Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-08-30
IN Apt
Thirteen Men Cut Off in Two
Colorado Mines.
SHUT IN BY IRRUPT1oN OF WATER

ittrmpts 4. Rescue Prove Futile Because
OF Foul Air and the Rising FIood-One
Rescucr Nearly Loses His Life-Names
CT Ten Of the yfctims-Little Hone of
saving ANY of tho Men, but Every Effort
TO That End Eeng Madc-Tragic Fate
O. "A Tunnel Laborer.
DENvER, Aug. 30.-News is received from
Central City to the effect that thirteen
men employed in the Sleepy Hollow and
Smericus mines, situated midway between
Blachhawk and Central City, lost their
hives b. an overflow Of water. Asyet none
of the details Of the disastrous occurrence
can be learned, bat il seems that in these
mines heavy underground flows of water
are occasionally encountered
The men at work were on the night
shift. The theory advanced at this writing
seems to b: that they were drilling hole
when the body of water came rushing in
upon them. There were eleven men at
work in the Sleepy Hollow mine and two
IL the Amcricus. They are all supposed
to be drowned. Another theory is that
there Inighs have been breakdown of
the pumps.
Further Details of the Disaster.
IATEH.--A dispatch just received from
Central City says: The accidental flooding
of the Americas and Sleepy Hollow mines
yesterday afternoon caused the death, it is
believed. OF thirteen miners Every effort
is being InadC to rescue the unfortunate
men, but little hope is entertained. A lit
tie after o'clock the water in the lower
workings Of Fisk mine, east of the main
shaft, broke through the workings of Il
vein that has not been worked FOR u mum
bcr Of years. Coursing eastward it struck
the Americas where two Italian miners,
whose names were not learned, were at
work III the lower part OF the shaft. They
were both drowned. In It's course the
water diverted to the SLEEPY Hollow mine,
the cnstcrly portion Of the Fisk vein.
Fourteen men were working in the Sleepy
Hollow, three of whom escaped.
Names of the Men Cut on.
A courier was sent to the adjaCcnt mines
and all their workiugmCn escaped. Thosc
in the Sleepy Hollow whose escape was
shut of were ~ follows: y. Vegas. r.
Brrckrn, g. Brewer Brisk. William Brisk,
Thomas Williams, NJ. i. Laconi, Thomas
Calbos, J. Harris, :. Nallcro, and John
barlls. The sounding of the whistle "ave
the first signal of disaster, and soon the
shaft building of the sleepy Hollow mine
was so crowded with the families and rela-
tivcs of the imprisoned miners and those
anxious to render assistance that il was
almost impossible for the worI; of rescue to
proceed. Deputy Sheriff w. w. Williams
finally arrived on the ground, the building
was cleared, ard practical miners of, rcd
their services in lowering the bucket. The
farthcst depth attained was $50 feet, the nc
curnulatcl r~ts forced up hy the rising
water being such that candle would not
burn "a greater depth.
Laborny Hard Tor Il Rescue.
A second effort was made, a larger sized
safety lamp having been placed in the
bucket. The rcscucr who first descended
in the bucket Mr.. II. Prisk, was found at
the :31-io,- level. On reaching the sur
fac. he was in an inScusiblc condition.
Other volunteers wont down aftorwar!
but were not successful in reaching u lower
point in the shaft. owing 10 TIN" rising
water Extra water buckets were sent
for and brought 10 the mine which is now
working with view Of lowering the
water. The managers of the property
Were of the ground ana were very assidu-
Gus il their cfTurts 20 release the men. The
iNh III tiit 4Nlii''Eitf'H ilIt VII ilDii uitbl
dead. Those in the Sleepy Hollow, unless
they can be found III some OF the slopes,
have met death in Il similar manner.
Couldn't Agree ON "a Drainage Plan.
Ever since I'll, closing down Of the pumps
in the incline shaft of the new Gregory
Mining company the water i'll that shaft
has been gradually rising, the workers in
the Fisk mine having been driven ont of
the lower to TN, IIuugr WORKINGS This
was due to the inability of the owners of
the Fisk and sleepy Hollow to agree upon
q plan to pro rate tire drainage.