November 29, 1895 was one of the darkest days in Putnam County history when tragedy struck outside the Village of Brewster and that day was remembered in a ceremony and dedication on Sunday. The Tilly Foster Mine Disaster killed a group of hardworking immigrant miners, many of them Italian, who had come to this country seeking opportunity but instead died in dangerous and difficult working conditions.
At the time, the Tilly Foster Mine was considered the world’s deepest open-pit mine, extending nearly 600 feet. The Italian miners who worked there faced harsh conditions and, even in death, were denied the dignity they deserved. Rather than being remembered by name, they were identified only by numbers assigned by their employers.
