Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-10-15
He'll Gates Ajar."
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE LINE
THE SHORES

Flood Rock in Hell Gate, was successful
" blo~n up few minutes after IL o'clock,
Saturday. The explosion was ba, slightly
felt on shore. Water and portions Of the
bug wooden derrick we're throun up into the
air to the height Of several hundred feet.
Fully 100000 people lined the shores
when the explosion took place. When
everything vas in readiness for the final
blast, Mary Newton. the eleven wear old
daughter Of General Weston, toacted the
button that set free the electric current that
exploded the submarine mines and shattered
the mountain Of rock. lifting it gu, Of the
bosom Of the sea and crushing it into a
million Of fragments The shock Of the
collapse Vas felt only slightly on the Astoria
shore and the noise resembed far distant
sgbterranean thunder. A tremendous vol
ume Of water arose TO the height of $50 10
200 feet. Masses Of white foam shining in
the sunlight ard presenting the appearance
Of fantastic iceberg were lifted bodily up
on the solid basis Of dark frozen water For
Eve or SIX second. i, ,rembled Aloft and then
sank back into the river upon which vel
low sulphursus glow rested for a 1Dtnute az
ter.
The shock vas felt to slight extent in
the city. 1t vas distinctly felt in the CTy
Hall building tn. structure trembling for a
space Of about Eve seconds. A. the Coun-
y Court House the shock vas also distinctly
felt Judge Laurence was hearing mo-
lion 10 the Supreme Court He held up his
hand. stopped the argument, and exclaimed
"Tha, j. He. Gate explosion. DO you feel it,"
In the upper part Of the building the floors
shook and the windows ;rembled when the
explosion occurred.
4 graphic description. The Ere'siHg Post
says Of the explosion Al few seconds
before HIS there was doll rumble Of
thunder ard the earth seemed 10 sink it
tie. Those who we're watching Flood Rock
could scarcely ie.. when II disappeared, 40
rapid the rausformAtion scene. Ia
place Of the island in the middle Of the
stream an apparently solid mass Of water
and foam. many acre. in area, had risen to
a he gnt amos; equAl to that Of The electric
ghi tower a. HAllets Point. with here and
there Jet q foam or spray reaching s;ili
s.g her. For about half a second the main
oodt q the mass seemed 10 BE- almost mo-
;!onless, then uth a crash and noise n
.ee;HIcg boring water TIE whole collapsed
into ar irregular mountain Of water. The
foam and drhrl. Of The island and bul1ing'
ahieh bad been pom il. before the fail Of
the mass While ., was ye; apparently sls-
pended 10 All, resemoed an .mmeus. ICE
he z 10 color and outline \ solgd val of
white strsaked viih dull green jo0 or Gu
feet 70 .sng;h and fal.s 100 feet high. seeuei
% ne s;Eaiga, ap from the bed q the nv
-. The top Of the mas. VA lrr-gu.ar si;a
sharp peaks and jets Of spray shooting up
high aga.n into lhe air. From the b. gnt,
on New YORK shore the topmosi spray 90
sc-srd ~ electric agh: iostf on ia Ct.
POINT completely - tn, IN Al prDb4bsii,,
The ~ trr wAs ttroau 900 feet aigh 4 ra-
rols feature of the pic;ars a.. the absence
Of a. rock. or debris q sns sln4 an; she
mountain .ah-s3-4 N1tnsng ~as s~~a {
q second after the explosion bu, lt., meg
n.hcent mogatAiH of White and gree - --
'oT2,1 18th ~. Jagged crest q spr Pr
sous p the .um3~f G3cA a. the ITO. n! tt
street had ~ al rab, YES 4 tae exg
-.1l- In" Set indication that thy had z
= acf4aI occurrence "a 'ae trembling Of
The wharf h-n-1th their feet axe qa.vrf
caused by a. earthquake Almost s.nl
'auro4s.N ~tu tbs. iarN beard "a r4u5-
gres; sheet u z4'er and .yrss re-- crasr-
t4. into the ar Aloag the Astoria shore.
TIE wafer thus upheat-I Ess Ike al ansl-
Atlrg b..aSy waI xth NJ aqp-ar4ncr nf
so.-4tt, bat breaking into countless faaTy
sprAt- { Htlch .one shot Ipaari. io sur-
pu.'nE ~. gh,. Inc bea1'lfu spectacle last
&c bat few minutes
L ~as predicted tina: the broken raes
would make an even more dangerous reef
than before a. least 10 1oearanecs unui re
moved hy grapplinE. and the appearance q
he rock after the explosion seemed 10 ven
:, tie prediction. G.a. Weston. however,
expressed satisfaction sta the explosion a.
apparently successful. The work 81 re-
moving the tock 10 the deep hole north u
B.ac2v~.i, Island where ,Eerv Is room FOR
i Al, ~. be begun a. once.