Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-09
City Ceases to Number Its
Victims and Directs
Energies to Aid
Of Liuing.
lBy Associated Prcss.l

iBy Associated Prcss.I
HALIFAX. X. s. December s.--four
thousand dead This is the now esti-
mate tonight Of the superintendent Of
morgucs. whose duty it is to assemble
and expose for Identification, If pos
siblc. tho bodies of those who per-
ishcd by shock or fire when the ann
munition ship Mont Blanc blew up in
the harbor on Thursday.
His estimate. that startled even those
who had lived through three days OF
tho horror here. was based upon the
records Of his district assistants. who
late tonight reported I. total of 1000
bodies recovered. They have figured
on Il certain number FOR Il prescribed
area. There appears to he no other
waE OF determining the loss. Hum
dreds. perhaps thousands. of bodies
have been consumed BY the flames and
in scores of cases not only whole
families, but whole neighborhoods have
been wiped out. and the names OF all
their dead may never be known.
Others think this estimate too nigh,
hu, al! admit that the superin,cndents
way OF figuring is a. good as any.
s,
working under the direction Of naval
authorities. dragged ashore 3oU bodies
ot sailors. soldiers and laborers re-
covered from the bottom OF tho harbop
Another searching squad reported hav-
ins found forty bodies in the hull OF
tho Norwegian steamer limo. which
col!iLcd with the Mon; Blanc.
The work OF relief was organized to-
Canadians. officials and Volunteers. who
are here with generous resources at
their command to restore so far as
possible the injured ami provide shell
TOR. food and clothing FOR the 2r,ooV
WHO Ire destitute.
About IUu or 1000
BODIES IDENTIFIED
Late to-!Iight authorities in charge
OF The various mOrsues announced that
about 400 OF the 1000 bodies have been
identified.
HalifaH has ceased 10 number its
dead. and Is directing is energies TO
the a:d of thc liv'm-.
Twenty Thousand persons arc dcsti-
tute. and III The number perhaps one
out OF acven Is suffering from injuries.
whi,h in many cases are bound to prove
fatal.
Federal. provincial and Red Cross
MD. supplemented by volunteer units
ircn other cities and the United States,
were being utilized To the best ad-
vantage. The Massachusetts relief train
arrived to-day. bringing the first con-
tiugcni of physicians. nurses and sup
plies. II was the first Of several trains
en- route from the American side.
night. To-day the storm passed and
the weather WAS clear and cold. street
car service was partly restored and
The lighting system renewed in part.
The water supply is causing the
most concern. Emergency repairs are
being made 'as fast as possible. but the
This evening.
The property loss. variousiy csti-
mated at from S2o.ooo.o1o TO $4,000
the minimum figure.
SEARCH For -oDIES
GOES on MErHODICALLr
The search for bodies goes on mo-
thodically. and hundreds are exposed
in temporary morsues but there have
been few dcntiiications. Those en-
gagged in this work are having many
depressing and some heart -rendns
experiences.
When the blow fell Lola Burns. eight
years old. was on her knees by her
cot saying her morning prayer. The
house collapsed. Hours later Lola was
found in the midst Of the W.T. .ckagc,
hcmmcd in by fallen timbcrs and sur
rounded by broken glass, but quite un-
harmed. still on her knees and pray
ing fcrvcntly.
L.. :, cellar at Richmond a soldier was
seen digging frantically. II was Pr-
vatc lIcnncbcrry, who had been over
seas with tho SiXty-third battalion and
recently returned home wounded.
Here was my home, explained the
soldier. briefly. while he continued to
dig. land ! am sure ! heard moan
moment ago.
Others assisted. and presently from
under kitchen stove the protrudng
ash pan. OF which had protected her,
was revealed Henneberry's eighteen
months-old baby. Her wounds were
superficial. But the private's JOY was
short lived. y little more digging ex-
posed the bodies Of his wife and five
other children.
/ At ono hospital several children were
! listed as negroes from their general
appearance. Later il was discovered
! that they had been white before the
! flames reached them.
ST. JOHN ABLE TO TAKE
| CARE OF MORE WOUNDED
! Word has como from ST. John that
more injured can be accommodated
there Among the injured already in
that city the cases of twenty are
critical.
| The Mayor to-day issued an order
suspcnding tho Sabbath holiday and
directing that all stores remaining safe
! for occupancy be kept open and all
labor continued.
! Sir Robert Borden. the Premier.
CONTINUED on Second Pagc.)
nSIpfNInng. TSH. Roam