Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-22

EVER
FIRED
Fifty Tons Of Dynamite Ex-
plOded This Afternoon at
Portsmouth N. H.

Portsmouth, N. H., July 22.-Thou.
sands of people lined the water front
and occupied other points of vantage
in the vicinity when at high tide this
afternoon 80 tons Of dynamite was
exploded and Henderson's point, a
jutting piece Of land that has always
narrowed the channel TO the exclusion
of ships Of the heaviest draft was re.
moved from the geography Of New
Hampshire.
1t was the largest blast ever fred.
At the invitation Of the navy depart.
ment, which conducted the engineering
feat, eminent engineers, naval officers
and others were present to witness the
uplifting Of land and waters. The in
vited spectators stood on Reservoir hill
frem which they had splendid view
of the terrific explosion. The arrange.
ments were in charge Of Engineer Greg
ory, U. s. NJ, Miss Edith Foster, the
daughter of Superintendent Foster Of
the Massachusetts, Contracting compa-
ny, pressed the button which set off
the gigantic charge and sent $4,000
yards Of solid ledge flying in the air.
IL was a holiday for the navy yard,
aAd all of the employees turned out to
witness the sight. The townspeople Of
Portsmouth and hundreds Of visitors
from nearby cities and towns swarmed
over Pierce island and on the Newcas.
tic side Of the water.
When all was ready for the explo-
sion the coferdam that had protected
the workmen while they were taking
of the surface earth and burrowing
deep into the rock to lay their train
Of explosives was removed, and the
water which had been kept back from
the giant excavation flowed over the
point to n depth Of twenty feet. This
cushion Of water served TO temper the
force of the blast so that no bad ef-
fects were experienced by persons or
property, though the quake of the earth
was felt for miles.
The work of removing Henderson, g
point has been going on for several
years. quarters Of n million dol.
lars has been expended in the task.
The point projects into the channel
at the narrowest place, where the river
turns at a sharp angle and flows into
the harbor The old channel was but
600 feet wide. The removal Of the
point increases the width TO $50 feet
and gives the channel uniform depth
Of 80 feet--a width and depth that
will admit the entrance of any vessel
now in the navy or ever likely to be-
For over two years contractors, nm
der the supervision of the government,
have been excavating the middle of the
point. Nearly 100000 cubic yards had
been excavatade, having $4,000 cubic
yards, which was instantly disposed OF
by today's explosion.
Down at the bottom Of the big pit
workmen were engaged for months
drilling holes into the rock to receive
the giant charge Of dynamite explod
ed this afternon. Two hundred anC
fifty holes were drilled horizontally
the longest over eighty feet in length
and the shortest ffty. Every three
feet Of progress required the sharpen
ing of each drill, so that blacksmith
shop was a necessity in the pit, many
feet below the level of the water. Th'
fifty tons of dynamite poured into tn
holes was manufactured especially 70
the job. The greatest care was neces
sary in leading the blast to prevent
premature explosion, which would hav
been disastrous, not only to the live
of the workmen, but to the success o
the engineering feat. The blast wa
arranged in three circuits and set OF
simultaneously when Miss Foste
touched the button from safe retrea
in one Of the main buildings in tn
navy yard.