Section Foreman’s Accidental Death at Copper Canyon Camp

A verdict of accidental death was brought in by a coroner’s jury on Friday investigating the death of Mr. George Jurco, 52 year-old section foreman for Victoria Lumber Division Chemainus, who died beneath the wheels of a loaded flat car near Copper Canyon camp on Wednesday September 20, 1950.

The jury deliberated for only a few minutes before returning its verdict. There were no eye-witnesses of the accident.

Dr. N.T. Bennett, Chemainus, called to the scene, said that he found Mr. Jurco’s body dead ...details of the body condition follows ....

Other details of evidence of a post-mortem examination, by Dr. Karl Reich, Duncan, have been omitted, too.

Const. L. Colter, RCMP, Chemainus testified that investigation led him to believe that Mr. Jurco had fallen off the car about 660 feet from where he was found, as indicated by an indentation on the ground between the ties.

Mr. Perley Wiles, driver of the speeder which was pulling tow flat cars loaded with ties and steel rails, said that the deceased had been operating the hand-brake on the flat car immediately behind the speeder.

He stated that he thought Mr. Jurco had fallen off the front end of the car while operating the brake. The cars were travelling at a fast walking pace and there were no jars or bumps to knock the deceased off balance, he said.

Mr. Wiles said that when the speeder came to a switch and Mr. Jurco did not respond to a call to line the switch up, he and Mr. Joe, Roch, brakeman on the end car, investigated and found him lying on the tracks about one and a half car lengths behind the last car.

Mr. Roch stated that he did not hear or see anything of the accident until he saw the deceased lying on the tack. His evidence was similar.

Born in Czechoslovakia, Mr. Jurco had lived in Canada 24 years and in the district for 16 years. He is survived by a wife and two children.

Excerpted from the Cowichan Leader September 29, 1950
On the picture George Jurco and Jan Begala.
Documents supplied by family Olexa.
Some details have been omitted by the portal administration.