New-York tribune., 1905-07-23
BIG EXPLOSION SUCCESS.
SEEN By 10000 PEOPLE.
F0ty-fue Tons of Dynamite Set off
at Portsmouth. n. III,

Portsmouth. n. H. July 22.-By the slight
movement OF an electric switch placed at Sea-
wey's stand to-day. spark generated which
successfully discharge forty-ave tons OF dyna-
mite and destroyed 3 three acre ledge that had
menaced navigation in the Piscataqua River.
The setting of OF tnis enormous amount of
plosive, said 10 have been the greatest ever han
died one time IN this country II not in the
world. attended by little danger and by no
accident 1t was declared a complete success,
both by the contractors who had carried on the
undertaking and by United States government
officials who have supervised the work
The switch by which the blast was discharged
was operated by Miss Ethel Foster. the young
daughter OF the superintendent OF the contract
ing firm. at a signal given by Rear Admiral W.
"a Mead, commandant Of the Portsmouth Navy
Yard at 4:lO D. m Governor McLane or New
Hampshire, and other prominent men witnessed
the explosion guests Of honor. While on inc
shore Of the river and on islands in the harOoI
crowds estimated TO aggregate t@'rty thousaho
persons saw IT, The explosion was the climax
of three years work which involved the e1-
renditure of nearly S750.000. and as q result of
it the government drydock at the navy
yard here has an approach of sufficient width
and depth to permit the safe passage of the
largest vessel afoat
Besides Governor McLane and members OF his
stsn and council the guests included Rear Ad-
Iniral NJ T. Endicott L. s. N, chief of the Bu-
reau OF Yards and Docks Herbert H. d. Peirce,
Third Assistant Secretary of State; United States
Senators J. H. Gallinger and II. z. Burnham,
ana Congressman Frank d. Currier and Cyrus
A. Sulloway. Of Hampshire. and Amos L.
Allen OF Maine, and a number of naval officers
stationed in New-Englsnd.
Promptly at $3.50 o'clock two long blasts the
navy yard whistle gave the signal for the pa
trolling boats to take up their stations and TO
prevent the passing OF craft within the
deemed dangerous Guests and navy yard off,
Gals and members Of the contracting firm then
took their places On the stand erected for their
accommodation.
At 4:1O Rear Admiral Mead gave the signal for
which Miss Foster was waiting. She moved the
switch. There was fraction of a second inter
val Then came tremendous upheaval OF wa
ter. rocks clay and lumber, accompanied by
sound ike the boom OF distant cannon. From
the centre OF the commotion there Ieaped a cloud
Of water 10 q great height and volumes Of green
ish smoke rolled upward. The commotion fol-
lowed the hOrseshoe-lil1e line of the cofIerdam,
and from the centre huge wave rolled over
toward the Newcastle shore. Some Of the frag
ments OF timber which came from the dam were
thrown TO a great height, but the heavier mate
rial did not rise far.
AS a spectacle the explosion was a disappoint-
shot up for $50 feet. That was beautiful. The
rest gave little satisfaction. The expected
trembling OF the earth not noticed by those
on Seavey's Island. On the Maine shore OF the
river II distinctly felt The only element Of
danger wRs the great rush OF water toward the
Newcastle shore. which was some 1900 or 1900
teet away. one great wave swept across with
tremendous force. and others. resent bling the
surf in a storm, followed. They caused no damage,
however. Some Of the pieces of timber also fell
On Pierce's Island, where there was throng OF
spectators, but these were easily avoided.
After the explosion Rear Admiral Endicott
declared that the work "a complete sue
cess" This opinion also was given by Lieu
tenant Gregory, who had charge OF the work for
the government. and by Superintendent Foster.
Of the contracting firm. The explosion
moved the point clean with the edge OF SeaYeys
Island, as was desired by those who planned IT.
By its destruction the channel is widened some
three hundred and fifty feet, and the contract
for the work calls for uniform depth OF thirty
five feet at mean low water It IS expected that
The work OF dredging Will be completed before
winter. e.
Hendersons Point is a solid ledge OF horse
shoe shape. four hundred feet wide at the base
ana putting out into the river about three hun
dred feet. Around II have swirled innumerRble
currents and tide which has been the dread of
al mariners. The swift waters have a.
channel ninety feet deep IN the solid rock
around the end OF the point but the force OF the
cross currents has been so great that for years
Il has been q menace. especially TO the develop
Inent OF the navy yard. With the establishment
of the great drydock it's removal became i'm
peratiVe.