pair Of legs. The
thunder increases and the approaching beast looks more
and more Mepuis:ophetan and Internal But as the
/ snrctators hatten themselves out against the
/ sides of the gallery to give me apparl
uou free play, it suddenly resolves itself INTO an IN
nanny mule with particularly long ears harntssed 10
car IN three or Iour miners WIN ramps III ther
To,y and them turning corner, hammering and click
/ d al
wor sc bv compres3ed air, are held against Inc wall OF
the chamber and rapidly chssL theI way mo Tue 73nI
rock. lH'n a ma a "a v+l1l.T veI.f tile work
nj drilling succeeded by mat OF shoveng and cartlng
a"HS .i5 ~ .tr i,t the io1y tuuur- and here anu
t6e wooden doors encountered, closing various gl
-, in order direct the current Of air farming INTO
~ n -,IuJ of rllsb M water grows more and
more distinct 1t "a If the sea were reyenGinS IL
self for this invasion OF It's territory by suddrHy burst
iD. IN mon The miners The becomes appar
ont a FL
caused by a IN the rock encountered !asj sum
| ner in consequence Of this the work has ben
s-0ppcd In this particular gallery, but Is continued
ia other galleries and heading, beyond, az lower eFr
running tunnels underneath An1 beg oud the situation oI
Alter he period OF stumbling through the black, wet
tunue = glimpse OF the outer air Is Refreshing The
visitor throws aside his rubber habmcnts ana tender
~ feels of lis head 10 acquain himself Elth Jhr Ne"
! bumps that have appeared. ANY ,I,-' AsAs 9apeI
| utrndent BOYLE alphabetically, adding: / always
20 along the galleries VITA my AeIq cooked 70 Que d,
| like duck, looking up. IcAeral NcWloh uoehn q'
| that though. ana when took MN N WIN parry the
other day be suddenly calrd out ia . ana there ne
was. holding his head WIN Ms Uanq' are on nun,
General asked. No. De. but guess lie thought
! Tor "a moment the roof had fallen on him.
STATISTICS OF TIE WORK.
At Flood Rock during the fiscal year ending June 80,
1891 tbc length Of gal driven 1902 linear feet,
and the number cubic yards Of stone measured in
uloce removed u 900 The work for the year en-
tirev m The headings without enargemeuts The length
of tie galleries June 80, 1850, was 62ll0s linear
fect and the stone removed measured in place,
! luytn OF the galleries then june 80. ISL,
l3523 OS linear feet and the total number Of cubic
yard. Of stone removed 80 6O-.3s. on October 81, 1881,
Tho total -uCth Of the galleries under Flood Rock was
o 40 feet and the number OF cubic yards or solid
stone rcuoy 47.i3l At tie emu OF the usca year
/ IIlur 20 Lac. General Newton reported
Tie work OF excavatiug now proceeds - rapidly as
IL can be pushed with regard To economy, ana 10 7
Drnpybc that 10 VIII require TWO years 10 complete Inc
| tvcayaIlus preparatory 20 the final explosion Iue
! area already covered by the excavations amounts
! to ASA acres A. the galleries extend 10
! greater distance from the SHAFT 10 becomes
necessary provide means or Neuuaton ana Tor TINS
object vcuatDg ian Twelve feet III diameter dl'en
b vertical engine was, under the superntendcncs OF
Cauain Mercur placed the opening 20 the -udll me
object OF the fan IL exhaust the air from the galleries
level Of the rock while the fresh air should descend by
way OF the SHAFT
Eight drills have been provided and set 10 work
the progress made developed new points Tor
working and the large number OF drills and other ma
! chuery 10 De kept IN repair made II uece--
sary TO increase the machine shops. Tie
! amount which be pIontaby expended III
| the wear ending June 80, lsSZ, is the balance
| available S3O7 ,9O3 IT, which VIII be expended
I'm completing removal % the debris 90 H3lct- Point
10 the deph twentys feet, and removing Heel Tap
and Pot Rock aud extending the tunnels and eXcavatng
I'm the Middle Reef Flood Rock The estimated amount
required entire and permanent completion Of the
,rR of Improvement accordance with the approved
and adopted project Is SZ2l5.07- So. The amount Of
revenue go ected the year .udlng June 3d. ISL
Sl3g SO 5C9 33. The amount ~ commerce and LaFl-
cation benefited by these improvements would DEE about
| 1000 900 daily
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SOCIAL OCCCRRENCES YESTERDAY.
| NJ T y pinesa and tho Misses Rinsse