The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-25
A Big Blast.

nave Deen making for great powder
blast III the granite quarries at Syenite,
aDouta hundred miles down the Mount
am railroad and Immediately south of the
st. Francis river, Missouri. The blast
took place when 1000 pounds of powder
were discharged and over so ,OOOtons of
rock, by actual measurement, were lift
Ell and turned over in masses convent
ent for cutting into pavement blocks,
and some 10000 or 10000 tons more
moved soas to make future quarry
ing operations comparatively easy.
Inc place where the enormous blast
took place, the greatest that has ever
occurred Ill any quarry in the United
states, was on the face of granite hill
fronting to the north. At or near the foot
OF this hill cutting some twenty-five
!eet deep had been made for quarrying
IN the usual way, but after this depth
had been reached the rock was found
SO tightly bound that an ordinary quar-
ry blast had no effect OH it, the force of
the discharge coming directly out of the
drill holes. Under these circumstan-
ces it was decided to run tunnel from
the bottom Of the cut S0uthwards
through the hill. This was done and an
entrance made 86 feet into the body of
rock. When this had been done it was
found that the tunnel, which had start
ed from the bottom of the cut % feet
below the surface, was 47 feet below.
the rise of the hill accounting for the
difference. Then at the extremity of
the tunnel a chamber eight feet in
length was bored to the west, and about
midway Of the tunel another chamber
or the same length was bored to the
east.
In each of these chambers 40 kegs. or
1000 pounds, of powder were placed
and then rough masonry was built up
III front of each chamber and down the
length of the tunnel to about twenty
feet north Of the middle chamber, insu-
lated wires being carried from each
charge to the mouth Of the tunnel. and
thence about l 900 feet over the crest
OF the hill to the electric batteries The
difficulty of the operation was largely
enhanced by the heavy rains that have
recently fallen, in fact had it not been
1or the rains which continually keen
flooding both tunnel and chambers. the
blast would have taken place three
weeks ago. On Wednesday night Mr.
w. IL. Allen, president of the granite
company, was notified that the water
had been pumped out and the mines
charged, and that if nothing unforeseen
occurred, all would he in readiness to
fire the shot Oh Thursday afternoon. lie
consequently went down by the morn
ing train and superintenled the final
operations.
The people III the neighborhood were
considerably excited. There arc about,
1000 inhabitants of the village of
Syenite, and they were exercised about
the safety OF themselves and their houses.
Most of them took the window-sashes
out of their dwellings and carefully
slowed them away in cotton or wool to
prevent the blast smashing the glass.
and some took the precaution of getting
behind hill about three miles awny
1t had been agreed that half an hoir
before the time for exploding the cil;rges
the steam-whistle of the works should
be blown, and when the shrill blast was
heard about $50 in the afternoon it was
amusing to see the people scamperinp
OH over the hills to places of safety
The blasting party, headed by Mr.. Allen
were the last to leave the cut. They
picked their way quickly up the face OF
the hill, below which the volcanic
charges lay, and finally reached the
batteries. On their way from the point
OF danger care was taken to look out
and warn any stragglers that might
have been found, but all seemed to have
been so well informed on the subject
that nothing in the semblance of hu-
manity could be seen outside of their
own party. Having been thoroughly
satisfied about the safety Of others, MI.
Allen quietly took the cigar from his
lips and said, "Shoot her off, The
battery operator turned the kew. while
anxiety was despicted on every face.
The dead silence that ensued seemed
aWfully long, and the first impression
was that the whole thing was a failure.
and several minds were wondering who
would be the first to have the hardihood
to 60 down into the mine. But lust
then, probably not half a second from
the time the battery key had been turn.
ed, Il slight quiver under foot was felt.
The giant below had commenced his
struggle. Then low rumble, like the
muttering Of distant thunder, and then
loud roar, which reverberated through
the distant hills; and that was followed
by the sound Of falling rock vast
masses. This last sound was followed
by the appearance Of vast volume OF
| dense smoke which rose in great white
columns and hoated over the entire
valley. Men who have been i'm in hat.
tic at Petersburg said they had neye1
seen the like before. But the blast had
been successful and thousands of tons OF
rock lay ready for the hand Of the
stone-cutter, and SO perfect had been
the arrangements that not soul was
hurt.
Hardly had the reverbcrations ceased
when the people who had fled with SO
much precipitation commenced rushing
back with equal speed. The impellino
power now was to see effects of the eX.
plosion Of which they had been in such
terror. The thick smoke that was
floating away Oh the breeze had left be.
hind dense volumes of poisonous gases.
Sulphuric and carbonic acid gases in va.
| rious proportions filled all the hollows
and dents In the neighborhood of the
blast. In vain did the purity in charge
| attempt to warn them back. CURIOSITY
| was as powerful in one direction as ter
ror had been in another. They would
throng into the place. Eight of the ad.
vance guard of the rushing crowd were
taken by tile gases and promptly
asphyxiated. Others not quite so eager
took warning by the titillation of theil
throttles and withdrew IN time to save
| loss of consciousness THE too eaua,