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*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum.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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him down to where Smith was. Jm The latter has since died When I got down to Smith I by the aid of my lamp - I saw Jack Lynch lying alongside of the part where Smith and James were. There was a Chinaman lying on the opposite side with his leg broken. Then I went off in the direction of the shaft and just as I got there the cage came down. James [?turned] with the second flash, the first flash did not do one much harm – on the cage which came down near Mr Robins, Mr [Mc?] [?Gregor] and nine others whom I do not remember. The boxes were piled up at the bottom of the shaft by the explosion. Mr Robins asked me if I was much hurt and if there were any men there. I told him that three were there in the engine room. I went up on top as soon as possible and there were. I did not know what was the cause of the fire at the foot of the shaft.
Taken upon oath and acknowledged on this the 16th day of June in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight seven before me } J X Stove his mark W Wymond Walkem Coronier
Archibald [?Coire] Miner Nanaimo being duly sworn saith
To Mr Eberts. I first began mining in Airdrie near [?Glascuv] in Scotland. I encountered gas in the mines there everywhere. When we met with gas one put in brattice and carried air in. If small quantities were present one brushed it into with a [?sack]. That worked in the coal mines in California. I never saw gas there but once during the times that I was there. When we [?met] the gas there it was a large quantity. The gas there is given off very quickly. I have been working in the shaft on the Esplanade over two years. I mean the number one shaft. On the day of the explosion