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.
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Dick
74
lagging and the roof at the foot of the diagonal slope but the quantity would depend upon the feeder. I did not find any gas above the timbers that morning and there was but little air stirring. Have had a deal of experience in coal mines. The Vancouver mine was a well conducted mine and no experience seems to have been spared. To Mr Drake [2 l?] A fireman was lost in the explosion. In the course of his duty he would have examined the new Slope after 2 oclock that day. Some of the doors in the space between the lagging and the roof might have been [?shallow] down by the [?emersion] of the shat. The space between the lagging and the roof between the end of the unfinished cross cut and the end of the timber mine the face was clear and air might have travelled back over the lagging and into the unfinished cross cut through a hole but I do not think so as the diagonal was the intake. I do not think that gas would lodge in the [?ring] in the lagging from the quantity of air insulating there. I have nothing to do with the management of the mine beyond looking after the safety of the miners. There was nothing in connection with that mine as far as the safety of the men was concerned that I could find fault with. Had read a good deal about coal dust but the dryness of the slope never struck me as an element of danger to life in that mine. If I had I would have taken steps to have rectified it. I new made any suggestions as to reporting the firing of shots in that mine. Some of the miners were experienced men I believe. Old and experience hands are