Year: 1876

PROGRESS OF THE PREPARATIONS FOE THE


GREAT EXPLOSION.


There arc now about so, 900 pounds Of explosive
material packed away under the reef at Haliess Point
and the sun sets tomorrow the work Of charging
will DO completed Although some 1000 holes were
bored, only about l. ooo it said. will be hed the
authorities In charge OF the work have decided that
enough explosive matter be packed into that num-
Der of holes to demoish the rock with absolute GER
tainty. The holes to DO filled arranged In $50
groups OF twenty holes each aud groups Of nine
each, making a total or 36s1 holes about 500 of
which are already filed. The men have become ac-
cus;omed to the new branch OF the work. and now
handle the cartridges with much more rapd,ty though
with less care Than at nrst Captain Mercur,
engineer charge under General Newton is constantly
In attendance aud directs the work through his ex-
pcrenced trusty Lieutenant, Mr.. Bernard Boyle,
foreman OF the mining operations General Ncwtons
implicit confidence IN the success Of the work and the
calm dcmeanor himself aud his assistants has done
much reassure the people the vicinity who feared
damage 10 their properly from the big "biow up"
Some OF the residents however. werc yesterday
taking up their carpets and removing from
walls OF their houses When asked the reason OF this
action they stated that the plaster OF houses
would, no doubt DO thrown down, even should the
buildings themselves withstand the shock. Evidence
OF trepdaton the part OF the people found In the
fact shat " tho steamboat lines running 10 the
vicinity advertsss that NO dynamite is allowed to DO
carried on their boats Again. truck bearing several
cArboys OF elcclropaioa fluid for tho battery which
Will used to fire the mne-and which Will require
l50 gaonswas stopped At tho pier yesterday, and
amount Of argument or explanation could induce the
steamOo4. officials to believe that the harmless mix
turo not highly explosive compound; and all be-
cause 'To General Newton" was branded upon the
vessesi The work OF putting in the expiodent car.
trd.cs, or primers will begin Monday there
delay the part OF the contractors furnishing the
material Tho great explosion Will probably occur
Wednesday next s ans WORK oI preparing them Is
Of Mr.. julius Strlednger, on board the scow
lying at the shalt These primers consist OF
oynaers OF thin brass filed with dynamite
They made OF two dameters to accommodate
them to the different sized hoies but each primer Is
made tho quantity oil material by max
ing the smaller ones considerably longer TO guard
against explosion by concusson in the OF work.
man dropping ono Of these primers each is encased
DOZEN tnckncsses OF brown paper securely pasted
around, and Is hen dipped INTO boiling parailDe, which
adheres IN a thick coat TO the paper From the shape
OF the cartridges they WILL when dropped, fail upon
the bottom end ana me roll OF paper permitted to
project inch beyond that end 50 as to desden the
shock. into each one OF these primers is
now being inserted fuse made in
the shape OF brass cylinder two inches long
and hveoIghlhs ct inch thick. THIS is filed with
illuminate VI mercury. which is run one end Of
each Of pieces OF wire. united by bit OF platinum
wire. The hole in the fuse then stopped with a
cork, previously w boiled In mixture OF beeswax,
tailow and THIS done the primer Is ready for
use On end OF each OF the cartridges placed
within tho holes fastened four short prongs OF wire
which, like tho barD OF fish hook catch in tho
inequalities inside the hole and prevent Its slipping
when the hole happens be
cned upwards. The primers provided with brass
for the purpose with brass springs, made with


greater degree OF benttng their danger
Gus location and contents. When The men begin 10
insert the primers Monday, they Will proceed to
lower u quantity OF them into the shaft, then VIII
be pushed into the opening OF each hole, having
been taken in filing in the ordinary leave
sufficient space for IT, when primer has been placed
each one OF the twenty holes, forming one group,
the projecting from the fuses within the primers
will bc connected by twisting them together. forming
circuit, except that the two lowermost holes
connected. From each of these wire will lead up
through the shaft to the battery, located in a bomb
proof structure 100 yards away All that will then be
necessary explode the group to attach wire
battery forming circuit by bringing tho other
connection with It. Tho heat OF the electric current
the platinum wire within the fuse exploding the
illuminate OF mercury, which IN turn Hexplodes tho
primer itself, and that produces a concusson which
fires oil tho other cartridges further within the hole
from to another. 1t will thus be that tho
cartridges do not a go of at onco but MS the
cusson produced by dynamite travels CO. 600 icet per
second the interval Will not be apprcciabo either to
tho in its results.