The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-10-14
ELECTRIC EXPLOSION.
The Upheaval Of Flood Rock
a Great Success.
RESULTS REALIZED.
The Government Engineers Feel
s, sSatished With the Outlook
Surveys to be Made.

The Government Engineers Feel
s6atisfed With the Outlook
Surveys to be Made.
New York, October 1O.-In order to pro-
tect life and property at the Flood Rock
explosion to-day most careful and ade-
quate police arrangements were perfected.
A force OF 45O policemen, in addition to
The harbor police, was detailed near the
scene Of action, 300 OF whom were located
on the East Riverfront Blackwell S Island
contained 100, while so were ON duty at
Wards Island. All the buildings on the
of inmates, including the Aims House, Work
housef and lunatic Asylum, who were
massed on the lawns at safe distance
from the explosion and carefully guarded.
In the Penitentiary the cell doors were
thrown open and the prisoners conducted
to the halls OF the prison and surrounded
by police, while large force was stationed
among the convicts to prevent escape or
riot and give aid in case it was found
necessary to reach the building All
points on the shore from which
Flood Rock could be seen were densely
packed with people. The police were kept
busy in keeping the crowd outside OF the
danger line, ropes having been stretched
OF the explosion, and launches from the
navy yard patrolled the river to see that
no vessels passed through. The bell in the
tower OF st. AIMS school building struck
the hour OF IL and $4,000 people waited
expectantly for the explosion which was
advertised to be on hand at that hour, but
at that moment there was still number of
people ON Flood Rock. A few moments
later, however, q tug took them off and then
the spectators braced themselves for the
expected shock. Ladies and gentlemen in
carriages stood upon cushions and leveled
their opera glasses toward the island.
WAITING FOR THE SHOCK.
A hushed expectancy fell upon tile vast
crowd, who seemed almost afraid to breathe
for fear the act might disturb their view of
the explosion should it occur at that mo-
ment. The river in the vicinity of Flood
Rock and Hallet's Point was now clear of
-@ses-sAls and at a respectful distance, how
ever, scores OF eXCuI oiv-~ rtna mers their
decks black with people, and yachts anna
tugs waited for the pressing OF the electric
button. At precisely Ills O'Clock the
earth trembled and the bosom OF the river
was pierced with a mighty upheaval OF
rocks and tinbers. Up, up, went the gilt
tering masses OF water until it seemed as il
they would never stop. At the height OF
200 feet the upliited water paused and fell
back again into the river. At this moment,
when the air for hundreds OF feet in each
direction was filled with white masses Of
sparkling water, the spectacle was grand
beyond expression. Mary Newton, the H.
year-old daughter OF General Newton, who,
as Chief Engineer has conducted operations
at Hell Gate since the start, touched the
button that set free the electric current
that exploded the submarine mines, and
shattered mountain OF rock, lifting it out
OF the bosom of the sea and crushing it
into million fragments. 1t was little
Mary Newton, who, when a mere baby,
touched Off the first He'll Gate explosion, a
few feet from abe point where the stood to-
day.
EFFECT OF THE EXPLOSION.
The shock OF the collapse was felt only
slightly On the Astoria shore and the noise
resembled far distant subterranean thunder.
When Flood Rock had lifted it's strong
back, a mass of broken rock was seen on
the top OF it. The big derrick that had
been left to it's fate turned over on its side
and broke large tank that had been lett
at the north end Of the island, which still
stood in it's place tilted over as it had set
tied when let down with the angry waters
from it's erial flight. Immediately after
the explosion IL fire broke out in the wreck
and burned Justify in the seething waters.
-Four instantaneous photographsweret taken
by the officers OF the corps OF engineers from
the firing point at Astoria. AS far as it
was possible to Judge from the position and
appearance OF the wreck, the explosion has
been an entire success, though for the
present the vicinity OF the blasted rock will
be even more dangerous than heretofore,
until the wreck has been removed. The
shock was felt to slight extent in the city.
1t was distinctly felt in the City Hall build
ing, the structure trembling for the space Of
a few seconds. At the County Court House
the shock was also distinctly felt in the
upper part OF the building. The floor
shook ana the windows tremb!ed when the
explosion occurred.
THE ONLY ACCIDENT.
The only accident reported in con-
neetion with the explosion was the burning
OF General Newton slightly on the neck by a
piece OF fuse attached to Photographic
camera. The eng ineers, OF whom General
Newton was chief, did not, as was expected,
make a thorough examination OF the work
done by the explosion this afternoon. A
tugboat, with few persons on board,
cruised about in the vicinity OF the place,
but no soundings were taken. The work OF
surveying the bed OF the river will be COM
menced next week, and it will not be
known until after this survey is made just
what the effect has been. One OF the engln-
GERS tonight, in speaking OF the work done
by the dynamite and 'Rendareck' sad
that SO far as his observations had ex-
tended, the explosion was eminently success
full. Flood K ock was not buried out OF
sight 1t sank, perhaps, three or four feet
and that was all. Some had affirmed that
the river would be SO
BROKEN UP AND JAGGED
with rocks that the middle OF the channel
would become impossible until the debris
was removed. Such did not prove the
fact. The Sound steamers experienced no
difficulty whatever in making their trips
through the channel. II the work OF the
electric current failed at any point to dis
charge the cartridges it was probably
under she rock known as "Nigger rock, -
opposite the electric light stand, on Hal
let's Point. The keeper OF the light, who
watched the upheaval OF the waters, said
the water at that point was not disturbed.
1t might be, however, that he was mistaken.
The engineer felt confident that an exam
ination of the bottom Of the river would
show that the rocks were shattere d
into 1raSuellIS. SdpCdtlu OOAIu
Somers, of the light house boat John
Rogers after the explosion said I'VE
were to buoy the scene OF the explosion
after it occurred, if necessary. We found
at the south end OF the island six fathoms
of water. On the west end three or four
fathoms. There were three or four feet
of water there before. Thus we did not
find it necessary to buoy the place, while
the main channel is entirely clear, SO that
the explosion is a success and vessels can
pass without any fear.'
A SCIENTIFIC OPINION.
ASTORIA, L. l., October 1O.-To obtain a
scientific opinion of the explosion at Flood
rock, an Associate Press representative in
terviewed Captain Mercur, OF the United
States Engineer Corps, who formerly had
charge OF the Flood rock work. Captain
Mercur said: II am perfectly satisfied that
the explosion was a success. 1t has ac-
complished all that was anticipated by
those in charge of the work. OF course,
people who expected to see whole acres OF
rock 90 skyward and fall back to the water
in cobble stones were disapE Eointed. We did
not expect that to occur. In my opinion
the rock is in Just such condition as will