Evening star., 1886-11-05
CITY AND DISTRICT
BLOWING UP TREES,
The Old Oaks on Meridian Hill Give
way to the Extension Of tho City.

1t has been decreed by the District govern.
ment that 18th street shall be extended from
the Boundary to Columbia road. There is q
steep bill at the Boundary, covered with fine
olo OAKS. But neither hill nor oak can with
STAND the decree of the District government.
Inc hne OF the street has been staked of, and
witnln the lines stand, or did stand yesterday,
Iorty OF the finest and sturdest of the trees. In
side these lines cutting will be made for the
street. But first the trees have to be moved,
ana tnis work was begun last evening in q
mover manner. The woodman with his axe
makes pretty figure in poetry. but he is a
httie TOO slow for street contractor. Besides,
after he has chopped down the tree. the stump
ana roots remain in the ground, and are just
as much an obstruction as the whole tree would
delayed by an such slow progress. A beginning
was MADE last evening, and after the prelimi-
mary mary WSsk s6s was done I've trees were wrested
that did it. The announcement in THE STAR
that the trees would be blasted out drew
work was done by we workinsmen, King Who hbds bored
deep hole at the base of the trunk Of each tree.
BY By means cans OF picks holes were made until there
was quite cavity directly under the center OF
make cavity Of the required size with tools
Broderick, the gentleman who hos %superintended the
work, termed It. This process consisted OF ex-
piooing q small cart! idge of dynamite powder
Ia the cavity, the charge used being strong
enough TO considerably enlarge the opening.
The cavities having been prepared they were
loaded, each with from six to eight pounds Of
Judson powder. A fuse and percussion cap
were inserted and the earth was tramped in
upon the powder. Then all was ready, and
mere was great scampering OF spectators, who
ned down the hill in every direction. The men
LETT behind lighted the fuses and then took to
their heels. From the base of each "loaded"
tree could be seen TOR q few seconds thin
column OF smoke arising. Then came rumb-
ling explosion and one huge tree could be seen
rising In the air, together with great volume
OF smoke. Pieces of branches and stones were
hurled In showers upon the ground tor q distance
Of a hundred yards or more. The first explosion
was loiiowed almost instantly by the others,
and for few seconds Meridian hill seemed to
be saluting the city with salvo of great guns.
A glaSs-covered hot house attached to q florists
establishment near by was about the only
thing that suffered from the explosions Tie
glass was riddled by flying pebbles and debris.
Those In charge of tile blasting took care not
were at safe distance on the further side of
Boundary street. When the explosions were
over the spectators Clam bered up the hill and
inspected the holes that marked the spots
where the trees had stood. The shattered
trunks and limbs OF the trees were scattered
dren were busy lugging away the portable frag-
ments for frewOod. The work Of blowing up
trees was resumed to-day. The powder used
Is slow burning, and rather slow in action, aud
lifts trunk, stump and all from the ground.
Dynamite, or quicker action, II ts said, would
not produce such satisfactory results. Mr..
Frederick stated 70 STAR reporter that such
blasting was quite common in removing
stumps. but blasting trees was something OF .
novelty.