Chung Chi
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*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum.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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within 12 months? a: Not that I know of
J: Has inflammable gas been found there within twelve months? A: Yes
J: are any naked lights used in No 6 mine?
A: One naked light was used on the level.
J: Was that on the return airway? A: No, sir.
J: Whereabouts was it used? A: It was used from the outside of the level [??] No 6 stall From the entrance of the level to No 6 stall
J: That is not on the return airway at all?
A: No sir.
J: Nor is it contiguous [?] to it in the vicinity of it! a: [?] quite a way off the return airway.
J: You know there is a rule that where coal is marked with safety lamps, no [active?] light should be used in the same ventilating district. Now was the naked light used in the same ventilating district. where the safety lamps were required to be used? A: It was in the same district, but with lots of fresh air in the level; lots of it.
J: It was in the same district? A: It was in the same district.
J: Was it used between where the safety lamps are used and the return airway?
A: No, on the lower side of the safety lamps.
J: Were you through the second South level that day? A: Between 10 & 11 o clock sometime, but I couldn't tell the exact time.
J: Did you detect gas? A: I [got?] a little gas into the level, and I gave instructions to Harry King to take a little corner off that was keeping the air away from this little cavity in the roof, and I understand, as you will find later on, that what corner was taken off and the gas went away. There was a little [gab?] in No. 7 in the hollow of that cave.
BC Archives GR-0431 / BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. / Box 6 File 3 / Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.