Tragedy in the Mines

Funeral for a victim of the October 5th, 1909, explosion in the Extension Mines.

The coal mines on Vancouver Island were dangerous. Injury and death were frequent occurrences. Cave-ins, cable breaks, crushing between loaded coal cars, drownings and explosions took a deadly toll.

Two particularly terrible disasters occurred in the Extension mines, devastating the Ladysmith community.

Risky Business

On September 28-30, 1901, sixteen men were trapped by fire. When it was realised that there was no chance of saving them, the slope where they had been working was sealed off to stop the fire from spreading: the men’s bodies were entombed in the mine forever.

On October 5, 1909, an explosion followed by the release of afterdamp gas killed 32 men. The youngest was 17, the oldest 48. Fourteen of the victims were married men, leaving 40 children without fathers. Funerals continued back-to-back for several days in Ladysmith. One of the victims, Jasper Molyneux, was a popular tenor in the Ladysmith Glee Club.

Black and white photograph of a rectangular marble cemetery headstone with carved inscription reading “In memory of Moses son of T & A Webley. Native son of Northfield B.C. who met his death in Extension Mine June 7 1909 Aged 14 years 6 months. Gone but not forgotten.”

Headstone of Moses Webley killed in Extension Mine, June 7th, 1909, aged 14 years 6 months.

Over 100 men were killed in mining accidents at Extension during the 36-year life of the mines. Many of the victims were buried in the Ladysmith Cemetery, their headstones acting today as mute testament to horrendous hardship and suffering.

These disasters had profound effects on the people of Ladysmith. Families were left without wage earners at a time when there was little help for the bereaved. Compensation for widows was $300 from the ‘Sick and Burial Fund’ (approx. $8,500 in 2021 dollars), and under the Workman’s Compensation Act, each family was entitled to $1,500 from the company (equivalent to approx. $42,300 in 2021).

More than 1000 workers were killed in coal mine accidents on Vancouver Island during the roughly 100-year life of the operation of the mines.

Colour photograph of man dressed in black shirt jacket over a colourful T shirt with black brimmed hat standing in front of a light wall adorned with framed photographs of people, some with musical instruments.

Blues Musician David Gogo, 2020.

Award-winning local blues musician David Gogo wrote “She’s Breaking Through,” a tribute to his great-grandfather who, with 18 others, drowned on February 9, 1915, from waters flooding into the Pacific Coast Coal Mine in South Wellington, B.C.

Video: David Gogo Song on Mining Accident (captions available in FR and EN). View this video with a transcript (EN)

A Vibrant Port A Bitter Strike