The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-10-16

100000 Pounds of Dynamite Exploded and
Flood Rock Broken Up.

Flood Rock Broken Up.
NEW YORK, Oct. 9.-The great explosion
of nearly 100000 pounds Of dynamite which
Is expected to SILVER Flood Rock and clear
the He'll Gate channel, Is set for to. morrow
Saturday morning, as IL O'Clock. The
work of clearing away the machinery, build
ings aud other valuable property was COM
pleted tonight, and all that remains are the
elevator timbers over the main shaft and .
little tool shaDty, which, having been
cleaned out and fitted with shelves, hold the
cells of the great battery which will cause
cause the explosion. The SO wires running
to the detonators in the mine are hanging in
! bunch, awaiting the time when Lieutenant
Berby will connect them with the battery,
which will be the last work dJne on the
rock. Since early morning two eighteen
inch syphons have been running water into
the mine, and it is expected that the
whole will be flooded by @ o'clock a.. m.
TO morrow. 1t has been decided to
locate the land battery and the instru-
| mcutS Ofl ZIG Olu ASLOTlh sLchuuOdt uOChS
about 200 feet from the rock, and the wires
to complete the circuit will be run across
channel to morrow. Cordons of police will
keep the crowds at a respectful and safe dis
lance, and the owners of buildings in the
immediate vicinity have been notified to
stand from under. Steam launches from
the Government vessels will patrol the river
and prevent vessels from passing.
NEW YORK, Oct l0.-Tbe bell in the
tower of St. AIMS school building struck
the hour of II and 80 900 people waited ex-
pecsantly for the explosion, which was ad-
vertised 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, tug took them off and then
the spectators brsced themselves for the ex-
pected shock. Ladies and gentlemen in
carriages stood upon cushions and leveled
their opera glasses toward the island. A
hushed expectancy fell upon the vast crowd,
who seemed almost afraid to breathe for fear
the act might disturb their view of the ex-
plosion should 1t occur at that moment.
| The river in the vicinity of Flood Rock and
Hallet's Point was now clear of vessels, and
at respectful distance. Scores of excursion
steamers, their decks black with people, and
yachts and tugs waited for the pressing of
the electric button. At precisely 11:1S
O'Clock the earth trembled and the bosom of
the river was pierced with mighty upheavsl
Of rocks and timbers. Up, up, went the
glittering masses of water until 1t seemed as
| If they would never stop. At the height of
| 200 feet the uplifted water paused and fell
back again into the river. A. this moment,
| when the air for hundreds of feet in each
direction was filled with white masses Of
sparkling water, the spectacle was grand be-
yond expression. Mary Newton, the 11-year
old daughter of General Newton, who, as
Chief Engineer, has conducted operations at
He'll Gate since the start, touched the hut
ton thai set free the electric current that ex-
ploded the submarine mines, and shattered
a mountain of rock, lifting it out of the bo-
som of the sea and crushing it into million
fragments. 1t was little Mary Newton, who,
when mere baby, touched of the first He'll
Gate explosion, few feet from the point
where she stood to-day.
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
q mass Of broken rock was seen on the top
of it. The big derrick that had been left to
its fate turned over on its side and broke .
large tank that had been left at the north
end of the island, which still stood in its
place, tilted over as it had settled when let
down with the angry waters from It's erial
flight. Immediately after the explosion .
fire broke out in the wreck aud burned lus-
tlly in the seething waters. Four instanta-
neous photographs were taken by the officers
Of the corps of engineers from the firing
point at Astoria. As far as 1t was possible
to judge from the position and appearance
of the wreck, the explosion has been an en-.
tire success, though for the present the vi
cinity of the blasted rock will be even more
dangerous than heretofore until the wreck
has been removed. Tie shock was felt to q
slight extent In the city. 1t was distinctly
felt in the City Hall building, the structure
trembling for the space Of few seconds.
At the County Court House the shock was
also distinctly felt in the upper part of the
building. The floor shook and the windows
trembled when the explosion occurred.
The only accident reported In connection
with the explosion was the burning of Gen.
Newton slightly on the neck bv piece of
fuse attached to . Photographic camera.
The engineers, of whom Gen. Newton was
chief, did not, as was expected, make q thor
ough examination of the work done by the
explosion this afternoon. A tug boat, 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 commenced next week, and
1t will not be known until after this survey
is made just what the effect has been. One
of the engineers tonight, in speaking of the
work done by the dynamite and "RenGrock,"
said that SO far as his observations had ex.
tended, the explosion was eminently sue.
cessful. Flood Rock 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 diff.
Guilty whatever in making their trips through
the channel. No serious damage was done
anywhere, although the shock was felt in
New York and Long Island City.
ASTORIA, L. l., October I0.-To obtain q
scientific opinion Of the explosion Of Flood
Rock, an associated press representative In.
serviewed Capt. Mercer, U. s. Engineer
corps, who formerly had charge Of the Flood
Rock work. He said: II am perfectly sat-
isied that the explosion was . success. 1t
has accomplished oil that was anticipated BY
those in charge of the work. or course
people who expected to see the whole nine
acres Of rock blown skyward and fall back
to the water in cobblestones, were disap-
pointed. We did not expect. that TO occur. |
In my opinion the rock Is in Just such con.
dition a will render tia remov.l a..r nr