8

Altho I did not go down the mine myself I constantly received reports both from Little & Dixon[?] & knew how things were going on. I had been sick since January & had gone to San Francisco three weeks. before the acciedent happened, I had returned on the night of the fire my [?] had always been reprted to me. The fireman is suposed to go round evey face in the mine to see if there is any gap, before the men go down & it is his duty to prevent the men going down in the event of there being any danger. On the 15h inst. there was no gap in No. 10 level. A Chinaman was appointed at the Bell for the purpose of signalling. he under- -stood English. After the Curtain was put up Dixon went in to tell whether there was gap in the back, not made no report to me which it would have been his duty to have done in the event of his finding gap written on the Curtain in large letter were the words 'don't pass this fire" I am of opinion that the steps that were taken for the purpose of extinguishing the fire were proper right, with due regard to the safety of the men & the preservation of the property. Dixon had been fireman for a considerable period

and

BC Archives GR-0431 BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. Box 2 File 6 Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia