Vancouver Coal Company
As part of the Chinese Historical Wrongs Legacy Initiative, we’ve digitized a small selection of inquests and inquiries from 1872 to 1934, found in series GR-0431. These were chosen to reflect the experiences of early Chinese immigrants to B.C. – their living and working conditions, and their unfortunate accidental or unusual deaths. They range from a woman working in a brothel in Barkerville who died of natural causes to three sawmill workers who died from malnutrition. Learn more.
*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person.
*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum. Some materials may contain content that is racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. The Royal BC Museum is only the custodian of archival materials; the content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Royal BC Museum.
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33
To the Foreman I heard the fireman say that there was gas in Martell’s stall. I heard him telling the miners of the gas being in the top of the stall. The men also told me now and then of this To the Cormer Mr Martell or his partners were working in the stall when the gas was there. I understood that a little gas lodged there but that it was not hurtful To the Juryman The fireman told them while they were working that gas was there. There was not enough however to make them out return. The fireman gave this notice to Mr Martell as a caution To the Cormer - When I heard that there was gas in the roof of Mr Martell’s stall I understood that the gas was lodged there. I have no idea of the amount of gas which was lodged there. To a Juryman I have been a bratticeman for a great length of time. I have been bratticing in number two North Jamiee Shaft. I have been bratticeman It was dry and dusty there. I have been bratticeman in number three South. It was very dry there and also in number four north. It is dry and dusty in the stalls in the latter place. Number two North and number three South are about on a par as regards the quantity of dust with number four near slope. I have never heard any complaints about the non-watering of the dust. I knew the dust was watered once but cannot say when I think it always about the first week in April but not since then that I know of. If it had been watered since then I think I would have known of it. To Mr Ebert. I saw the men going down to water the dust and rigging a pump for that purpose but I did not see them water it but I noticed it was done on Monday morning. The watering was done on Saturday night The watering extended all over the slope in the levels and also the stalls. They had a small hand pump for the purpose