Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-08
SAY GERMAN INVOLVED
Continued from Page One)

when there was a slight explosion. then
a terrible one. The train came to d sud-
con stop. Almost Immediately the Pull
an car began to rock and the glass be-
gan to break. 1t was beautiful morning
and as We got out of the car we could sec
a great cloud of smoke hanging low over
Halifax in the distance.
The engineer Of the train said he
thought the gas tank in Halifax had ex-
ploded. So he started up the train and
VIC proceeded slowly. When we got to
AfricvilIe the train came TO stop. we
got out and were Mortified at the sight.
Platform Crowded with Wounded
The platform of the railroad sta
ton was crowded with wounded peo-
pie, most of them children. Many
OF the children were cropping about.
They could not see. Their eyes were
hlled with small bits of glass. I no
ticed too that most Of the children
were cut about the neck. 1t seemed
just as If a keen edge knife had slash
ed each little throat.
I'VE took about $50 of the injured
aboard the train and gave them what
medical aid we could. All the pas
sepgers turned doctors. The first one
treated was a little girl. She could
not see. Her eyes were filled with
glass. I got the glass out, but she
couldn't see. She was blind The
glass had cut into her eyeballs. She
was a brave little mite. She didn't
cry one bit.
CLARK deserves great credit He
knows little about medicine. With
coat off and sleeves rolled up he
pitched right in. l bet he treated so
of the wounded. He had bottle of
brandy in his grip and that helped
some.
Mother With Dead Babies
There was one mother with two
babies in her arms. Her face was
covered with blood. but she kept WHIP
ing the blood from her eyes huggng
the babies to her breast all the while.
We took the babies from her in order
that we might dress her wounds with
bandages that we made from the
Pullman bed linen. The two babies
we're dead. We didn't tell the mother
hut put the little ones away in a
berth.
After II while the train was start
cd back to Truro with the wounded.
Four children died on the way.
Two sailors on the train who had
escaped from a tugboat in the harbor
were among the refugees. They were,
soaked to the skin and We're shiverng
from the cold. They said they had
been blown off the tug.
"on the way back to Truro we got IA
view of the harborN saw three Belgian
30 iva
been damaged
Mr.. Goldberg brought with him large
piece of a steel plate from a ship. He
picked il up near the station at Afric-
Vile and believes 1t was blown ashore. It
is twisted out OF shape and blackened as
IL by powder.
Experience of Girl Students
Mr.. Goldberg arrived on the first train
to reach here from Halifax since the ex-
plosion. Other passengers were Miss
Catherine White and Miss Dorothy Nc
kenzie. both of this city. who were stu
dents at St Nincents Academy at Rock
ingham a suburb of Halifax.
Both girls were slightly injured ana
were fatigued from the shock and their
long railroad Journey.
Morning classes were in session at the
academy when the explosion rocked the
building and smashed the glass in the
windows The sisters in charge of the
school made every effort to quiet their
pupils and succeeded in marching them
out Of the building in good order. The
students took refuge in large field near
the academy buildings. Soon men came
running toward them and begged for ban
daEes Every piece of clothing At me
school and everything the girls wore that
could be used for bandages was given