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Land, Indigenous peoples, settlers, and today’s communities.

Since time immemorial, Ancestors of the people called K’ómoks today consisting of the Pentlatch, Ieeksan (eye-ick-sun), Sasitla (sa-seet-la), Xa’xe (ha-hey) and Sathloot (sath-loot) people have been the caretakers of this land, which they called the “Land of Plenty.” This Land of Plenty stretched from what is known today as Kelsey Bay in the north, down to Hornby and Denman Island in the south, and included the watershed and estuary of the Puntledge River, also acknowledging that these boundaries and place names are colonial constructs.

The K’ómoks First Nation refer to the lands between the bays of Comox and the Beaufort mountain range as the path between, it was a travel and trade route to the Alberni corridor and a connection to the indigenous communities on the western side of the island.

Land agreements included the 1884 Settlement Act stripped these lands for its caretakers. At the Museum we acknowledge that we are a colonial created institution, and I would like to thank Charlene Everson, Emily Shopland and Violet Williams for guiding the museum in early discussion on what reconciliation could mean for our organization and how we could create actionable steps; in maintaining a positive dialogue with a forward focus, sharing contemporary K’omoks narratives, and incorporating First Nation languages where they felt it appropriate. Their time and guidance helped us gain insight and learn how to best support their voice in our museum’s walls. This is an ongoing process and we have so much more to learn.

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Extension Mines Underground
Wolf Mountain Colliery mine underground (2001.023.005)
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Story • 7 Min read
Mining

Below the Depths

Descend into the Cumberland Mines

There were nine operational underground mines in the Comox Valley: six in Cumberland, one in Bevan, one at Puntledge, and one fifteen kilometres south near Tsable River. Hewed from these mines was ‘Cumberland Anthracite’, the most desirable coal in San Francisco for many years.

Geology

Coal can be found in layers called seams. These seams can vary from eighteen inches to many feet thick. They can be surface-level or deep underground. Cumberland exploited four seams, part of the same geological formation that ran deep underneath the village. These seams contained high-quality bituminous coal, which is desirable due to its efficient burning properties.

Map Showing Topographical Features in the Vicinity of Comox Mines
Topographic map of the Cumberland Mines (981.323.002)

Mine Structure

Some mines were accessed by an inclined tunnel called a ‘slope’, while others were accessed down a vertical shaft. As extensive exploration exhausted coal deposits, the mines became deeper and deeper. No. 8 Mine in Cumberland dropped an astonishing 295 meters underground.

There were two primary techniques used for extracting coal in the Cumberland mines: room and pillar mining, and longwall mining.

Map of the underground workings
Map of the no.5 mine underground (994.001.031)

Room and pillar was the traditional technique that developed alongside underground mining. The technique allowed seams to be partially mined, leaving wide coal pillars intact to support the overhead roof. The miners had to support the roof further with timber beams, referred to as ‘sprags’, in the hope of preventing collapse. This method created a network of small rooms where the miners could hew the coal.

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A miner holding a pick at the coal face (2001.085.002)

Longwall mining was developed where large blocks of coal, up to 300 meters wide and potentially 3,000 meters long, can be hewed simultaneously. Longwall mining became much more prominent in the twentieth century as technology improved and mechanized systems of mining came into operation.

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Four men and a coal cutter (990.025.003)

In both mining techniques, early blasting detonators generated an electrical charge to detonate a single shot of explosives. This was much safer than using black (blasting) powder originally carried in canvas bags, which could easily ignite, often accidentally, by sparks from swinging picks. Electric blasting detonators removed this risk.

Each technique presented its own set of dangers. Poor ventilation in room and pillar mining allowed gas to lay idle, making explosions more likely. The introduction of mechanical coal-cutting machinery used with longwall mining increased the amounts of coal dust present. Over time, miners consumed dangerous quantities, in turn causing pneumoconiosis, otherwise known as ‘black lung,’ which could prove fatal.

Blasting Detonator
detonator (986.029.007)

Working Conditions

Sweat, toil, and rubble.

When the Cumberland miner workers descended into the coal caverns, they faced the toughest of work environments: cramped, wet, dark, and dirty. There was a constant fear of danger at every turn, with regular roof collapses and flooding a common risk. The Cumberland coal seams had a reputation for expelling large levels of gas, significantly increasing the likelihood of explosions. Mining was a very dangerous job.

Checking for Gas
Man checking for gas (987.035.005)
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Two miners underground (980.1117)

In No. 1 and No. 2 Mines, workers would lie on their bellies while swinging their pick axes at the coal and pushing it behind them to fill their buckets.

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Miner drilling (982.096.002)

The No. 4 Mine cut below Comox Lake, making it extremely wet. Miners would sometimes have to wade through water to reach their worksite.

The mines in No. 5 and No. 6 were extremely gassy, and the miners who had to descend these shafts were rife with fear of explosions. The tiniest spark could ignite the whole mine.

Personal Safety

Faced with brutal conditions daily, arming themselves with proper protection and safety equipment was crucial in preventing workplace injuries. Although technology and safety equipment evolved and improved, coal mining remained inherently dangerous.

Yet, miners still took risks albeit knowing there were grave consequences.

Mining helmet
helmet, miner’s (983.105.001)
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Westinghouse motor with trip of coal (980.1040.002)

After descending into the mine, the workers had to journey through a network of tunnels to their working site, adding extra hours to their workday.

One of the most common risky acts was catching a ’ free ride’ on coal cars and tubs. The Collieries fined workers who were caught doing this. Yet it was one of the fastest ways to escape the dark depths of the mine, workers could fall between the cars and be crushed to death.

"Roland James, rope runner in No.4 slope, Union Colliery, was seriously injured by falling under the empty cars and died in the evening of the same day."

1897 Inspector of Mines Report

Miners sweated and toiled with every fibre of their body to earn a paycheque.

Miners would delay propping roofs with timber ‘sprags’ in hope of generating as large a pay package as possible. Underground workers often tampered with their safety lights, making them less safe but brighter, so they could navigate more efficiently.

Roland James was one of those men. His role as a ‘Rope Runner’ meant he was responsible for accompanying sets of tubs of coal on haulage roads and detaching them. It was a hugely physical job, having to heave and haul many pounds of coal on a daily basis. In the end he paid the ultimate price.

On New Year's Eve, he was laid to rest in Sandwick Cemetery.

"The floral offerings were numerous and beautiful, and a long cortege of friends and acquaintances followed the remains to their last resting place."
(Sad Accident and Death, 1898.)

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Pay envelope for Roland James (991.029.001)

Each time a miner descended into the Cumberland pits, they took risks, whether of their design or from the challenge of their unsafe and poorly regulated working conditions.