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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Q: Could you get in all the way? A: I just got outside the curtain and after I got on my feet I started back to go in when I met the driver coming out with his mule. Q: Was the driver a chinaman? A: Yes. Q: Had he a light with him? A: No, he was in the dark. Q: Was he provided with a safety lamp? A: No, he had an open lamp. Q: He came out from the direction of where the explosion occurred? A: He came right up the level. Q: You acted as shot lighter as well? A: Yes. Q: How long before the explosion had you fired a shot in that locality? A: About an hour and three quarters prior to the explosion. Q: Have you made any examination since the explosion? A: Yes. Q: Have you found anything in the mines which is contrary to the rules to be there, of a dangerous nature, in the second south level? A: No, sir; I seen that lamp "B". Q: Whereabouts was that? A: In No. 5 stall. Q: In what condition was it? A: Just as it is now. Q: There was no top to it? A: No the top was there. Q: What date was that? A: I couldn't be positive; it would be two days after the explosion, I guess. Q: Do you know who exhibit "B" belonged to? A: No. Q: Could you say whether or not it belonged to one of the miners that were working on the 15th? A: No, I couldn't possibly say who it belonged to. Q: Did you see the lamp the first time you went in after the explosion? A: No, you couldn't see anything then. Q: Did you search for any lamps? Or anything immediately after the explosion? A: No. Q: Did you make any examination immediately after the explosion? A: Yes, I went right in 15 or 20 yards from the face of the level. Q: Are you able to form any opinion as to where the explosion occurred? A: I think the explosion occurred in No. 6 branch, off No. 6 stall. Q: Were there any safety lamps found in No. 6 stall? A: Yes. lamp "C". Q: In the condition that it is in now? A: That was under the cave. Q: That was found by the side of a chinaman? A: I don't know. We got the lamp but I don't know where the chinaman was found. Q: Did you find any matches or anything there? A: No. Q: Tobacco or cigarettes? A: Yes, I seen a box of cigarettes beside that light. Q: Do you know to whom they belonged? A: No. Q: When did you first find them? A: I seen the lamp two days after. Q: Were they in the stall of any miner that was working? A: Yes. Q: Did you know the miner that was working? A: Yes. Q: Did you know the miner that was working there? A: Yes, but I don't know his name.