Hell Gate is a narrow tidal strait in the East River between Astoria, Queens and Randall's (and Wards) Islands. The waterway had a long history as a dangerous passage; large rocks and whirlpools caused by the convergence of tide-driven currents made the strait treacherous and resulted in hundreds of wrecks. Beginning in the 1850s and continuing intermittently for decades, the Army Corps of Engineers used explosions in an attempt to clear the channel and make it more safely passable. The largest of these explosion efforts came in 1885 when 300,000 pounds of munitions were set off to destroy the small island called Flood Rock.

Flood Rock had been considered the most dangerous feature of the strait. The Army Corps of Engineers’ demolition created a geyser 250 feet tall and were felt as far away as Princeton, New Jersey.

In the photo above, note the drilling rigs on the rocks, drilling down in order to pack the resulting wells with dynamite and other munitions. Below is. view of the resulting explosion/demolition in 1885:

The Triborough Bridge and Hell Gate Bridge now both cross over the former site of Flood Rock.

The Perception of Murder in NYC

Murder is clearly not all crime, but the numbers here are interesting to think about when you look at how conservative Americans view crime in cities, vs. liberal Americans.

Note also that Republicans’ perception of %Safe is greatest in southern cities in Republican-dominated states (with the exception of Boston)