New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-15
UNDER THE WArhR AT HE'LL GAra
A VISIT TO FLOOD ROCK GALLERIES.

VISIT TO FLOOD ROCK GALLERIES.
The work of undermining Flood Rock which
lies in He'll Gate Is nearing completion. There is little
the FRAMEWORK that rises above the shaft and in tho
houses that perched upon the rock to sugg the
tent of excavations made below under water But
there are some ouwarf signs OF activity. intcryasa
mass Of bro en- slides down inclined plane with
a sharp rafting sound into scow moored AZ the side u
the rock A pert little tugooat comes up now and then
ana drlgs few hundred yards down The river,
turns around with mvserOusly, and makes back for
the rock again.
When the work begun aboutten years ago. Flood Rock
stood several feet above hgatiie like the backbone OF
some huge animal. some crib-work was built around
the outer edge the space filed In with broken sone
taken from the shaft making an area or hair acre or
more This surface is fully occupied by buildings neces
sary for carrying on mining operations. The workmeu
for the most part live Island They wait for the
terry that takes them to Flood Rock IN diny little hut
at the river bank Astoria where they smoke their
pipes and play at cards. presenting scene hEhy sas'
gestve Of the interior Of a cabin IN mining camp
The visitor on going down TO explore the galleries must
put on "A pair Of rubber boots and rubber CLOAK aud
cap With such outfit he presents the ap
pearance OF beach patrolman on wet day.
"Tt il rather damp below" said Lieutenant
Derby who is I'm charge of the work under General
Newton as lie led the way TO the mouth OF the Shalt
The descent was made down wooden stairway. "hea
the foot OF reached, man came out OF pdck
hole and trimmed two torches. The galleries or tunnels
are ten feet in width and at right angles TO eaca
other at distance Of fifteen feet apart 80 tha pas %
solid rock are left standing fifteen feet square The
galleries are run on different levels according to the
depth of water required safe navigation at any par
cuar spot The longest gallery LOO rect In lengh
and the extent OF rock to be undermined 10 about nihe
acres in area practically all under water
This is a long gallery" said Lieutenant Derby as ne
lifted his torch and plunged into black boe near tho
of fbe an stumbled
him over broken gments of rock In places ths
floor was nearly and Of broken rock, aai hs
sides of the gallery twenty-five feet or moro
I'm height in other places where the Wori
was incomplete the rock that had been
blasted down was lying the floor serve the work
eo as scaod for reaching the roof with their drills
Here and there water poured In streams from seams In
the rock and dropped from the Jagged roof overhead
A the galleries nearly all under water one OF the
greatest dcute, in making toe excavations mas oeen
To prevent the from the river making It's way IN
At the end OF this gallery miner and his assistant were
gagged drilling large hole In the rock near inc rooi
With a machine driven by compressed air.
The rock ls taken out" said Lieutenant DERBY, TO
height thirty then holes are drilled or three
inches diameter and varying in length from seven to
twelve feet The final charges will be put INTO tno'o
large holes"
How many drills Employed"
There twelve III all and they are kept in use day
and night"
What is done with the water =
IT'S drained 70 we'll under the shaft from which 10
pumped the above at the rate OF 1000 gallons
a minute"
"What precautions are taken against encolh'eriuS
large streams of water"
the men are constantly on the lookout and as soon
az they find thar they sean In the rock they
explore for until they fnd It, Then, II iti very
large one is necessary to take new direction Snch
arge seam W IS encountered certain direction that
air yet sr al
noinr II has no, been decided yet whether We shall
p,erce throu IN this plugging M wen We can. or
work from aboye on the other side Of the seam vita
WHIT /. TIE consistency OF the rock excavated"
For he most part. it Is hard; bnt 10 - so SOL IN ONO
u9css that ha. been necessary 10 brace ID VITA heasy
pirces of timber The rock when II = broken down %
iau,e 10 tho foot Of the shat by mules ana 'neFe ~ IS
hOstei tie scO~ and unaly un.otied IN leP
in the river bel between Flood RoIR ana BacH"eus
Islani This hole Is nearly 200 feet deep go
The mule stables are substantial, being pul.t IN 7old
rock several mules we're ia their stalls nunchlhg nav
They looked comfortable and conteued utue II ne.
on the cheerful gov or nre vas eaconl1rrl 20 't ing
from black mifhs forge Like the mule stab'e' th'
must m know.eise nat it rather retired place
down mere" said the grim Vulcan " ot nave rteer
sionally too have the diversion OF snoen- he Mules
They always show mulch an MAJ ioh Lat rHloy
it. and take ki's VITA laugh Instead OF sro"i a'l
would above ground" -,
There IS another room in the main gallery where tho
men haug up their worsng clothes TO Try \ soutary
man was in this place polishing mp the g!a-a Of lantern
There just enough sht 10 give the clothes ma. hna
wall the appearance OF beng 80 many men hung
I'D by the neck.
OF the nine acres 10 be undermined the excavation OF
eglr "a already completed II Is tIOugnt that the
work will be ready for the final blast sOOt the Isl %
ocnber mex The charges will all be set of y electro
INV AZ tie same moment The fragments OF rock VII be
removed until there is uniform depth OF twenty-siK set
at low tide. -,
TIE reef known as the Frying Pan, few hundred
wards further M the river. u al.O Being removed
stsus niue OF ten feet below the surface at the Water
This work is being steam DR. .llhs Cow, also
un Ter the supcrintcndcncc al General NcVi0I Ia" pro
cess l. different from that at Flooi Rock. The rock IL
drilled by machinery working down through the water
from the scuN Tie charges carried down and hf III
pace by DIVER. The explosions throw stream ot Ner
into the air hat looks for instant Ike the spOutnS Ol
gcyser