QUARRY EXPLOSION

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1934, Page 3

QUARRY EXPLOSION

SPECTACLE NEAR TUAKAU

The displacement of about ,"0,000 tons of rock was effected at Smeed's quarry, iVz miles upstream from the Tuakau Bridge, by the discharge of three tons of explosives on Saturday afternoon, states the "New Zealand Herald." The charge was fired after three months of preparation. The quarry, which is situated on the western bank of the Waikato River, has a face 100 feet- in height. A tunnel was driven into the rock at the ground level for a distance of 55 feet and branch drives were constructed at right-angles from the tunnel at different points. Six pockets of explosives were laid and concreted in. In the front pockets gelatine dynamite, a quick-acting explosive, was deposited, and in th<# back pockets gelignite was placed. The dynamite loosened the stone nearer the face mid caused the discharge of the slower-acting gelignite to be more effective. Occupants of workers' cottages in the vicinity took the precaution of placing all their household crockery on the ground outside. There were about 100 spectators and at 3.30 p.m. the majority of them boarded a barge, which was towed a quarter of a mile to the eastern bank of the river. ilr. W. A. Smeed supervised operations, and he was assisted by the quarry foreman, Mr. J. T. Brownlec. An electric power-line was connected to the explosives and at a word from Mr. Smced at 3.45 p.m. Mr, Brownlce turned on the current. A sharp report was followed by the displacement of thousands of tons of stone from the face of the quarry. The stone was not thrown far. hut the face of the quarry changed from the perpendicular to a heavy slope. Much dust and smoke rose from the broken slonc as it settled down. The explosion was' a complete success .and sufficient stone was loosened to occupy the regular staff of 12 men employed in the quarry for a year. Much of the stone will be used in the construction of the new Hamilton bridge and in the building of roads in the province. ' The quarry has been open for 10 years j and the quantity of explosives used was the second largest used there. About five years ago seven tons of explosives were used in one operation to loosen stone.