The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1917-12-21
VAN BUREN, BOY AT HALIFAX
Arthur Scott of Arlington Injured by the Explosion
which Wrecked the City, Write Narrative

Of the Disaster.

Mr.. and Mrs. Leslie Scott of Airing
ton township, have the proud distinct
ion of having all their sons (3) in
the service of their country. Leslie
Jr. was commissioned End Lieutenant
at Camp Sheridan and is now at
Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois;
Forest +. the second son is serving
in Battery ID. 122nd Field Artillery
at Camp Logan, Houston, Texas;
Arthur, the youngest is corporal In
the 73rd, Battery Overseas Draft
Canadian Troops. When the United
States declared war on Germany,
Arthur who was not yet of age. In
order to beat his older brothers to
France went to Canada and enlisted
in the Canadian Overseas Artillery
He was known by his parents and
wife to have been in Halifax, Nova
Scotia at the time Of the recent catas-
trophe which snuffed out thousands
of lives and wrecked the city. His
fate was unknown until the first of
this week, when letter to his wife
at Bangor apprised the anxious loved
ones at home that he was injured,
and had miraculous escape from
| death.
! Through the courtesy Of Mr.. Scott,
! The True Northener is permitted to
/ publish in full this interesting nara
1--WE OF this terrible disaster. The
telegram mentioned in the letter was
never received, and the letter was five
days in transit.
Following is the letter in full
My Dear Wife:
Well 1 just got my hand out of a
sling and am able to write once more
My trigger finger got a nice smash
and at present 1 am holding my pen
between both fingers. | got a fellow
thought for while that | would have
to get somebody to take down a let
ter for me. | have been waiting for
this recovery, else you would have
heard from me sooner.
No doubt you have become familiar
with the extent and nature of the
disaster here. AS an eye witness and
one of the lucky survivors l dare say
that it is the most pitiful, terrifying
sights | ever saw. The devastation
of property, the loss of lives, the
suffering of the injured and the hun
ger of the many homeless, all go hand
in hand to make soldier feel that
even in time OF war there are those
who suffer fully as much if not more
than the man who is physically sound
and carries the rifle.
Halifax is situated on one of the
many points that extend out into the
sea and help make up the ragged sea
coast of Novia Scotia. The city is
built on a canal like harbor, which
connects the sea and the basin, a
body of water the size Of one OF
Michigar's many lakes, the depth OF
same allowing passage for the aver
age boats. 1t serves as a waiting
place for crafts that call in for coal
and supplies.
The canal or strait narrows near
the basin to width not exceeding a
hundred yards, making the passage
of boats a matter of care.
On this particular morning and at
the narrowest point of all, two ships
tried to pass, one the Mont Blanc, a
Belgium Relief ship and the other
the Imo, French ship loaded to the
top with high explosives. Through
some b blunder in the signals making
it a costly one, the Mont Blanc ram
med the munition ship and set her
atire. Twenty minutes of fruitless
fire fighting allowed the injured ships
to part. The Imo bleached on the
Halifax side just as the cargo of
five thousand tons of Nitro glycerine
and cordite exploded.
This occurred at 9:10 A. NJ. Decem-
Der 9th. | was in front of window
10
/ Immediately decided it was my
move. | took one pace backward
the window pane and all struck me
backward, cutting my face bit and
smashing my finger, the roof came in
and rafter caught me on the should
er and hurled me into an open bunk
saving the Government transportation
of corpse from Halifax to Windsor
The fact that the roof caved in led
me to believe that the "Zepps" were
at last in Canada. | was not stun
ned at all nor much excited, only
just wondered where in the name of
blazes | could get an eighteen pound
gun. l ran out of the hut and saw
one of the most beautiful sights OF
my life. A cloud of smoke from the
exploded munitions. 1t rolled as
beautifully as could be. Up, at first
white, then yellow, brown and finally
black.
The sight that followed was any.
thing but beautiful, women. children
and a few men were running about
the streets with bloody hands anC
faces, hats were not to be seen or
heads, but in the air. Soon the rusl
started, myself as well as othel
bleeding soldiers knew not that there
was a scratch on ones own self, bu
started in at the rescue work which