Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-15
rHE GREAT nxrEosros.


Nt5 OF VfGHVs
NEW yoRK, Oct 10.--The elevated rail-
roads and the horse cars began TO carry
large numbers OF passengers from an early
hour this morning to various points Of van
taRe Ia tho upper part of the city to see the
explosion at Flood Rock. These got of the
ours all along from Eightieth to Ninety-dfth
street and walked down towards Hell Gate.
The scene at 10 o'clock was pretty and
impressive. The shore on the New York
side was frineed with dark masses OF men,
women and boys who tried In every possible
way TO get tho best view OF the Flood Rock.
Some were perched upon huge piles of
boards In the neighboring lumber ynrdsj
some with more enterprise sat In fancied
security upon the roofs Of tenement-houses,
while others planted themselves upon terra
firma.
The largest crowd was collected In front
OF Eighty-sixth street. Here several acres
OF ground were completely covered with
people. few yachts and boats,. more
venturesome than their neighbors, lay OH
the piers awaiting the pressing OF the cleo
trle button which should blow the hidden
mine. A few barges loaded with bricks
were ut their docks. The owners seemed
willing 10 take the risk of being sent 60 the
bottom by the upheaval of the waters.
Policemen were as thick AS autumn leaves
and were everywhere. Every foot OF the
river front was under the surveillance OF
| these guardians of the peace.
Soon after 10 O'Clock the police boat and
the boat of the commissioners OF charities
steamed up the river and began their work
| Of clearing the stream of the yenturesome
craft. They stretched imaginary ropes
across the river both above
| and below Halletts Point and
| gave orders that no vessel should pass until
| after the explosion had taken place. Photo
| graphers with their cameras were perched
upon available spots ready to take inst ,,I,
| 10 900 people lined the shores when the eS-
| plosion took place.
$4,000 PEOPLE IN SUSPENSE.
The bell in the tower at st. AIMS school
| building struck the hour of IL, and $4,000
people waited expectantly for the explosion
| which was advertised to be hand mt that
| hour. But at that moment there was still Il
| number of people on Flood Rock. few
moments later d tug took them oifand then
| the spectators braeed themselves for the eX-
pected shock. Ladies' and gentlemen in
| carriages stood upon the cushions
and leveled their opera glasses towards
| the island. A hushed expectancy fell upon
| the vast crowd who seemed almost afraid
| TO breathe for fear the act would disturb
| their Wow Of the explosion should 1t occur
at that moment. The river in the vicinity
| of Flood Rock and Halletts Point was now
clear OF vessels. At respectful distance,
| however, scores OF excursion steamers.
| their decks black with people, yachts, tugs
and even sound liner waited for the press
| ing Of tho electric button.
MASSES OF WATER IN THE AIR.
At precisely l1.13 O'Clock the earth trcm-
| bled and the bosom of the river was pierced
| with d mighty upheayal of rocks and tim
bers. Up, up, up went the glittering MASSES
| of water until it seemed rs ii they would
never stop. At n hight of 200 foot the up
| lifted waters paused in their upward flight
and fell buck again TO the river. At this
moment when the air for hundreds OF feet
| in each direction was filled with the white
1 masses of sparkling water the spectacle was
grand beyond expression.
| Mary Newton, the 11-years-old daughter
OF Gov. Newton, who as chief engineer has
conducted the operations at He'll Gate
since tho start, touched the button that sci
free the electric current that exploded the
submarine mines and shattered the noun
tain Of rock lifting 1t out of the bosom oi
the sea and crushing IL into II million o
fragments. 1t was little Mary Newton who
when u mere baby touched off the frs
IInll Gate explosion u few feet from tn,
point where She stood to duy.
The shock of the collapse was felt onl,
slightly on tho Astoria shore and the moist
rosembled far distant, subterranean thunder
A tremendous volume OF water rose To
; hight OF Iju feet or 2u0 feet, nliisseSoi whit
foam shining in tho sunlight presenting III
| appearances Of IL fantastic iceberg lifte
bodily upon IL solid basis of dark, ffuze
water. For five or six second
! it tremblod aloit, and then san
( back into the river, upon whic
. IL yellow sulphurnus glow rested for
minute after. Then the river resumed il
wonted course. Where Flood Rock ha
II lifted its stony buck mass of broke
n wreck was seen; on top OF II all the bi
/. derrick that had been left to its fate, turne
n over on its side and broken. A huge tan
which had been left at the north end of Il
= island still stood in its place, tilted over.
!, Immediately after tho explosion II fl
III broke out in the wreck and burned lustl
amid the settling waters. Four insta
st taneous photographs wore taken by office
le of the corps of engineers from the 1lril
M point ut Astoria. AS far rs il was possit
n TO judge from the position and npprarnl
M of the wreck, the explosion had been
l" entire success, though for the present t
" vicinity of blasted rock will be even mo
; dangerous than heretofore until the wre
A. has been removed.
t.; Tho shock was felt distinctly in tho q
ty hall building, the structure trembling
"a the space of 1--WE seconds.