From the Dutch Flat Chronicles
1849 - 1906
published and edited by Russell Towle
(Describes the hardships and dangers faced by the miners)
June 8, 1876
Two men washed out of the Dutch Flat Tunnel into Bear River
The citizens of this place were greatly shocked by the news last Saturday afternoon that Benj. Williams and Wm. Laird had lost their lives by being carried out of the tunnel of the Polar Star claim by an unusual rush of water and gravel. Their bodies were subsequently recovered at the river in such a bruised and mangled condition as to be scarcely recognizable by their friends. The bodies were brought to town and Dr. Martin arranged them in the best condition possible, before they were presented to their relatives.
Mr. Williams was a young man and leaves a wife and child, who were mainly dependent on him for their support. He had expressed a determination to abandon work in the tunnel that day.
Mr. Laird was a Scotchman by birth, past the middle age and has followed mining nearly all his life. He had met with serious accidents several times which came near resulting fatally. He leaves three children at Carson City, which are now orphans, his wife having been dead several years. The remains of the deceased were followed to their graves last Sunday by a large concourse of friends. The particulars attending this sad occurrence must be given to form a proper estimate of the dangerous position occupied by these unfortunate men. The tunnel referred to opens into the Haywood ground and the mine is worked under the Superintendency of J. L. Colgrove. It has its exit into Bear River with an estimated dump of 300 feet at an angle of about 41 degrees. The tunnel is run through bedrock and is 650 feet in length, 8 feet high and 8 feet wide. The flume is 5 feet wide and has a uniform grade of ten inches in twelve feet. The number of inches of water used is 1200: all of which is run through two giants and down a steep incline, the perpendicular fall being about 100 feet.
Four men are employed in the tunnel to conduct large rocks through the flume, which frequently lodge and need assistance. Powder drifts had been run a short time previous and a blast loosened up a large body of gravel and rock, which when the water was turned on unavoidably rushed down the incline in a sufficient quantity to fill the tunnel nearly full at the head, and sweeping the unsuspecting victims before the fearful rush down the flume and over the dump into Bear River. Two men who were in the tunnel about one-third the distance, narrowly escaped being overtaken, and saw Williams as he passed them sitting in an upright position, but were unable to assist him in his rapid and fearful ride to inevitable destruction.