An undated stereoscopic view card photograph entitled “Driving the Tunnel,” believed to be the tunnel driven for the Williamstown Colliery, Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
According to information from the local historical society, this colliery was “opened by a tunnel driven northward to where the Lykens Valley vein was opened. The total length of the tunnel was 1,040 feet. Width at bottom 15 feet; at top 12 feet; height 8 feet; double track laid with 22 lb. T. Rail. A sufficient avenue for the conveyance of all coal mined from the opening to the breaker. The quality of coal mined and shipped from this colliery was unprecedented in the whole region. In 1866, the first year of operation, 67,643 tons of coal was shipped and in 1869 there was 297,000 tons shipped.”
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Photo and information Photo from the Sesquicentennial History of Williamstown and Williams Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, published in 1976. For availability of copies of this book, contact the Williamstown and Williams Township Historical Society, 115 W. Market Street, Williamstown, Pennsylvania 17098.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.