Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-10-24
our Agents.
BLOWING UP FLOOD ROCK.
Iron Harper's WeeklY.l

O'Clock, Saturday morning, October lO,
Miss Mary Newton, Gen. John New
toms twelve-year-old daughter, touch
ed an electric button, and caused the
greatest single discharge of explosive
material that has ever been produced
by human agency. 1t was the culmin-
alton of nine years unremitting and
scientifically directed labor beneath the
waters of He'll Gate, and the finishing
touch was given by the hand OF the
same young lady whose baby fingers,
nine wears ago,s sent a similar electric
thrill beneath the same waters into the
mine at Hallet's Point.
The final preparations within the
mine had been completed the day be-
fore, and all night two immense siphons
had been flooding it with water. All
night the work of removing whatever
material could be taken away from the
artificial island above Flood Rock had
progressed without intermission, and ii
was continued to within a few minutes
of the explosion. From early morning
throngs of people had stationed them
selves at various advantageous points
of view on both banks of the river
along half a mile of its length, and by
eleven o'clock the eyes OF $4,000 spec.
tators were focused on the doomed
island. From high banks, house-tops,
fences, steamers, and ice barges a hun
bred cameras were directed oward the
same point, and as many anxious pho
tographers impatiently awaited the
great event. On land several hundred
policeman and as many troops from
Willet's Point awed the would-be spec
tators with clubs and fixed bayonets.
Under pretext of keeping them at a
safe distance and out of harms way
these guards prevented as many per-
Sons as possible from seeing anything
that was gong on, and secured all the
most eligible places for themselves.
During this same time the sparkling
waters of the river were gradually COW
cred with craft of every description,
from steam-yach,s and big excursion
steamers down TO skiffs and canoes, all
crowded with sight-seers to the limits
of their capacity. These were kept at
a safe distance, or beyond the thOus-
and-foOt line, by a number OF steam
launches from the navy-yard, that bore
red flags aud performed most excellent
services. At ten O'Clock all CONNER
cial navigation through He'll Gate was
tOppcU, dliu dilcI tudt tlulO Ohly IuC
swift moving launches darted over its
waters.
Ali the machinery and most of the
buildings had been removed from Flood
Rock, but it was still occupied by three
prominent object-a great wooden
water tank at the upper end, the black
framework of massive timbers that
rose thirty feet above the mouth of the
shaft in the middle of the island, and
had supported the hosting appara-
tus, and a good-sized shanty at the low
er end. From a flagstaff above the tall
framework of timber floated all Amer
lean flag. 1t was popularity supposed
that this structure would be shot high
into the air, and that the flag would be
left to wave on the very uppermOst
crest of the vast upheaval; and there
was a general murmur of regret among
the spectators which,, a few minutes be-
fore eleven O'Clock, it was hauled down
and carried away.
Until within five minutes of the eX-
plOsion half a dozen men were to be
seen running to and fro on the island;
but at length the government tug, Gen.
eral A. A. Humphreys, ran alongside
its little pier for the last time, and the
men were taken aboard. The last to
leave vas Lieutenant George Mcclellan
Derby, who, under General Newton,
has superintendent the entire work, and
whose labor of years was now to be
crowned with success, or to result in
failure.
With three blasts of her whistle as a
parting salute, the Humphreys dropped
down the river 10 a point OF the Asto-
ria side just above the ferry slip, where
the firing battery was stationed. Then
ensued two minutes of the m ost intense
suspense. Every eye was strained to
catch a glimpse of the wonderful spec
tacle. Fifty thousand faces were turn
ed in the same direction, and fifty
hJusand hearts beat quick with ex-
element. An almost death-like silence
settled over the whole scene, hardly a
voice was heard among all the vast
throngs of people, and the ripple of
the little waves that danced merrily be-
side the warves and boats were distinct
ly audible.
Then it came. A mufled roar, as of
distant thunder, mingled with which
was the crash of rending timbers, and
a terrible vibrating jar that, while not
oidiP III liItCLoC "d5 aS tIIlllluS dS
that of an earthquake. AT the same
instant nine acres of the rivers surface
was lifted high into the air, a mass of
foam, white as the driven snow. The
broadside view of the %upheaval was
that OF a long, gllstening iceberg, bro
ken into a thousand fantastic shapes,
and surmouuted by innumerable sharp
points u spires of irregular height.
The greatest elevation attained by any
one of these cones was over the mouth
of the shaft in Flood Rock. Here the
water was thrown very nearly as high
as the tower of the electric light on
Hallet's Point, or about one hundred
and fifty feet. To the great disappoint-
ment of most of the spectators, there
were no flying rocks or timbers to be
seen, and the effect of the upheaved
water was but little more impressive
than that produced by the explosion at
Hallets Point in 1876. AS the glisten-
ing masses fell, they were surcharged
with a great volume of yellow sulphur
Gus smoke, that hung over the scene
for moment, and then drifted away
over Long Island.
The effect upon the island and it's
several structures was not at all what
had been expected. Much of the island
still remained above water, though but
little raised from its surface. The
great wooden tank was somewhat shat
tered, but still stood much as it had be-
fore the explosion. The tall timber
frame work lay PROSTATE, but still
above water. The shed at the lower
end of the island had been blown in
pieces, and these were now drifting