Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-10-22
THE BLAST AT HE'LL GATE.
The officer in Chargce Declares the
Explosion a Success.

Hc OHIcer HI CnarScg declares the
Explosion Success.
New YORK, Oct. IA large
| number of people to-day visited the
scene of yesterdays explosion at dell
Gate and carried off mementoes of the
occasion. The northern end of the
reef still projects from the water even
at high tide. The officer in charge,
however, declares the explosion 81
complete success. He says that the
projecting portion is SO honey -combed
with assures that it will fall to pieces
when operations are begun for its re-
moval. To casual observer it APP
pears intact. If any further blasting
shall be necessary, the system of sur
face blasts will be resortcd to.
General Newton said to reporter !:
"The continued projection Of the reef
above the sorface Of the water is just
what all the engineers expected. The
greater portion of the island above the
water was built up from the rock ex-
cavated from below. and its height
above flood tide was about nine feet.
The force of the explosives was calcu-
lated to operate almost entirely on the
mass below and expend as little as pos
slble of its energy upon the shell or
roof. AS matter of fact we expect
ed the roof to be what the sailors call
awash, or just about flush with the
water, and this is relatively what is
now to be seen. The portion OF the
| surface now above water is not over 3
feet in height, and is in itself proof
of the eXactness Of the calculations.
Below the rocks are all broken up in
! pieces easily removed by dredging.
| We had no time to-day to make any
examination. but shall begin survey
in the course of a few days. Until
that is done it will be unsafe for YES
sells of light drau.ht to pass oxer the
reef, as it is more than likely that
where there was formerly ample depth
of water there may not be just now,
and vice versa. The survey will oc-
cupy two or three weeks, and when
that is completed and the necessary
advertisements can be published the
work of removing the broken rock
will begin. This will occupy two or
three years, and will be done by con
tract. 1t will probably cost S5O0,O00
of which we have now on band, after
the payment of few outstanding bills
about 100000.
"The channel is to all intents and
purposes practically doubled, and
whens sthe rock is removed will be fully
200 feet in width as compared with
600 feet, its present dimensions. New
York can get along very we'll without
the remova! of the other rocks and
reefs in He'll Gate basin, and if peces
sary a new entrance for ocean steam
ers is afforded. At certain stages OF
the tide they can come in through the
new channel without any trouble
whatever, and with very little trouble
at any stage of the tide. The prin
cipal difficulty OF He'll Gate channel
will hereafter not be on account of its
width or depth, but will be due to the
crowded nature OF the thorough-fare
There will be fully twenty-six feet ot
| water, and when all the debris is re
moved probably more. | think il
very probable that the other rocks and
reefs will have to go. If any one
looks at the conformation of He'll Gate
basin it will be seen that it is an i'm
| mense area, in which an almost incon
ceivable number of vessels could be
moered. There will always be :
strong main current running around
Hallett's Point, but as you come over
to the New York side the water i,
placid and quiet. The removal o
Flood Rock will not do away with
the swirls and eddies of He'll Gate
but will greatly modify and lesser
them. When the good effects Of the
removal of Flood Rock become mani
fest it is more than likely that the
work of removing the other reef vii
be authorized"
!