The New York Herald Newspaper, September 25, 1876, Page 4

4 fornished the explosives in the Hoosac Tunnel. | In dditen to the above there were re tives trom the Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian and other of the Centennial Commissions and the members of the Russian Commission came in a body, ero were also present ers from Cana touth America and from all over our own country ‘Tue probable efecis of the great blast was the subject Of discussion, and the result confirmed the views ex- pressed by most of them. Mr. G. M. Mowbra perfect description of what was coming it he thought there was any danger, be remarked as follows:—"Not a bit; you will see the water rise in a volume, possibly 100 feet high; that will be jollowed quickly by a mavs of dark clouds of earth Tn descending, the water will foam a: strikes, afew moments it will all be over. The air will be | re prominent eng When asked ud stone. and in filled with a heavy gas, the smell of which you | will appreciate if we happen to be to leeward | of the biust.”” The warning guns were not heard on | board the Pi t Valley, but as the time approached | © of the great ound was heard, and the was exactly Woat Mr, Mow eamer was to winds ard the surtac all eyes were strain mine. A heavy, r Beene accompaying had predicted. For unately, tue } ward, aud the heavy yel uds of ga! ated | from us, The water had scarcely de- | pded whe perlect drove of small boats shot | hike arrows from every nook and corner of the | rounding shores, all pointing and converging to | them rowea yall men the hea the shot of the uj ns if life dep. aval, en in ng there Steamboat whistle ju the s nded on their ge est space of time, blew, cheered and thousands of s the ur from the surrounding ¢ Fas began 19 move away a ridge appeared on the sur- d was at first thought to be tormed | by the upturned mass of earth and broken rock, Ou | Bearer approach it was found to be the débris of the | coffer dam and the timber used in The | anxiety some of the rowboats to reach the scene | soon found explanation, Hooks and ropes and all | luanter of apparatus were soon brought to bear ou the floating timber, and load after Joad of it was towed away. Notwithstanding the opinions of the scientific | gentlemen that there would be no serious results from | {he explosion, there was some surprise at the litte noise and shock created by 1. GUARD NOAT NUMBER At half-past one o'clock the steamboat Eliza Hancox left the Battery with about 50 pei Were females, for the scone of the Baiith, who was in command, remain ons, sone of whom xplosion, Captain din the pilot | house during the trip tho greater partof the tm’ keeping weather cuse of danger. Among those ou board the Hancox was a very show looking, blonde youn with «a negro during the trip. his eye open in woman, who was in company d her considerable attention General Meeker, of Gene Newton's Bul; Colopel Meehan, of the engineers; Mr. Stouten- burgh, who 1 the tin cartridges; Joseph W. who manufactured used in tho charging of the mine, and a large numoer of gentle. men counected with mauuiacturo of ¢: plosive materials, The conversation of these gentle: mea was of rather a ghastly nature, beiwg principally iu ralation to the uses d nature of such cheerful sub- jects giant powder, nitro glycer- | who the uitro-glycerine o sale and s dualin renar ine, dynamite and nate of mercury, The scene | on board was calculated to give one a spell ot the blues, the sky above being checriess and a steady rain pouring down, with a | chilly breeze piercing even a heavy overcoat, Jokes of a mortuary nature were passed from mouth to mouth, and the humorists bade each other “Goodby,” ® ing that they would meet in a better world, or that it was no use of taking a drink, even, as the span of lite allotted each man would not exteud after three o'clock of the afternoon, An enterprising vender of eutables bad started » counter, from which he sold pressed corned beof sandwiches, clcese sandwicl hard boiled eggs of avery brittle consistence: AS the moments passed and the time ap Proached for the first gun to be fired the inter- est in every one’s face aboard the Hancox was | visibly heightened and the practical jokers com ‘menced to offer each other life preservers or to tie themselves with rope The rst gun was fired at hait-past two o'clock, and there was a Pause im the conversation, and men gazed at each other then with a look of inquiry on their faces, When the second gun was tired the watchers all with one mmpuise braced themselves on thoir legs, bendjng them slightly to receive the Shock. The lust over the river there was a un was Gred aud as the report boomed | hifted from the dischare ithe sm very short interval, and thea came the dull, far away souad of tie mighty force that was tearing the bowels out of Huilett’s Reet, Every eye trained toward the reel, bait a mile distant, were “Were seen 10 pusl up into the air two large and irregular masses of opaque smoke, one of a dirty, sulphuric yellow, which stretched out about 300 feet from shore end of ihe reef, while the thinner, loitier and more irregular mass wi ofa dirty, cloudy, black color, containing rubbish, coal dust, timber and planks, some of the latter being | rent into f nts by the mighty annibilacion, The dense o In height, where t aque mi matter were from thirty feet y were yellowish, to tity or sixty fet the dirty black Lue was more ob. Bervable. The water in the East River to tue the reet rose a white, foamy wall of about ten feet in height tho Instant after the report was heard, and this wall wus abouts Stretehing ata right angi The water iu the fiver foamed and became of a dirty, turvid yellow, Which was the result of the burning of the dynamite | below its sur But ata distance of half a mile, on Hancox, irow the roof, there was not a tremor felt ander her kecl, nor was there either concussion or vibration in the air. | shore, whe outn of a sort of ) feet in length direct from the shore, GUARD ROAT XO, 3. ‘The Arrowsmith, whieh left the foot of Broome street tor the scene of the explosion yesterday, had on board a mixed mass of curiosity seekers inter. spersed with afew gentlemen who professed them. | meives to be “martyrs to sei rin accident. The moist a Without evidently bad Uepressin steamer ase of sphere and clouded skies | an effect upon the passengers so that trequent libations were judged needtat | ciently nerve them {most of them anticipated. When the boat moved | ap the river and took its position inthe Ween Blackwoli's Island and Eighty-sixth street, The whole line of the New York shore was Biack with ince In Beilovae Garden and its vicinity every Toof, fence and tree supported a mass ot humauity, and away down the river at Filty-uinth street what deemed an imi resoived itself on close uspection into a dripping multitude. Behind the guard rout, and covering the channel {rom bank to bank, a foot doated that had in it samples of every crate known to the river, aud many q e uolamiliar to these diminutive skill, propelled | ed by a barrel stave, excited | mment, and the exchange of | for the catastropho channel be- | ators ss dark rock or any other waters, by au umbrelia and st considerable humerous One courtesies vy the navigators of passing yawis and fingles, who venturea jorth in quest of piscatorial | booty as much as out of curiosity, also supplied food tor laughter to the ators: afloat and ashore. When the canuoa was discharged announcing | tho time of the ion imminent there was a | general crowding forward on board and a phalanx cov- } ermg the upper deck drow forth opera and fletd glusses wud faces in the direction of Halletvs Point, On sire « movement toward the river was observ. abie and from that time wl tue Gring of the next gun there was a general flutter of excitement, Asitsdes- ouation pealed across the water every eye was turned in the direction of the reef, an expectant aiieuce fell apon the immense multizudes on jana and even the wokers aboard tho Arrowsmith, who had put the | Queen's English to awful tortures on tho passage | gavo over their levity and waited for the blast | with as great anxiety as though it had been the | erack of doom, Ten mixutes of breathless expecta | Sion passed and then there was selt an almost im. perceptibie shock as a column of water, capped | by a wihito cloud, rose imio the air of | Haliett’s Pomt ond « low, dull report rolled out The next momont the volume of water subsided, loaving a greeuish yeliow buc inthe airabove | and a floxting vapor of lighter yellow. For a time there | Was seen & muddy patch of water circling outward, foaming and agivated at first, but soon resuming its ordinary stillness and this was all Uhat was lett to tell whore Hallew’s Reet bad been. Fully a minute elapsed ‘fer the explosion before the watching multitudes tame to realize what had passed and’ then a shout broke yut from Jand and river. Cheer after cheer went ay, soine for General Newton, some ‘or dynamite and @ great many for nothing in particular, Then from a thousand ig along the shore a fleet of smxll boas f@bod out ito the river aud at once there began | Why, that thar blast wousdn’t kill a sick porgy. | Order and tne vows tuey bad taken. | ter upon what | Flood Rock, the explosion was to occur. such a casting of nets beat hooks New never before witnessed. <plosion Was cagerly sought and towed along, and the fishermen of that region were pale with excitement for at least ten minutes. Then they be; of thom with disappormtment marked upon their tanned and York or vielmity Visages and all of them, no doubt, feeling uke one of the | craft who was hatled by a passenger on the guard boat, “Take many dead fiah ?”? ‘Take many dead fish? And he went bis way sorrowing. As the beat passed down the river the crowds on shore at Fifty-ninth street and below it still steod, wet but patient, at their points of observation, and 80 con- vineed were they that the explosion had not yet taken place, that many gave ear to the hail from the Arrow- smith, “Go home, geutlemen; its postponed on account of the weather,” GUARD DoT xO. ‘Tho steamer Neversiok left the foot of East Thirty third street at @ quarter before two o'clock for the scene of the expected explosion, Sue tad on board about 160 persons, who bat been favored with invitations by General Newton, These passengers consisted for the most part of professional engineers, seicntitie pro fossors from a number of well known volleges and high schools and representatives of the press. Among tho distinguished vs on bourd wore Senator Jones, of Drift’ wood cast up by the | Nevada; Rev, Pusher MoGlynn, Captains Eugland and | Anthorp, of the British army; Mr. Jackson, of the aphical Society of Paris, and others The Neversink threaded her way up the river under a low head of steam until sho reached ber position, midway Detween tue southern point of Ward's Island and the uew piers jutting out from tho Harlem flaws into the East Kiver, opposite 110th street, Mr, Doers finger, oue of General Newton’s assistants, who was iu charge, gave Captain Green tnstractions as to the nept of the muchinery connecting the boiler in case of any uulooked for accident, Geo | From tue deck tae view was imposing, Never since New York has been a city—never, perhaps, in Amer ica belore—was there such an undulating ocean of expectant’ humamty gathered together. All the vast extent of tue eastern portion of Har. lom Heights and flats was packed thick as peo ple could stand together. Umbrella was jammed against umbrella, tll the whole space oceupied by the myriads 1 spectators presented the appearance of a wilderness of stall tents exterding over hundreds of space. Tue crowds of curious spectators, Who expected to witness nothing short of AN ARTIFICIAL EARTHQUAKE, swarmed down to the new piers, lined them, and ex- tended up and down the river, far as the eye could see, On the southern portion of Ward’s Island, under the trees, were several thousands of people. It seemed as if the million and @ half ot begs who inhabit New York and Brooklyn had loft their houses uutenanted su that they imight witness the long talked of mam- moth explosion, Atbalf past two o’clock the first warning gun was fired, aud a tremor of excited expectation could be seen to shoot across the features of the passengers, a tromor which might be seen to extend itself over the equaro miles of people crowding the soil of East Harlem. When the second gun was fired an imposing stillness began to gatuer about the people, and with the excep- Vion of a lew individuals who faintly straggled to ob- tain a better vantage ground there was no movement among those who crowded the decks, At last the su- preme moment came. Now we'll see the grand sight. A misty veil of up- heaving waters met the eye ulong the frontof Hallett’s Point, followed quickiy by a dull sound resembling a single clap of subterranean thunder. The great event had transpired. ON THE NEW YORK SIDR. ‘The view from the House of the Good Shepherd, at tho toot of Ninetieth street, was one of the best that could be obtained, Less than ball a mile from tho cx- ations, butlt upon a ledge of the gneiss rock, which was acontinuation of the strata to be exploded, and which has so long obstructed commerce and navigation, that particular point was regarded as peculurly dangerous by the timid. It was one of the points which tho police officers were imstructed to closely guard, keeping away from it all whom duty did not call there or whose curiosity and influence were but strong enough to overcome rules and regulations made tm the interest of law and order and the public safety. Between the bouse and the river is a triangular piece of ground called Arnold’s Wharf, Upon this potut, directly in trout of the House of the Good Snepherd, and running parallel with it, is the wharfin question, Halt solid ground, bait piles and pine planks, this point was occupied by nearly @ thousand men and boys, who, for xbout two hours, anXiously and ner- vously threw their eyes across the waters that rolled overthe great mine with its charges of the most deadly explosive force known to modern science, Be- lind ‘them, separated by a high fence and the narrow street, grass grown, unpaved, with hore and there a knob of the rock to be blasted cropping above the sur. face, was the House of the Good Shepherd, of brick, five stories high, fronted by a beautiful garden, surmounted by a cupola and cross and tenunted by about 650 people, 125 of whom were nuns; the balance, Magdalens and children over fourteen years of age, sent there for reformatory purposes, This building, acres of | covering nearly an entire block, was, a8 has been satd, looked upon as oue of the pomnis of extreme peril ‘Twenty-four hours betore thero was a rumor, denied in the columns of the Huranp yesterday morning, that the nuns who have charge of the institution intended to move away with all those intrusted to their care, There was, undoubtedly, a scare in the House of the Good Shepherd, which was entirely natural, but at the same time (here was a trust in Him whose servants they profess tv be, and the good nuns firmly stood their ground in obedience tothe rules of ther Not a soul, how- ever, Was in the big building at the time of the explo- sion. When the first gun of warning was fired the ine mates of all classes, nuns, dulens and children, went out into the large garden and the adjoining grounds, and with the emblems of prayer in their hands and with prayer upou their lips, patiently waited for the end, In ail about 650 women and children moved out into the grounds, and waited the final snoék with emotions and feelings somewhat similar wo they might have felt 1: the day of judgment, mstead of the Hell Gate blast, had been aunounced. There is no use in disguising tho fact, but there was not a man (and all who saw it were nearly all men) who did wot ieel some degree of aps prebension yest erday as te hours ran into minutes up (o the last second when General Newton's daughter io elwotvic key that ended the suspense of the Hell Gate expioaion,. What wonder that women and childron showed the alarm whieh was ali but uai- vers.l? The windows of the house were all opened, and the instructions that were given by G-neral New. ton to the occupants of all buildings in the immediate those touched vielnity of Hell Gate were strictly obeyed by the nuns | of the House of the Good Shepherd. Not a man was allowed = withia. the walls, In front of the doorway stood a stout police officer, who answered all inquirios, no mat- business they came. He delighted io the name of John Phelan, Said he, “I have been in charge here now for seven years, and you can't get in, There is pot a man iv the how and as long as I am here no one can get in. I have ‘me? mstructions | and it can’t be done, All the Ststers (God bless ’eu) are tn the garden Within ten or twenty yards of the house there were anchored #ix or twelve small yachts and pleasure boats, Lossing carelessly on the waters. Said Phelan, who is 1a his way acbaracter, “Now, you look out for ‘chim’ boats and the rocks, The boats will be bigh and dtry, and as for the rocks, you'd better look out for thim. They might jump avd sthrige you.” When the second gun was fired the nerves of all who stood at the foot of Ninctieth street were strung to the highest point of tension. In a direct lino wero Mill Rock and Flood Rock. Between the two, but back of Tuose who stood at Unis particular point were under the influence | 1 i of two conflicting emotions. Thero was danger in j front of them and danger behind them. At least, that | was how they felt—tirst, that the House of the Good Shepherd, under whose shadow they stood, would bo tainbdled upon them in rains, and second, that the débris of the mine would fall upon them, There were others who looked upon an incoming wave from the river which would swamp everybody and everything. It was an intelligent crowd (hat gathered im front of the House of the Good Shepherd, but no matter what they read, what they knew, or what tney thought, tho last moment was awaited with extreme anxioty. Finally at the appointed minute it camo, In front of the foot ot Ninetioth street a hugo wave of water, fity feet or so jn height, arose in a line between Mill Rock on the Jef baud and Flood Rock on the right The wave rose | available space, a wielding or | frst. ‘Then came, a second or so later, a dull thud sound aad a quick siroke of the ground where the Henatp representative stood. It lasted about a sec- ond. It was simply « thad, as if some mighty far dist- ant force had reached the toot, To the cye there was a wall of water about forty or fifty feet bigh and twice ‘a hundred tp length, the buse of 1t a dull, leaden black, the middie light aud transparent, the top fringed with fragments of dark objects, some long, somo stort, some mere spots and soue mere specks. It stood erect about four seconds, and then it fell, taking as it fell different hues and colors. Above it all as a crown rose a halo of green light. There was an odor of gas in the air, Tho water over the point of the explosion seethed and bubbled, First they wore an inky bue, then a blue, alight, then green, and then finally their natural color, a dull muddy color, and a succession of wavelets, gradually running away in ripiots to the shore, Ina few minutes innumerable boats, steamers and tugboats Put o4f to the scene, avast cheer rose all along the coast line, the whistles of steamboats and “tugs made the wir resonant, and every one of tho thousands and thousands of spectators felt a relief that cannot be told, Ihe explosion s> for a mere sound 1s considered was a failure. The guns that were fired ju advance to give warning of tue dis- charge of the great rock-rified gua that was soon to be fired thundered out sharp, clear, decisive, with the un- mistakabie ring of arullery, That which followo’— the great explosion—was a dull, heavy, muffled beleh, hot the discharge of a hundred or a thousand guns, not au earthquake sound, but something in all proba- bility tnis generation will never bear again. A douse crowd of umbreila-covered citizens gathered along the river front in the neighborhood of Nineticth, Ninety-first and Nnety-third sirceta and the East River, for hours betcre the appointed time of firing tho mine men streamed down alone, in twos and threes, in dozens, and as the final moment approached more clogely, in hundreds, Whichever way tho oye turned it fell on a moving mass of umbrellas of all sorts and sizes that #wayed and clashed and rose and fell hike au gitubed sea uf black. The dreary conditzon of the at- tospnere sevtned Lo act as a damper upon the enthusi- the mass until just a few moments before the mine was fired. From the conversation Leartl on all sides 1t was eusy to see that there were great expectations of the coming event as a spectacle, Old inhavitants recaled the blasting operations of 1849, when the shore line at Astoria was very perceptibly shaken by the premature explosion of a few cans of ordinary blasting powder, Then windows were broken in houses even several hundred yards away from tho scene of the explosion. What would be the conse- quence now that some £0,000 pounds of a much more powerful explosive were to be set off ? Disastrous in- deed, these wireacres said, and rea'ly seemed to feel, asm of judging by their nervousness. Most of them expected to see every window in the House of the Good Shepherd shattered to atoms and its wails rent and shivered, The police had taken the precaution to keep the street in the vicinity of the building perfectly free of people. Great crowds of peo- ple massed in the open spaces between Ninetieth and Ninty-rst streets, clambering on piles of stone and lumber to gota good viow. At this polut they were within about hulf a mile of the doomed reef. A buzzing sound of conversation was beard after the second signal gun, and 1t increased until the §nal warning came, when silence suddenly possessed the multitude and all eyes were turned toward the reef, Now every moment seems prolonged a hundred fold, and the hands of the bundred timo pieces are closely wuiched as the seconds are recorded. But there 1s not Jong to wait now. Half a minute only and a tremor agitates the rocky ground at Zhe foot of Ninetieth street, About the same Instant a very dull sound comes {rom the direction of tho reef, something be- tween a rumble and a moan. This sound has not fully died—indeed 1s scarcely fully grasped by the ear— before another booming sound Jess mulled than the first succeeds it, and go closely that tae second report, though of a different character trom the first, seems but a vigorous prolongation of it, The water had evidently smothered the first sounl, whilo the second or continued ono was more in the air. Almost simultancously with these sounds and the faint tremor of the earth at this point was seen the mass displaced by the great blast, Firat arose in irregular jets what seemed at this distance pufls of donse, white vapor, At an apparent distance of about ten or fiftcen foot {rom the survave of the water this irregular body of vapor puffy united in one vast body and shot up- ward about fifty feet into the air, Then, breaking overhead and disappearing beiore the view like a large veil of white cloud, separated in front of a darker and smaller one, it disclosed the mass of flying projectiles which shot up afterward into the air. Like the two sounds to the eur were these two projected columns to, tho eye. There was just a perceptible dil. ference in their time and relation to the view of observers at this part of the city. The body of material projected upward scattered in its flight, and broken timbers and amull pieces of rock whistled and scattered in all directions, When the body of vapor faded, and the water and flymg débris fell back to the place from which they had been blown, a lit- tle tidal wave, apparently about ten inches high and quite perpendicular on tho outside, rolled outward from the centre of the reef, slightly dis- turbing the wager for some little distance outward, and sending faint ripples to the watchers’ feet. The water over the reef continued greatly agitated for some time afterward, and was turned to a sceming green.sh yel- jow, with a lot of débris floating on its surinee, So rapid were all these effects, engaging the sense of feel- ing. the eye and ear at once, that few people found time to analyze them, Atthe moment the shock was felt a sensation of warmth passed through the body, aud immediaiely after the blast a smell of gas per- vaded the atmosphere for seme minutes, The smell wus oflensive and savored slightly of ether, THR SIGUTSRERS, Perhaps the most eligible point on Manbattan Island, certainly the most crowded section yesterday, were the balf vacant blocks between the river front and Third avenue and Nineticth and LOOth streets, covering, say, a space of a square balf mile, into which a tremendous assemblage of people was crowded, ‘To say that every particularly prominent poimts and especially rocks--irom which it was generally thought @ sensation of some kind would be expertenced—was occupied, would but faintly describe the advantage taken by the geueral public of ail that section between the poiats named. The greatest possible credit is due the police oiliccrs ior the kindly but rigid manner in which they carried out their ietructions, With au eager, curiouz and expectant crowd the policeman’s duty becomes both disagreeable and onerous, but the proverbial respect which Ameri. can crowds pay to order and authority, save on such extraordinary occasions as the oue in question, greatly | lightened the burden imposed upon the loug aud im- posing cordon of officers, which stretched trom Nino- Heth ty LOcth sirect. ‘The line of observa'ion from Ninety-second street, ex- tending northward adozen biecks, was along Second avenue, Across that line, between those streets, but a privileged few, outside of those who oceupied the diminutive unpretentious buildings situated on the re- served space and men whose business wes connected with the stables, lumber yards, wharves, &¢.. along the river front, were allowed to pass. Yet below Ninety-secoud street and above 100th thousands of interested spectators crowded the various yards and pressed the outer rank almost into the river. The feuces, enclosing these yards, were fringed with humanity, which seemed not the least disturbed at the possibilty of the shock. On lumber piles, old carts, long trucks, on brick squares, on stables and sheds of ail kinds, on every raised point commanding what was fupposed to be a better view, men, women and chil- dren, of all ages and conditions, patiently sat, somo with spread umbrellas, others receiving tho drizzling, penetrating rain on their beads aud shoulders, chatting meanwhile about the great event. It would be impos, sible to reproduce the myriad impressions, as queerly exprossed as they wero manifold, of the thousands who waited anxiously for the blast. It 1s fair to state, however, that but one in fifty of that im- mense concourse was ‘dead sure” that the explosion would do no harm and felt perfectly safe without the Jeast nervous expectancy. Curivsity, particalarly in so Jatge a community as this, strengthoned as It 18 suro to be by thousands, will at any time tempt the most timid to acts of rashness which the most daring would hesitate to commit singly. An immense majority, in- deed noarly all the spectators of yesterday, had more |. or fear, and 80 expressed thomseives without apy roserve whatever. One of the mest amusing features of the whole affair ‘was the general ignoranco which prevaied regarding tho previse location of the blast, and policemen, who knew less about it than the most ordinary spectator, were beset with questions concerning this point. Some were looking, eyes full iromt, over: Mii Rook, while ] jug @ wave motion. NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1876.-TRIPLE SHEET. tween N:cetieth and 100th streets and jovking west- ward, the sight which met the view was truly grand. It recalied the “Talos of the Border,’’ wherein is de. scribed the assembling of the Scottish clans RXPROTANCY AND INTEREST reached their apex at about a quarter of three o'clock, for the time fixed for the explosion bad been passed from one to the other. Just preceding ‘‘the supreme Moment’ thestoutest hearts fluttered ihe least bit, for while the more intelligent had the Jargest possible confidence in General Newton's assurance, they re- membered that neither he nor any other engineer had ever superiotenaed such an extensive blast No one besitated, #0 far as the HexaLy reporter could notice, to express bis fears and expectaiions most candidly. Even tu the most thickly crowded portions of the vast ussemblage fears were expressed unreservedly that pieces of rock might descend on their worthy scunces, and wero as soon laughed away as they were ex- Pressed. One gun went off, aud on ali sides was beara remarks like the following:— “Now, get ready!” “Look ous for your head in ten minutes!” “Brace up!’ “Stand en yoar heela, old boy!” “On'y ten minutes more and we'll know how it is Bang! went another gun A greater silence could not have been preserved, It was like that silence which reigns supreme when men are about to engage desperate deeds, and many an old voteran amovg the puinbverless spectators who had braved a belching battery turued pale, Another minute, and just back of Flood Rock, extending for the space of a bieck and a half, suddenly rose a white wall of water, and the ex- plosion was over. AY NINETY-FOURTH STREET, The explosion at Hallett’s Point, viewed from the rocky slope west of Third avenue, at Ninety-iourth street, was extremely imposing. Tho vast crowds that from the hour of noon streained up the avenu st of Filuh, toward the points of vantage opposite the mine, covered the immenge space with a solid mass of humanity, so much go that taking the head line of tho Hew articles of yesterday “as tho lust day,’-in a literal sense, one would be inchaed to exclaim “Jeboso- phat!’ at the sight of ali the people gathered together in the grand amphitheatre formed by the side ot Har- jem Hil The rain fell in a stesdy drizzle that soaked into pants, hats and overcoats more effectively than if it came with a regular downpour, ‘Thousands upon thousands of open ambreilas shining with the rain Covered tho scene with their hemispherical fosms, giving a curious aspect to the great thoroughfare, Car- Hiages, wagons and even bakers’ carts carried their loads of humanity to the ground, and were arranged 40 that their occupants could obtain the best possible View of the great blast. Men, women and children were there, but the former, of course, greatly predom- inated. The housetops and stoops kad their knois of spectators, all cagerly watching for the upheaval of the great reef, some steadying themselves in anticipa- tion of w staggering shock, while others lost ali souse of danger in their intense curiosity. Representatives of every nationality of the white, and a considerable number of the colored race, were there, all intent ou the coming spectacle, At ten minutes to the hour the warning gun was beard irom the drill scow, and then the moments were counted that would elapse before tho final act, The intensity of the popuiar excitement was strongly depicted on every countenance, but with varying expressions, according to the dezrees of nervousness or indifference felt by the spectators. “Two minutes more” was called aloud by many of the crowd who owned timekeepers, Tnena thrill almost perceptible in ts intensity passed through the great crowd, sen settled themselves into tha positions they intended to maintain at the moment of the ex- plosion. Ficld giasses were pressed against the eyos and a dead stillvoss pervaded the throng. “Iu un, other minute’ was now repeated in bated whispers from sne to the other, The suspense became almost painiul, “Now, then, for tho blast,” and every neck aud eye wos straimed in eager expectation, A little burst of smoke, and a tremendous whisper passed from every lip, “Thore i goes,” as a vast wall of white water shot into tho air to the height of about 100 tect, complotely screening all bebind it trom view. The top of this watory mass was covered by the trag- ments of the framework of the coffer-dam and these seemedto bang in the air as if suspended there for almost ten seconds, then the whole settled down into the foaming water, whence a great muddy wave was washing along tho shore frovt and outward from the site of the shaft. ‘And the dam, oh! where was it?” Gone, leaving the bare front of the excavation exposed to the curling, eddying waters, Just as the giant water fountain bad reached its highest point the explosion was heard with a sharp concussion which at this point of observation only slightly affected the earth, but was more perceptible as an atmospheric shock. A slight jar was all that could bo telt in tho solid rock under foot and this seemod to be synchron- ous with the atmospheric effect, The outhve of the reel, So little was this noticed by the crowd that the Heratp reporter who made inquiries among the spec- tators as to the sensations they experienced found only afew of the more observant to admit that shey felt any shock at ail A policeman at the corner of Ninety-second street said that ho was shaken all over, but the Hap man suggested ‘to Dim that perbaps he began to shake before the blast was fred, at which bis companions grinned a little, Atthe corner of Eighty-fourth street and Lexingtoa avenue the police officer on duty suid that the shock was quite perceptibie at that place, and at other points southward along the skmo line the shock appeared to increase in intensity, At Sixty-fourth street and Third avenue the jar was very dociled, A beavy carving knife was knocked of a dining table anda door was brown open vivlently, while the vibration of the earth Jasted nearly aquarter of a minute, witha distinct gradual increase and decreaso in its intensity, indicat. After the explosion the great Streams of spectators set in the down town direction, and alter alittle while the scone assumed its wouted Sabbath quict. AT THE LUNATIC AND INEDRIATE ASYLUM, Dr. Macddnald was found in his oilice, He received the Hexaxp representative courteously, and, in answer to bis inquiries regarding the measures of precaution tuken for the insane, said ‘It was originally iniended that tho patients should be sent tv the northern end of the grounds, where seats have been erected for them, but the wet weather a: induced us to send for a barge upou which to place the inmates of the vaylum. This barge has now reached a wharf at the east sido of the Island, and the patients ‘will be embarked.” Dr. Washburue was summoned and offered to con- duct the visitor over tho establishment in order that the opinions of the most ratiwnal patients mixht be obtained, The Doctor led the way to ward L, “advise you to leave this place as quickly as you can,” said Mr, Prodigious, when the Doctor had tutro- duced the writer. “When the Lord made this Hell Gate I came up here to visit a friend, who had a derangement of the head. It was, you know, a special occasion, just like to-day, 1 bad my card of adiwission all right, but by some fatal oversight it did not provide for my exit, It was an admission card only, Ia the excitement of the moment I got separated from the other visitors and got locked in, There was some talk about the concussion occa- sioned by starting the world In its orbit deranging my houd. It may be 60, young man. It may be so." “Thank you, Doctor. Iam very well to-day,” said Proiessor Graham as ho was encountered pacing slowly up and down ward I, -‘I foresaw the bad weather yes- terday. 1 fear nothing from the explosion. As my esteomed friend, Dan Webster, delighted to say ;— This firm rock fly From its firm base as soon as I, “1 have a theory, doctor,” said The Blinker, of ward H. “You know that may porsons of derangoa mind aro cured by a sudden shock or a stroke upon the heads There are some among ns to whom the blast at Hel! Gate would prove a great blessing if we were allowed to remain tn the building, But, would you believe 1,” hosaid, addressing the reporter, ‘the dectors have or- dered us out upon ascow in order that we may not benefit by the explosion. | don’t want to leave the building.” Already tho brigade of unbalanced minds was mar- shaling preparatosy to moving along the corridors and across the campus beyond the main entrance, In squads of sixty-odd the inmates filed out. Great, gaunt men with slender, white hands that clutehed convul- sively; small men whose eyes glared and whose tongues warbied a langaage unintelligibie, squad after squad moved off and took their places on th® boat, Within the .nebriate and Insane asylums the most extensive preparations were made for a shock. The pier giasses were removed frum the walls aud the windows were all open, Byerything was ready for tho event and the moment | approached. Already the second gun had gone. The | “Bus toree minates now, Wo will hear from @en- explosion was to follow in avery brief interval. A Umidity, before unknown, tended to make all silent apd thoughtful. ALONG THR BAST KIVER. Along the East Kiver, on South street, from Hamilton ferry to Broome street, between the hours of one and bulf-past two, one steady stream of would- be viewers of the explosion pressed their way uptown- ward, Every ferryboat that arrived from Brooklyn was crowded to repletion with people, almost the en- tire number being men, while the residents of the First, Fourth, Seventh and Thirteenth waras of this city had their dinner something earlier than usual that they migbt beon bond inthe vicinity of the Mill Rocks when the great affair took place, Walking up South street hardly asinglo pedestrian could be seen walking down town, Tho eatire concourse hada common destipation, and all were straining them- selves to arrive there as soon as ‘possivie, It wasa remarkable fact (haba majority of these persons wero without umbrellas, Of course everybody was talking about what they were going to see. Few were of the opimion that no dauger was attached to the carrying out of the great blast, but few thought that apy gerious result would uttend any one rot in the immediate lo- eality of the rocks. At tho Joot of Grand street a large crowd gathered around the ferry houses and piers as early as two o'clock, Numbers boarded the steamboats which Janded at the foot of Grand street, though many were compelled to stay ashore for want of room on the steamers. Those who were leit formed themselves into groups and conversed about what they wanted to see. As the appointed time approached a perceptible Quiet came over the crowds, excepting such joca- lar remarks as “Our time’s comin’, Harry; better say ‘goodby,’" “I think it would pay somcbody to get a broom and sweep up the pieces in a few minutes’? The minutes went on, but ho sound was beard. About the time announced a slight rambling gound, as of distant thunder, which was audible only tor about two seconds, Was noticed by some, but was not believed to bo what all wero awaiting, t was, however, proba- bly the nowe of the explosion, At five minutes to three the crowds began to become impatient, aud sev- eral made known their belief thut either the attempt to explode the reet had failed or that it had been post- poued, Still they waited, and it was not unui the steamboat Sylvan Stream arrived from the sceae that those waiting were made aware ot the result «PROM THE MASTIRAD. A Heratp reporter, anxious to see what effect the concussion would have in midair at some distance from the spot, ascended the foremast of the Liverpool ship Savoir Faire, lying at the toot of Grand street He climbed up to the royal yard, and, standing on the foot ropes, leancad over the yard, with umbrella hoisted, much to the amusement of the crowds in the street below, who did not secm to fully comprehend how a man who was sufticiently unseamanlike to uso & parapluie as a protection from the rain, could sue- eeed in attaining such a height on aship’s mast, In }- this situagion, about 160 tect from the water’s surface, I the preparatory gzns could be distinctly heard. The noise of the explosion was even more perceptible. The ‘The atmosphere was so thick that the maked eye could not discern the scone of the blast, but the rumbling sound caused by the explosion cate swiftly aown ou the wind and created a sort of numbness in the air, which was experienced for something less than two seconda, There was no other shock accompanying the concussion, and the vessel’s masts remained without a tremor, whilo on deck the sailors were unaware that the explosion had occurred. . AT HUNTRR’S POINT, from early morn the people were on the qui vive, eagerly discussing the expected results, though but few took any of the precautions recommended. Tho Ro- man Catholic church of St. Patrick was the only pub- lic building in which doors and windows were ali thrown open. Tho inhabitants generally hurried toward Astoria, only tobe halted south of Hallett’s Cove and there to wait until after tho explosion was. over, to rail at it und exclaim “Is that all?’ Every hill top back of the city had ita crowd, and each group, when the shock had been felt and the dull boom was heard, expressed disappointment; for, though the sound came, nothing could be seen. The shock was feit evenly throughout Hunter’s Point, Dutch Kills and Bussville. Mr. Byron Hay, who was at work repair- Ing the locomotive belonging to the Long Island City 1mprovement Commission, stated that the repair shop, which is built on a vein of solid rock, which was blown up yesterday, was visibly shaken, the shock being as if something was moving under it, four or five movements being notice- able, and they had ceased a second only betore he heard the explogion, and then he knew that General Newton had accomplishod his purpose, The citizens on the Imes ot Jacksou, Mount Vernon and Greenpoint avenues, who bad remained at home, felt the shock more or less distinctly, and bat few ac- knowledged that they had not heard or felt it at all, At the bridges over Newtown Creok the keepers who remained on the structures felt nothing, but heard what they deemed was the report; buton both sides of the creek parties on the land fet the shock simaltancous!y. At Paynter’s Hill, on the vein of rock extending from the reef blown up to Queens County Court House and under Newtown Creck; Dutch Kills, diroctly east of Ilunter’s Point and three-quarters of a mile {rom the scene of the explosion, the vibrations, four in number, were short, ciear and distinct, partaking more of the nature of a shadder than a waving motion, the sound of the explosion following one and a halt seconds later. In the tube test the bubble of air shook gently, but its extremities did rot pass a line marked in the centre of the tube. The water in the tumbler was quickly agi- tated and then subsided as quickly. The pendulum movement was 4 failure, the combined effects of wind and rain preventing it from making a mark, IN WILLIAMSBURG the feeling was greatly divided as to the best place to witness the operation, No fear of any dizastrous re- sult conseqnent upon the event of the day reaching the Eastern district was felt by anyone, though many—to save window glass—raised their sashes. As soon a: the noontide meal bad been concluded there was a gen- oral movement for the piace of vantage, thousands crossing the various ferries only to be disgusted with the crowds in New York city and the inability to obtain ear rides. Muny, therefore, crossed back to Long Island, finding searcety a better state of things, for every car and other vehicle was employed in swell. ing the vast crowds that covered the hills in the rear of Willinmsbarg, Had the weather been clear a splendid view of the rise of the water could bave been obtained from the Cemetery of the Evergreens and all along the elevation known as Ridgo- wood; but the mist and the rain prevented this, so that the only evidence the patieut crowd had that Gen- eral Newton's promise had been fulfilled was a tremor of the ground and a dull, heavy report, seemingly no jouder than that of a big gun. In fact, while sume of the crowd persisted that they felt the ground move, others persisted that they did not, and it was only when word cwme from houses close by that they had been shaken that some of the parties believed that the affair bad been concluded. Tu the Greenpoint station house, while men on the first floor scurcely felt the shock, two officers who had been leaning against the chimney felt it so strongly that, thinking it was going to fall, thoy jumped away from it. On Pottery beach and at Pottery Hili immense crowds gathered to the scene on tho East River, attracting as much attention as the main causo of the gathering, Tho numerous steam tugs, boats and other craft, con- veying sightseers up the river, forming a most attractive picture. Many, after the rock had gone up, expressed their disappomtment that the report was not louder and that there were no great evidences of the explosion, but the remark that it had come off just as Goueral Newton ward seemed to ploaso the crowd, and they gave three rousing cheers for the great engineer, and then, highly pleased, made their way homeward. Various other little incidents might be mentioned, but all are of a similar tenor, An Italian apple vender, who know nothing of the offair, was noticed at the moment to partially drop, and ou being asked what was the matter replied, “Moe no know; ground movo; legs sink; me nearly fall; what wus it??? ON BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, A HERALD reporter took up his position on the high- eat point of Brooklyn Heights, an open space at the intersection o: Columbia street and Clark street, at haif-past two o'clock. The rain poured down tn tor- rents, aud the dark clouds moved slowly over the river beneath, The outlook was anything but cheertul. Tho ouserver had not been long at bis post when @ group of gentlemen gathered on the +cone and, watch in hand, noted the fast fleeting minutes, which wero heavily Jaden with anxiety for the timorous, “it wants but six minutos now of the timo, claimed one.of the spectators, eral Newton then, aod no mistake.’? “There she goes!" was the next exclamation. On tho stant was felt threo clearly defined and rapid vibrations of the solid earth, running from north to south, The duration of the shock was about two seconds, Withm eight seconds after the shock caine “ue report; then the whistles of tho river steamers were borne on the air, and ail realized thut the event was over, Every one appeared to be relieved in an in- stant. Many hall doors were thrown open, and large numbers beat a hasty retreat for their homes. At the Brooklyn City Hall several gentiomen a& cended to the cupola, and when they descended to the apsrtmonts of Keeper Patrick Tormey they learned te their surprise that they had missed the sensation by being too high from the foundation. “Why,” said the keeper, “that blast went off on time to the second and I {eit the shovk quite distinetly. I Was on the second story and was leaning on the win- dow sill at the time, looking out It was jast like the ripple ot a wave three times repeated. I also hoard the report which followed. ”? A gentleman residing on Washington avenue, which fs on “the Hill,” m the vicinity of Fort Greene, said that he felt turee clear osciilations of the earth, but he heard no report, though he listeued for it, On the beighis of Prospect Park the same experience was related from the Farm House. In South Brooklyn, as far as the confines of the city limits, near Bay Ridge, the tremor of the crust of the carth was felt, but the Teport was only heard at intervals, GN GOVERNOR'S ISLAND, About two o'clock yesterday afternoon @ reporter stopped on the bundsome little tug Governor's Island, and was inet by Captain Keachie, who volunteered te assist him in his efforts on the island to obtain the most perfect accuracy with the HxraLp sctontific ine struments, Alter arriving at the isiand dock a tour of observatiog was made, in order that the conditions for an intelligent appreciation of the effects of the explosion could be made. A brick wall, running east ant west, was selected in ono of the glacés leading tu Fort Colame bua, as baving the proper direction on which a leaden pendulum should be hung. Above this a solid body of earth was found on which to place tho spirit level, which was set in the direction of north aud south, Alongside of the latter an ordivary glass tumbler was set, brimful of water. The object of these precautions being to observe the slightest terrestrial disiurbances, in caso of which, uf course, tho bubblo in the level would oscillate and the pencil set in the pendulum would record on tho paper placed benind it, the lines in the direction of the oscillation. Tha water in the tumbler, in case of a violent disturbance, would be agitated with little rings of waves, which would contract trum the rim toward the centre and expand again toward the rim, 1t will thus be seen that some judgment was necessar} both in selecting a place out of the range of the ordinary storm currenis as well as to fx the ar ticles for observation. By tbe time these arrangements were made and everything in position, although the rain was pouriag down in torrents, a group of curious officers and sok diers bad gatbered around the reporter aud expressed themselves willing to assist his efforts in every way. Although the distence [rom the scene of the explosion at Holl Gate was about nine miles it was by'no meant improbable that a decided quake of the earth might be felt in this spot; watches were, therefore, compared by several of the bystanders, aud as the moment ap- proached on which the first gun of warning was adaver- tised to be fired a dull ‘boom’ was heard hke the sound of a heavy biast, This was at thirty-one minutes past two o'clock, Another interval anti) twenty-two minutes of three was passed, and then anotber dull roar came to the 3 of the expectant crowd. This was mterpreted as being the second and last gun of warning before the grand explosion which should shattor the subterranean barriers to commerce, At nino isiuutes and fifty seconds of three o'clock a heavy detonation was beard and tae slightest possible vibration of the earth was fet by the persons cum- posing the group surrounding the reporter, The bub- ble in the centre of the spirit level was, bowever, seurcely disturbed, the pendulum did not vibrate at all and the water in the tambler did not even ripple. A number of the soldiers in the garrison house were afterward spoken to by the writer and they all agreed ‘that the building was sonsibly shaken, ‘There were presont First Sergeant Erskine, one of the music boys of Company B, Corporal Savage, Goorge Kock, Charles Cotterell, James Gill, William Dodge, Louis Mailer. Licuteuant Moore, of the South Battery, exclaimed, as he feltthe shock, “Thot’s Hell Gate, sure!” Cart Edler, an engineer of the Ordnance Department, who ‘was sitting en a cutting machine in the printing office on the island, felt a perceptible shock, and the printer jumped to his feet, exclaiming, ‘What's that ?”” Celonel Croitop, the commander of tho post, was called upon for his experience. He stated that he was tn his dwelling when the shock occurred, and it was very perceptible—the house trembling and windows rattling. Colonel Crofton pulled out his watch ut the time, and it recorded five minutes to threo, but the officer thought his timepieco was about five minutes too fast, which made the time agree with the report. er’s record, Captain Rutherford 1s quartermaster of the post, and he stated that he felt the vibration of tho earth vory sensibly. The men on the tug at the island dock heard the detonation but experienced uo shock. RESERVOIR SQUARE. ‘The massive granite walls of the Croton Reservoir at Fifth avenue, between Foruieth and Forty-second stroets, wero chosen as another point of observation by several of the curious explorers in the realms of scionce. Long lines of lofty houses completely shut out the view of the East River and the scene of opera tions, bat it was possible that any extraordinany vibra: tion of tho strata of rock beneath the reservoir would be perceptibloy on the top of the eastern wail After the Hkxaxp observers had adjusted their instru: ment, a little time remained to note the situation. Few people were on the avenue, Occasionally a carriage would dash along the streets leading to the East River, Some of the windows i the mansions on the West side of th nue hal been opened and at a few of them anxious faces were sovn looking for the dreaded destraction of property. The report of the first cannon was distinctly beara and a scene of activity ensued that was somewhat amusing. Servants were seen rushing from window to window, ratsing aud Jowerin, sashes and opening doors, Several excited inaividuals walked out of their homes and stood in the rain upon the pavements, Then scuttle doors were opened and ladies aud gentlemen appeared upon the roofs of the houses. One enthusiastic man was seen standing on the top of a chimney. The housetops were dotted with spectators as far as the eye could reach. The report of the second gun was heard, but not so distinctly as the first, and then the terest of the ‘ lookerson at the reservoir ‘was cevtred on the imstruments and the obsorvers, One elderly gentioman approached und asked, ‘Are those instraments connected with Hell Gate?” A bystander whispered “ ” and the questioner moved to the other angle of the wall, Another excited father with two young boys came up the stone steps and had just reach@g the top when tho keepor said:— “Bo very cautious, sit, don’t touch those instrue ments as you pass.”” “What are they for?” “Hell Gate explosion.” ‘The father caught his little boys up under hisarms and fled precipiiately down the stairs, Suddenly a low rumbling was heard and nearly every one exclaimed, ‘There she goes!” The sound continued for nearly three seconds, and thea censed. A second and a half elapsed, and then a dull re- port, like the sound of a distant cannon, was heard, and thon all war still, The men could hardly believe that the great explosion was over. One sald, “Why, f heard tho Bergen Hull explosion, and 1t was ton times louder than that.” Others said, with alarm, “The Diast 11 jlure, and it will all havo to be done over agam.’? Some said that tho sound was but another gun, and waited a moment more, whon the sounds of fur-off bells and steam whistles told them ot General Newton's successful work, IN CENTRAL PARK. Long before noon every footpath and every carriage road in Central Park was filled with people, all wending: their way to the Belvidere Tower at the reservoir, There every nook aud cornor were filled with porsons to catch a glimpse of the great explosion. The rainy weather seemed to have no eflect upon tho people, There they stood for hours, armed with umbrollas, and bore the discomforts with forutude, Even the ladiog did not allow themselves to be deterred trom coming up tothe tower, When the first gun was fired there was alow murmur of expectation, a general getting ready of opera glasses and telescopes with which the More provideut had furnished themsolves, All thia buzzing finally made way for a universal silence and geting on tiptos when the sveond gun was fired, Ag >