The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-21
FOURTEEN DROWNED
Fearful Colliery Accident Near
Minersville, Pa.
CAUGHT LIKE RATS IN A TRAP.

The Men Were at Work In Opening
serted Mine When the Waters
Burst in Upon Them with Fatal
Results.
MINERsvILLE, Pa, April 21.-This
town, which is situated about four miles
from Pottsville, the county seat, is
greatly excited over horrible accident
chat occurred late yesterday afternoon at
the Lytle colliery, whereby number of
men lost their lives by the flooding of
the mine with an immense body of water
chat burst through from the old work
ings. 1t is said that the accident oc-
CURED just about the time the shifts
were charging. The exact number of
men drowned and their names cannot be
given. 1t is announced by colliery Off
cials that probably fourteen men have
met their death by the disaster. Among
the names given out are Miners Dolbin,
Bell and Buggy.
A United Press representative intor-
viewed Mr.. Hosie, who said that they
could not tell how many men were
drowned, but that besides the American
miners there were large number of
Italians and Hungarian laborers at work
inside, and it is though now that at least
six of these were drowned. 81 cannot
say where the water came FROM" said
MIR. Hosie. 1--WE knew we were sur
rounded on all sides with water, and
while our surveyors and bosses were
very careful, somebody evidently has
blundered. There We're several scores of
men inside at the time, and some of
these came out, while others We're said
to have been heard talking, as if they
had reached high point above the
water"
Where the Catastrophe Occurred.
The place where the accident occurred
Is new coal operation that is being
opened up on an Immense scale by the
Lytle Coal company, an Incorporated
company, the principal stockholders Of
which are the Pennsylvania railroad Off
cials and Scranton capitalists. William
Lewis, of the William Penn Coal com
pany colliery, of Shenandoah the largest
individual operator in the Schuylkill re-
gions, is the general manager for the
Pennsylvania company of the Lytle COM
pany. j. II. Hosie is the general super
intendent in charge. The works are To-
Gated on Primrose mountain, several
hlllcb northwest VI hlhltISNlllt, anu JhIS
the great Wolf creek. said to contain the
largest deposits of anthracite coal in the
world. The surface veins on this tract
have been worked for years by different
parties, but the water accumulated in
such quantities in the worked out sur
face measures that to mine the coal in
the deep measures, where the bulk of the
deposits exists, required such large
capital that the tract in consequence has
laid idle for some years
About two years ago the present oper-
ators, with unlimited means. com
menced the reopening of the tract, and
have spent many thousands of dollars in
pumping and opening up new slopes
They have not been shipping coal yet
but have engaged in the sinking of large
double slopes, whish are down 500 feet
Gangways are being pushed out from
these slopes on all sides Of the new work
ings, and the old water lies nl it. 1t il
the bursting through of one or more oI
these deposits without warning thai
caught the unfortunate miners while al
uurprlr