WHOLESALE EXCAVATING.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 51, 5 May 1863, Page 2 (Supplement)

WHOLESALE EXCAVATING.

The greatest " shot" yet fired by the men emploved under Mr. Swyer, the Provincial Engineer, in the reduction of Bell Hill, was exploded a few days ago. These men were occupied between the point at which Mr. M'Kinzie's men were working and the Court House, in getting down that portion of the hill which is wholly composed of bluestone boulders and slabs, with intermixed shale and clay. Several ordinary shots are fired daily, the charge of powder averaging from six to eight pounds, and three of these were fired yesterday afternoon, preliminary to the great one. For this blast, a 3-inch hole was sunk 24 feet on the top of the hill, and about 10 feet in from the face of the rock. Into this hole 58 lbs of powder was put, filling seventeen feet of the depth, the charge being ignited by a double fuse extending to within two feet of the bottom of the hole. The shock was not much felt on the ground, nor was the report a loud one ; but it was rather a fine sight to watch the myriads of fragments that went flying into the air, at first gloomily lighted up bv the flash, and then almost enveloped in dense smoke. A measurement was made of the quantity of debris which fell at the foot of the hill ; and it was found to be about 688 tons, or equal to 345 cubic yards. Nearly as much, it was estimated, was so shaken that a good shower of rain would cause it to fall ; and it can certainly be toppled over by means of crowbars. But, apart from this, the result showed the economy of powerful shots, and no doubt many such as that of yesterday afternoon will be fired. The cost of it was L8 Us. 2d., thus composed: — ■ Boring the hole, two men six days, at Bs. a day each, L4 16s. ; sharpening bits, 55. ; fuse, 2s. 6d. : 58lb powder, at ls. Hd, L3 7s. Bd. This makes the cost per cubic yard of the stuff brought down just 6cl. It should be remembered that, according to official notification, the road along the new made ground is stopped ; so that, although nothing like barriers have been erected, any one who chooses to take that road does so at his or her own risk. — Daily Times