Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-12
CITIZENS AVERT
SECOND CALAMITY
Board Burning Munition Ship in
Halifax Harbor and Con- .
quer Flames.
CARRIED NO DANGER FLAG
Norwegians Claim Catastrophe
CARRIED NO DANGER FLAG
Norwegians Claim Catastrophe
Vessel Did Not Fly Red
Emblem as Warming.

ii.fI>iI Ny. DcCeHDer ll.--Hlt COM
plete disregard for their own lives, in
an effort to save this desolatcd city
from another catastrophe. n group OF
Dartmouth citizens carly to-day board
cd Il steamship. said TO havo been laden
with munition2, which was anrc, and
vas being abandoned hastily By her
crew.
vessel carried d dcckload Of oil. and
as She came in close to shore with
smoke pouring from her superstructure.
the sight Of her fleeing crew stirred the
watchers ashore to prompt action. \
volunteer fire-hghting force was quick
- organized. and the burning ship was
boarded. After hard work the flames
were cStinguished. The crew rem incd
ashore to-day. prcferring the scant re-
lief shelter provided in Dartmouth
Since the explosion on tho Mont
Blanc crews of French munition vessels
arc reported to be unwilling to enter
Halifax harbor.
According TO statements to-day by
survivors, OF the Norwegian steamer
limo, which collided with the Mont
Blanc the latter ship few no rcd flag
to indicate that she carried cargo Of
explosives. They also declared they
were not aware that the Mont Blanc
was munition- laden. and that when
they saw her crew running away they
thought II was due TO the fire, and not
fear OF an explosion. They asserted
the Mont Blanc was coming into the
harbor on the wrong side when the
collision occurred.
HOPE IS ABANDONED
FOn MEN OF THE FICTION
Hope was abandoned to-day for sixty
men who we're loading provisions on
the steamer Picton at the Acadia Sugar
Refinery at the time Of the disaster.
There were shells on the Ship and when
fire broke out on the Mont Blanc they
decided TO put the covers on the holds,
though most Of them knew the Mont
Blanc carried high explosives.
AS the shock came, the pier TO which
the ship was moored collapsed. 4 mass
OF wrcckage. It Is believed the sixty
men were buried in the ruins.
y man who survived the explosion
was found among the ruins to-day. lie
had been caught between two beams a,
the North Street Railway Station, and
beyond a few bruises was unhurt. /,
Is presumed the man had been uRcon.
scious most Of the time since Thursday
When placed Oh his feet, he appeared
da2ed and asked what had happened
His identity has not been learned.
The City's workers to-day began the
task OF clearing the streets Of thous-
ands OF tons OF broken glass. Inter
ments took place all day at the ceme-
teries.
SYSTEMATIC REBUILDING
The snowstorm which hampe red RELIEF
workers yesterday was of short dura-
ton, and last night was clear and cold
AS the snow which fell was nea.
enough TO rain to be vii saturated
a had cIus. had formed to-day, fur
ther interfering with traffic problems
and with the work Of clearing away
the ruins of wrecked Buildings.
All activities. however, are now or
a systematic basis. and Halifax mer
Joined to-day with men from othe,
parts of Canada and from cities in the
United States l. seeking TO restore
more normal conditions. The -efusa
TO admit curiosity seekers already has
resulted in noticeable lessen!nS o1
the congestion, which was threatening
serious impedimcnt.
Hundreds Of men were busy to-day
about the less badly damaged build
ings. The chief task was to replace
broken windows and doors and 10 re
pair roofs. The supplies OF window
glass sent from other cities proved
particularly useful. and q party o.
skilled glaZiers from Boston assisted
III replacing the thousands Of shatterct
panes.
Last night was the most restfui sine,
the explosion. The sinking OF the mu
milton steamer Picton yesterday. witt
the subsequent Official assurance tina
there were no eXplosive-laden vessel.
i'll the harbor, drove away fears Of fur
ther possible disaster and permitted
residents and relief workers to slee.
in peace.
| The capture OF carrier pigeon. un
der whose wing was a message in Ger
man. was reported to the police to
day. The pigeon, probably wounde,
in the explosion Thursday, entered tn
| window OF a home near the burned
Continued on Second PaEe.)
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