The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-10-15
Exploded IN Flood Rock, He'll Gate
To-Day.
Interesting Particulars in Regard
to the Explosion.
A Sea Captains story of a Huge
Sea Serpent.
Damaging Prairie Fires Raging il
Nebraska.
Interesting Agricultural Statistics
of Kansas.



lower end of Manhattan Island.
In order 10 protect life and property,
the most careful and adequate police
arrangements had been perfected. A
force of $50 polieenen, in addition TO
the harbor police, had been detailed
near the scene of action, 800 of whom
were located on the river front. Black
wells Island contained detachment of
100 awhile fif.y we're on duty ct
Wards Island. The buildings on
BlackWell's Island were cleared Of all
inmates, including the aims house, work
house and lunatic asylum, who were
massed in lawns at 8 safe distance from
the explosion and carefully guarded. 10
the penitentIary, the cell doors were
thrown open and the prisoners conduct
ed to the hall OF tine prison, which was
surrounded by the police, OF which q
large force was stationed among the
convicts TO prevent escape or risk ana TO
give aid In case it was found necessary
to reach the building.
All points on the shore from which the
rock could be seen were densely packed
with people. The police were busy in
keeping the crowd outside of the danger
line. Ropes had been stretched across
the river above and below the place OF
explosion and launches from the navy
yard patrolled the river to see that no
vessels attempted TO pass through. The
bell In the tower of tine Staun school
building struck the hour of IL and So.
900 people waited expectantly for the
explosion which was advertised to be On
hand at that hour, but at that mo-
ment there was still q number of people
on the rock. A few minutes later, how
ever, tug took them off and then the
spectators braced themselves for the ex-
pected shock. Ladies and gents in car.
riages stood upon the cushions and lev
eled their opera glasses toward the is-
land. A hushed expectancy fell upon
the vast crowd who seemed almost AFRAID
to breathe for tear the act would disturb
their view OF the explosion should II
occur at the moment. The river in the
vicinity of Flood Rock and Hallett's
Point was now clear of ves-
sells at respectable distance.
There were however seaTes of excursion
steamers, their decks black with people,
and yachts, tugs and even a sound liner
waited for the pressing Ot the electric
button. At precisely 11:13 O'Clock the
earth trembled and the bosom of the
river was pierced with mighty upheav-
| al of rocks aud lumber. Up went gilt
tering masses of water until it seemed as
| If thew would never stop. At height
/ of 200 feet the uplifted waters paused
and fell back again INTO the river, At
this moment, when the air for hundreds
of feet IN each direction was filled with
white masses of sparkling water, the
spectacle was grand beyond expression.
Mary Newton, the eleven-year-olo
daughter OF General Newton who is
chief engineer and has conducted opera
tions at He'll Gate since the start,
touched the button that sent the electric
current that exploded the submarine
mine and shattered the mountain OF
rock, lifting il out of the bosom of the
sea and crushing it into a million trag-
ments. It was Mary Newton who
when mere baby, touched off thes first
| He'll gate explosion, a few feet
from the point where she stood to-day.
The shock of the collapse was felt only
slightly on the east shore, ana the noise
resembled far distant subterrenean thun-
der. Where Flood Rock had lifted lis
strong back q mass OF broken rock was
seen on top of It all a big derrick that
had been left to Its fate turned over on
its side unbroken. The huge derrick
that had been left at the end OF the
island still stood In Its place tilted
I
settled when let down with the augry
waters from its srial flight. Immedl
ately after the explosion fire broke oul
in the wreck and burned Justify amid
the seething waters. -Four instantaneous
photographs were taken by officers of the
corps OF engineers from the
Firlna point. As far as 1t wai
possible TO judge i.oH the posi-
ton and appearance of the wreck TIT
explosion had been an entire success
though Tor the present the vicinity, OF
account of the blasted rock, will be ever
more dangerous than heretofore until thu
wreck has been removed The shoct
was felt to slight extent il
the city. 1t was distinctly
felt in the City Hall building, the struc
ture trembling for space of five sec
Onds. At the county court house tn,
shock was also distinctly felt, In tn,
upper part of the building the floor
shook and the windows trembled wheI
the explosion occurred.
The rock had been perforated anC
made into galleries and pillars IN all di
rections resembling an immense ston,
temple under water, 200 feet in length
and varying from 800 to 600 feet il
breadth. The roof was supported by tn,
467 stone pillars that had been hewI
out and each one of these pillars Wa
perforated with holes nine feet in deptI
and three inches IN diameter to receive
the explosives. The galleries and othe
parts of the rock were similarly perfo
rated. making the entire number o.
holes 1926, the aggregate length o
which would be % miles. Into thes,
aper:ures 2S0 600 pounds of dynamir,
was placed and arranged with a fifteeI
minute fuse TO give the workmen ampl,
time to get out of the way of danger
An idea of the immensity of the wori
can be obtained by comparing It witt
that at HaIlett's Point. There the tota
length of galleries was I, 426 feet, agains
81 $40 in Flood Rock. In the formel
there were 173 piers each 10 feet square
in the latter 457 each fifteen feet SQUARE
There 81, GOO cubic yards Of rock had Il
be moved; here there are $50. 600 cubic
wards already or yet to be taken awav
In Hallett's reel, 1873 holes were drilled
in Flood Rock there are 1926. am
while only 47,761 pounds OF dyamitt
were used there. six times that amour
was stored under the waters of Hell
Gate.