Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-10-19
THE DESTRUCTION OF FLOOD
ROCK.

On the 10th inst. the blowing up
of Flood rock at He'll Gate narrows
n ear New York, occurred. The work
of preparation has been going on for
several years, and the rock has been
chambered by taking out vast guam
Till es of it and finally perforated with
no les in which about 100000 pounds
eff grant powder were placed to be
expl oded simultaneously by electric
ity. The following graphic descrip-
ton tells the result:
At 10 40, a. M, General Newton
and General Abbott signified that
everything was in readiness. Both
gent leman looked anxious and gaz-
ed toward the Gordon of marines and
policemen, who were keeping the
crowd two blocks away on every side
fro I'M the firing point.
General Newton's nervousness was
apparent. 'sWe shall start in an
Their minute" he said. 1t was then
II minutes after the hour. All the
photographers were in position. The
electric battery was there ready to
do its work when the mighty little key
was touched. 1t was ticklish PEE
Rod. In minute it would be sue
cessful. All who had participated
in the great work showed their anxi-
ETY.. The seconds were lapslng.
At II IL :5S General Abbott gave
the signal. Little Miss Newton,
aged IA, touched the electric button.
The current was released. Each man
held his breath for a particle of
second of time, and before the six
teenth part of the minute had been
ended, Flood rock was shivered to
| atoms. There was dull reverber-
ating report and then a mighty mass
of water went up to meet the sky.
1t was a sight sublime. The water
was as white as the purest snow. 1t
went up in three big blocks, each
tapering into the peaks as they reach
ed that highest altitude and glisten-
ing in the sun like molten silver. The
center peak was a third of an acre
wide at its base and yard wide at
its greatest height, which seemed 100
feet. On either side of it were two
greater blocks of water, which as
cended at least POO feet into the air
and tapered off at the ends just like
an v mountain tops as seen in the dis
lance. The three great sheets of wa
ter seemed to pause a few moments
when their highest altitude was at
tanned. Then they looked as if they
were snow-capped peaks transplant
ed from the Sierras, as they came
down slowly, grandly, solemnly, as
beftted them. The sun played
against the glistening water and de.
picted every shadow of the rainbow
1t was an enchanting picture.
The descent of the mighty mass
took three seconds of time, and ther
the white foam was lost in the angry
mud boiling up from the bowels o.
the rivers bed Seething water,
churned up solid blocks of rocl
weighing SIX tons apiece, and sen
the surrounding waves rolling il
upon the land. Then, as the rock
and mud sank from sight, heav
pillow of black cloud shot PIP. !
had a sulphurous smell, and thos
who asked were told that the clou
contained all the noxious gases tina
had accumulated in the mine in al
the years since work was first begun
Then, as the cloud ioated up to NEE
The sky, the waters began to settl
down TO their normal condition, tn
mist cleared away. and the last sig
of the mighty blast was gone.
General Newton and General AT
bolt and all their staff were might
proud of it, and they showed il
There were $4,000 or 10000 person
who saw the spectacle, and whe
they had ceased to wonder they CAV
cheers upon cheers for General New
ton and his staff and the noble mil
ers WHO worked SO hard. Gener'
: Newton said the blast was q success
l. 1t just met his expectations and I'll
;, other officers were satisfied. III
{ next thing in order now is to drede
- the rocks and take them away, an
,e then there will be deep channel f,
l. all our vessels up through the bea
+ tiful So und and out to the WELDON
~ sea,
n Secretary of War Endicott, Hen
J. Ward Beecher, General Slocum al
: others were on the steamer CAST
'd ton. There was no loss of life M
er damage to property. The blast W;
d a great success. The shock was di
ia tinctly felt as far down town as [
Sc Astor House and up to Mount w
y non, twenty miles up the state. 4
OF Long Island was shaken, and it
Id said the shock was even felt on 81
so ten Island.
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