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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. 

BC Archives GR-0431

*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum.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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43 any gas to amount to anything. Quite a little dust would arise in my stall sometimes when a shot was fired off. Have had no experience in explosions from coal dust. To the Foreman I don’t know what the distance is It is about one hundred and fifty yards or there abouts from the top of the diagonal slope to where I branched off to go to my place It is many months perhaps three or four since I went by the number three level. I now noticed much dust in the number three level If there had been much dust I would have noticed it. The water in the level was almost one hundred and fifty yards from my stall. In shoveling the dust would arise but it would soon blow away as there was a good current of air to easy it off. I would get cold if I ceased working My stall contained dust but I did not notice it very much. The coal at the face of my stall was perfectly dry. It was on a slight pitch and the water would soon have run away if there had been any. I have occasionally found a damp hole when boring but not very often. It was pretty dry in my stall. Shots would stir a little dust. I have noticed but paid no attention to it. Sometimes there was more dust than at other times according to the shot. To a Juryman. Have new known gas to accumulate from the feeders It would only be a small feeder from a drill hole and where the shot was fired it would all disappear

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 } James Knight W Wymond Walkem Cormer

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