Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-10-23
BLOWN INTO FRAGMENTS.
Flood Rock at He'll Gate Destroyed by ESQ 900
Pounds OF Dynamite.

The mountain OF stone known as Flood
Rock at Hell CAT, at the entrance OF New
York harbor, was successfully blown up on
the 10th inst over 10000 pounds OF dyna-
mite were used. Every precsutlon was taken TO
insure the safety OF life and properly. AL the
bui dings on the north enl OF Backwelps
Island were cleared II inmates including the
| alms-house, wo house and lunatic asylums,
who were masscl in the lawns AT safe dis
lance from the explosion and carefully guard
Ell. In the peni,entiary the cell doors were
thrown open and the prisoners conducted 10
the halls The prison was surrounded by
police, while large force Was stationed
among the conycts TO prevent escape or riot
and 10 give all In case it was found necessary
To reach the building.
All FONTS 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
had been stretch, d across the river above AMI
L. Glow the place of explosion and launChe,
from the navy ward patrolled the river to see
that no vessels tempted 10 pass through.
At precisely / 'l3 O'clock the earth trembled
and the tosom II the river was pierced with
mighty uphelyal Of rocks and tmbers. p,
up went thu glittering masses OF water until il
seemed as II tLey would never stop At
height of 200 feet the uplifted waters passed
and fell buck again 10 the river. At this mo
IN nj when the air for hundreds OF feet In each
direction was Tiled with the white masse, Of
sparkling Ter, the spectacle was grand be
yOnd express on.
Mary ewton the ll-year-old daughter OF
Gen New on, who as chief engineer has con.
Quoted the opera ions al He'll tat, since the
start, touched he button that set free the
tlec &c current that exploded tho submarine
mines and shattered The mountain OF rock,
lifting it out the bosom Of the sea and
crushing Il into million OF fragments IL was
little Mary Newton who when a mere baby
touched of The first Hell Gate expl SION.
The shock Of III collap'e was felt only
slightly on the Astoria shore, an the noise
resembled far distant sub er-auean thunder
When Flood hook had litei its strong back a
mass of broken wrc was seen on top of ii all
the Big Cerricl that had been let to its fate
turnc over on its SIDE and broken. A huge
tank thai had leen left at the north end of the
island still stood II it, place tilted over little
as [ had settled when let down W IA the angry
waters from its aerial flight Immediately
ter the explosion a fire broke out in t4e
wreck and burned Justify amid the setthng
waters. Four instantaneous photo graphs were
taken by o Ulcers of the corps of eng ineers from
the firing point at Astoria.
As far S il was possible TO Judge from he
pos ton aud appearance of the wreck the eX-
plosion had been an ent re success though for
the pres nj IN vicinity OF the blasted rock
will be even more dangerous than heretofore
until the wreck has been removed. The shock
was felt 10 slight extent in the city. IL was
distin tly felt In the City Hal building, the
structure trembling for the space OF five sec
onds. At the county court hCu the shoe
was also distinctly fit In he upper part Of
the building the loor. shocA and the windows
tremhlei when the exp o. ion occurred
The only accident, reported in connection
with the explosion was the burning of gen
Newton slightly on the neck 10y piece Of the
fuse attached 10 tn p Geographic camera. A
tug boat with few iersons on toard cruised
about In the vicinity OF the place, but no
soundings re Ia zen. The Work of survey
ing the b "a Of the river Will be commenced
next week. an 4 So III not be known till after
this surve is made just what the effect Of the
explosion has been. One OF the eng neers
In speaking Of tn work done by dyna-
mite ami rcnd a-rock said hat 50 far as his OBJ
servat.on extended the exp!o. on was eminently
a success. Flood Rock was not buried out OF
sight. II sank, perhaps, three or four ect and
that was all Some had affirmed that the bed
Of the river would be so broken up and Jagged
with rocks that the middle channel would be
come impossible until the debris was removed
Such did not prove 10 be the fact The Sound
steamers experienced no diff ulty whatever In
making trips through the channel II the
work OF the elc 'tric current failed at any point
10 discharge tie cartridges II probably
under the 10 * known as "nigger rock, op
posite the electric light stand on iiallets
Point. The keeper Of the light who watched
the uph avail OF waters said the water at that
point was not disturbed.
The en- ginelr felt confident an examination
Of the bottom 4 the river wuul show the rocks
were chatter, d into fragments. Capt. John
Somers of the lighthouse boat John Rogers
after the explosion sad I'VE were TO buoy
the scene o. the explosion after IL occurred II
necessary. We found at the nth end OF the
island six ia hons Of water, and on the west
end thre' or fou fathoms There were three
or four feet Of water there before this. W.
did not find il necessary 10 buoy the place al
all. while u e main channel is entirely clear, sc
that the explosion IS success and vessels can
pass VT hout any fear.