Editing .MTA0.MTQ1MTk

Stall gave off a good deal of gas but we worked
with naked lights. Joe Fox was my partner on 
the morning shift. (?) Hay and John 
Miles worked on the afternoon shift. I saw the
two last at the top of the shaft about to go down on 
Third of May last. They were both killed. 
The gas in my stall was carried off by a strong
Current of air and it was not dangerous
so long as that current existed. The height 
of the diagonal slope varied. The height of my stall which 
was all coal was about twenty feet. The height varied in the 
slope the coal not being all (?) (?) in some places. It 
was very dry and dusty down in my stall.  So it was in the 
slope. With regard to “blowing out” shots I corroborate 
what (Name?) has said. The distance of the flame 
of a “blowing out” shot would depend upon circumstances. It 
might extend ten feet or more. In (?) then it was 
about as dry as usual. The coal was of a dry and 
dusty nature but did not (?) very much in the (timbers)
After a shot the dust would float in the air very thickly.  
I have known men in other mines to be (?) by “blowing 
out” shots extending to a great distance the shots having
extended in flame further then they thought they would. 
My stall extended in about fifteen yards from the
diagonal slope. The air always (?) through any
shaft pretty well but the gas would occasionally collect
in the roof. The fireman would notify us of its presence 
and we would remain outside until he got the gas out 
and notified us to that effect. I have never 
been compelled to stop work from the presence of gas
but have sometimes been compelled wait thirty minutes 
at the beginning of a shift to have the stall cleared
We used naked lights. There was nothing particular in 
regards to gas on the third of May. The fireman

BC Archives, GR-0431 Box 4 File 3 / BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. / Inquisitions / inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.