The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-12-06
HALIFAX AF|RE
>FROMEXPLOS|ON;;.
SHIPS COLLIDE
American Munition Ship and
Another Craft Cause Death
to Many in City .-..-.
PROPERTY LOSSES TO :.
RUN INTO MILLIONS
Freight Trains Blown OFT Tracks
Along a Distance Of Two
Miles ~ ,2.::.4
DEAD MAY REACH 1900.

Montreal, Que., Dec. 6.-The
dead in the Halifax explosion
number 1900, Telegraph com.
pany's officials estimate, but they
explain the Information on which
It 10 based 10 unofficial.
A. a result Of the explosion Of
the American munitions ship this
morning, nearly one-haIf Of the
north end Of the city Of Halifax
has been destroyed, great ire
10 raging, the dead are lying thick
In the streets, all the hospitals are
filled to overflowine, and many
injured are compelled to walk
: about untreated.
News that the disaster had
reached these proportions was re-
ceived here, this afternoon, when
communication with Halifax was
established by the Canadian Tele-
graph Co. <. r.
Three hundred dead and many
hundreds injured were the estl.
mates this afternoon Of tho easu-:
aIties resulting when 4 large am
munition ship rammed q passen-
ger liner near their piers At Hail.
fax today. . ar
The advices further stated that
the ship which colIided with the
munitions vessel was Red Cross
liner. I ...
Halifax, Dec. 6.-Hundreds Of per.
sons were killed. and thousand
others injured and half Of the city Of
Halifax is in ruins as the result Of
The explosion of a munitions ship in
The har5or today. -..s H., a.
1t is estimated that the property
oss will run into the millions. Tho
north end OF the city is In flames, hun.
lreds of buildings were destroyed, and
! portion of Halifax set on fire by
IN explosion which occurred after .
collision Of an American ammunition
ship and another vessel at Rocking.
nam, according to telephone messages
here this morning. The ex.
plosion was so terrific that it destroy.
cd the installation in the telegraph
md telephone offices for thirty miles
around Halifax, while it was heard at
Truro, sixty-one miles distant A re-.
port from Truro, declares the loss Of
life is placed at fifty, while the lisc
If injured is correspondingly large.
1t is reported that the American
munitions steamer was moving out
rom her pier, and was rammed broad.
side by another vessel. Instantly,
here was a tremendous explosion,
which destroyed the two ships and
killed their crews. ....
Takes Roof or Station
The concussion resulting caused
The roof of the railway station at
North street to collapse, while all the
on the waterfront for q
mile and half were damaged. The
premises affected in many places
caught fire.
The force of the concussion was so
great that freight cars were blown
off railway tracks along q stretch OF
nearly two miles.
Messages asking for fire engines
and fire fighting apparatus. doctors
and nurses, hospital supplies, etc..
we're received from Halifax by num-
ber of localities in Nova Scotia. Spe-
cial trains were made up with every
thing required that could be procured.
Decide on Relief ,-.
At Truro, Windsor, and here, tho
city councils met this morning and de-
cided to take immediate steps to rem
der aid to the afflicted people OF Hal
fax. 1t is understood that large quan.
titles of food were destroyed and that
citizens Of Halifax may soon be In
danger of starvink. 1t was decided
that carloads of food must be dis
patched.
The damage done to the Western
Union and Canadian Pacific Telegraph
Companies and the Nova Scotia, Tel.
ephone company is so complete that
It is likely to be days before wire
communication with points outside OF
Halifax can be restored.
Rockingham is located we'll within
Halifax harbor. at the mouth of Bed.
ford basin. /: is at the northwest
portion of the harbor and since the
war has been used as an examining
station for ocean steamers. II was at
this portion of the harbor that Ex'
Ambassador BernstOrff and party
were held and examined on their way
from the United States TO Germany.
The Queens hotel on Hollis street,
near Sackville street, marks approx
mately the southern limit of the dev.
astated area, it is reported.
The last word received by wire from
Halifax regarding the explosion. said
the military had taken charge of the
Canadian Pacific Telegraph Co. and
had ordered all telegraph operators
out of the building. Only two opera
<N.-x,-,Od 0~ Do0n ThpAAN