Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-07


some Of the more CHASTITY mounds of
shattered wood and stone, where the
corpses can be seen under the rubbish.
A formal inquiry into the cause of
the collision between the French mu-
milton steamer Mont Blanc and the Bel
gian relief ship limo will be made. Wit
nesses believe the Belgian vessel 8 steer
ing geer broke.
The Damaged Area.
The most madly damaged area of
Halifax is from Gottingen street to the
Stock Yards. The drydock is wrecked.
st. Joseph s church is in ruins. Many
big buildings were unroffed as if a
tornado had swept over them.
The explosion gave warning OF its
coming 1t was preceded by noise like
thunder; then came the terrific smash
that shook the earth, caved in strong
buildings, filled the air with death
dealing fragments and knocked thous-
ands Of people off their feet. Many fam
lilies are believed to have been ami
hilated.
The blast played strange freaks. Many
doors were blown open, the locks be-
ing ripped from their places in the
woodwork. Live electric light wires
lay in the streets. Nobody seemed to
know what had happened.
How the Fires Spread.
Then the fires began spreading.
| Freight sheds in Richmond were push,
ed over like houses of cards. Many OF
the injured were removed by train tC
Windsor today.
The city was in practical darkness
all night. School sessions probably vii
be resumed for a month.
Some wounded people were found to
day lying where they had been hurled
by the explosion. Volunteer stretchel
beareers gathered them up.
Some of those found dead today hac
evidently died of wounds. By their pos
lures it was apparent they made des
perate attempts to crawl into the opeI
before losing consciousness.
The dead are being tagged as fas'
as they are identified. Several men
blinded, were found CROPPING their way
calling for help.
Weeping children and women an(
wounded men, groaning, made last nigh
horror for all in the city.
A special train bringing carloads o.
food, clothing and other much needed
supplies, arrived here this morning from
st, John, N. B. Mayor Hayes and TIT
majority of the surgeons ot st. JONI
have also arrived.
One Estimate of 5000
Washington, Dec. Five Thousand
dead in the Halifax disaster was th'
unofficial estimate of a naval command
er forwarded to the navy department
mere over night.
He had seen and heard the horribl
explosion while fifty two miles at SCI
and reaching the harbor, learned OF tn
holocaust.
He declared the munitions ship crey
reached shore safely by abandoning
their craft when the fire started.
The navy department announced tn
following had been received from
commander:
"sWhile fifty two miles at sea, tn
explosion of munitions ship was seel
and heard. On arriving, assistance wa
offered the authorities and the follow
ing learned concerning the circum
stances leading up to the explosion:
GA Belgian relief ship eoilided wit
a French munitions vessel loaded VII
$1,000 tons of int and large quantlt,
of benzine. Due to an explosion the ben
; zine caught fire and as soon as the rlr
started tine crew abandoned the shlI
reaching shore before the explosion too
place.
Practically all of North Halifax wa
destroyed ana all windows and doors
HaIiTax aud Dartmouth were demohsf
ed.
ssTonight it is believed there are fiv
thousand dead, but these figures eanno
be confirmed.
"The explosion sank three ships an
!, badly damaged many others.
"rhe ruins of buildings are no'
, burning fiercely in North Halifax.
The American consulate at Halifa
I, is within two and half blocks OF tn
, water front and close to the eustoi
, house.
Efforts were made all night to 50
in touch with Halifax by state depar
ment cable, but the best that could
done was to order Freeman tot go thel
The department IS anxiety was helgh
ened by the fact that Watts is alway
prompt to report such matters. He is Il
father of Constructor Watts Of the nav
and was American consul in Brussels
the outbreak of the war.
That no American ships were il
volved in the Halifax disaster appeare
more likely this forenoon from the fa'
. that no mention of any was included
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