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*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum.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.
Current Page Transcription [edit] [history]
3
I felt the rush I exclaimed "My God! ___! What is coming to me now?" I then can __ jumped out of the cabin. I have no memory of the explosion after that. I was a sinker and I ____ principally about the shaft. I was once down the main slope. I knew the deceased John L___- I worked with him- He was a ___ -At the time of the explosion- J. L____. W Darrio, ____ Craven and F Math___ were with me in the cabin- We were having supper- I do not remember when Lim went out of the cabin- At that time I was in the ____ of the Vancouver Coal Company two months- and all of that time I was working in the neighborhood of the No. 2 shaft- My shift was from 2PM until 10 P.M. There was good air when we were working- Sometimes we could not keep our light ___ from the strong current of air in the ____ There was always plenty of air in the place in which I was working. About ___ a ___ I was on top in the ____ of where the fan was working - The fan was always kept running but slowed down occasionally when we were firing shots at the bottom of the shaft. The "slow down" would last about ten or fifteen minutes- We had fired no shots that day- The morning shift had fired shots before we went down
To Mr M. W. J. Drake 2.C- The cabin is about fifteen yards from the fort of the shaft- We were sinking the shaft below the level of the workings- The men who were with me and whose names I have given were all working at the sinking - There were ___ fire ____ ____ - I saw no fire about of any kind - I was ___ ___ when I got outside of the cabin - I believe I was on the ___ when I was ____ - I did not come to my ____ until mine ____ in the morning - when I ___ I was in the old school H___. The mine