Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-10-13
THE BIG BLAST.
Flood Rock in He'll Gate De-
molished on Saturday.
Death of Cardinal McCloskey
Full of Years and
Honors.
Capt. D. w. Maratta Appointed
United States Marshall
for Dakota.
THE GREAT EXPLOSION.
The Shock Felt Many Miles Away.


The 100000 pounds of dynamite
under Flood Rock, in He'll Gate chan
mel, were exploded Saturday at ll:lS,
a. m. The shock was plainly felt at
the lower end of Manhattan Island.
In order to protect life and property
at Flood Rock, the explosion was
most careful and adequate and the
police arrangements were perfect. A
force of $50 policemen in addition to
the harbOr policemen were detailed
near the scene of action, 800
of whom were located on the
East River front. Blackwell's Island
100 policemen, while fifty
were on duty at Wards Island. All
the buildings on the north end of
Blackwell's Island were cleared of
their inmates, including the aims
house, work house, and lunatic
asylum, who were massed in lawns at
safe distance from the explosion and
carefully guarded. In. the peniten-
tiary the cell doors were thrown open
and the prisoners conducted TO the
halls of the prison surrounded by the
police, while large force was sta
toned among the prisoners TO prevent
escape or riot, and give aid in case it
was found necessary to reach the
building. All points on the shore
from which Flood Rock could be seen
were packed with people. The police
were kept busy in keeping the crowd
outside of the danger line. Ropes
had been stretched across the river
above and below the place of the ex-
plosion, and launches from the navy
yard patrolled the river to see that no
vessels attempted TO pass through.
The bell in the tower of ST. AIMS
school building struck the hour Of IL,
and $1,000 people waited expectantly
for the explosion, which was adver-
tised to be on hand at that hour, but
that moment there was still number
of people on Flood Rock. A few mo-
ments later, however, tug took them
off, and then the spectators braced
themselves for the expected shock.
Ladies and gentlemen In carriages
stood upon the 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
would disturb their view Of the explo-
sion, should il occur at that moment
The river in the vicinity Of Flood
Rock and Hallet's Point was now
clear of vessels and at a respectful
distance. However, scores Of excur-
sion steamers, their decks black with
people, yachts, tugs, and even Sound
liners waited for the pressing OF the
electric button. At precisely HIS
o'clock the earth trembled and the
bosom OF the river was pierced with a
mighty unheaval of rocks and timb
Up, up went glittering masses OF
water, until 1t seemed as If they would
never stop. At the height Of 200 feet
the up-lifted waters paused and fell
back again to the river. At this mo-
ment, when the air for hun
dreds of feet In each direction was
filled with white masses Of sparkling
water, the spectacle was grand.
Mary Newton, the ll-year old daugh-
ter of Gen. Newton, who as chief en-
gineer has conducted the operations
at He'll Gate since the start, touched
the button that set free the electric
current that exploded the submarine
mines and shattered the mountain OF
rock, lifting 1t out Of the bosom Of the
sea, and crushing 1t into a million
fragments. IL was little Mary New
ton who, when a mere baby, touched
off the first He'll Gate explosion few
feet from the point where she stood
to-day. r.t
The shock Of the collapse was felt
only slightly on the Astoria shore,
and the noise resembled far distant
thunder. When Flood Rock had
lifted Its strong back mass OF broken
wreck was seen on top Of 1t. All Of
the big derrick that had been left to
its fate turned over on lie side and
broke. A huge tank that had been
left ut the north end Of the island still
stood In it's place, tilted over a little
as II had settled when let down with
the angry waters from its areal flight
Immediately after the explosion fire
broke out In the wreck and burned