Chung Chi
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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Current Page Transcription [edit] [history]
35.
Wong Toon, Sworn:-
The Coroner:- What does he do in mine?
A: No savee.
Q. Push box?
A: I push box.
Mr. Potts:-Whereabouts?
A: On level, No.12 I push up stall and of No.5 and No. 6.
Q: Does he push box out of No. 6 stall?
A: Yes, I am in there.
Q. Did you fetch any box out of No. 6 Stall on the afternoon of the explosion?
A: Yes.
Q: How long before the explosion?
A: I pull once; one time I get away and bring one box to No. 5 and then when I get up to the level the fire was on.
Q: Then he was between No.5 and No.6 when the fire happened, when the explosion happened?
A: Yes.
Q: Which stall did the explosion come from?
A: I can't tell.
Q: Which does he think it came from?
A: No, I think of it.
Q: How far was he from the entrance to No. 6 stall when the explosion occurred?
A: About the next stall, about No.5.
Q: Did he have a safety lamp?
A: Yes, I use a safety lamp.
Q: Did the safety lamp get blown out?
A: Yes, the wind blow his out; the fire (flame) was out.
Q: Does he smoke?
A: No, I no smoke.
Q: Never smoked?
A: Never smoked at all.
Q: Has he got any tobacco now?
A: No.
Q: Has he ever seen those cigarettes?
A: No, I don't see them.
Q: Does he know who they belong to?
A: I don't know; may be Chung Lung.
Q: When did he last see these?
A: I see them two days ago before the explosion.
Q: Who had them then?
A: I didn't.
Q: Chung Lung?
A: I think it is Chung Lung.
Q: Chung Lung killed?
A: Yes.
Q: Where did Chung Lung work?
A: He push a car.
Q: Did he see Chung Lung smoking that day?
A: I didn't see him smoke.
Q: Did he ever see him smoke in the mine?
A: No, I never see smoke in the tunnel in the mine.
Q: Did he ever see any Chinaman smoke in the mine?
A: No, I didn't see.
Q: He doesn't smoke, he says?
A: No.
Q: Has he ever opened one of those safety lamps?
A: No, I no open.
Q: Has he ever seen any Chinaman open any?
A: No, never seen him.