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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in his proper place. I don't think it was ever ignited by him if he was in his proper place. Of course that is a question; he might not have been; but it is a matter of supposition all around.
Q: Do you know any of the Chinamen working in there? A: No, I did not. I might have known them, but they were all black and burnt.
Q: Do you think those Chinamen working there were capable of working in a mine by themselves? A: That I couldn't say.
Q: Is it possible to suppose that the same explosion would have occurred if there had been nothing by whitemen there? A: Well, it might have occurred all the same, but I hardly think so. I rather think the whitemen would have been more careful. I don't think if they had been whitemen, that you would have found so many matches on them as on these Chinamen. That is the opinion I come to. Of course in other explosions there has been always matches found on men, but I don't believe, according to the amount of men taken out that you would find so many matches if they had been white men.
By M. Hall: Would you kindly tell me your opinion with regard to the cave; how that occurred? A: I believe there was a grad squeeze off there at the time, and that had something to do with it
Q: So far it has not been brought out just where the cave was? A: As near as I can tell, it was between 6 & 7.
Q: If that had been properly pillared would the cave have been likely to occur? A: It would have to be timbered pretty close; still if it had been properly timbered, it might not have happened.
Q: And its your opinion that behind that fault there was a large body of gas?
BC Archives GR-0431 Box 6 File 3 BRITISH COLUMBIA, ATTORNEY GENERAL. Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.