Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-12-07
Confusion of Signals Causes ENplos-
ion on French Munition Ship-Part
of City and Water Front in Ruins.

a Belgian relief ship. thc Mont Blanc
French muniticn ship, blew u
yesterday and caused the death OF
approximately 1000 persons.
\ stretch Of the northern part Of
the city is in ruins and most Of the
water front is totally demolished
Many buildings collapsed and scores
Of persons were buried in debris.
The explosion occurred near Pier
s, rs the result Of 4 confusion o. sig
nails. Tie munition ship was bound
from New York for Bedford Basin
, All business has been suspended
anl armed guards Of soldiers and
sailors are patrolling the city, which
is partly IN darkness. Not Il street
car is moving All the hospitals and
many private homes are filled witt
the wounded, and public buildings
have been thrown open for the care
Ct the injured.
Among the dead are a fire chief
an his deputy They were hurled
to death when fire engine exploded.
Following the explosion thousand:
rushed for the open. Some OF the
little children il the schools became
panic-strickcn. Soon every street was
filled with the injured. The work o.
rescue was greatly impedcd by the
piles Of .iebris in the devastated area.
4 part of the town Of Dartmouth
is also in ruins. Nearly all the
buildings in the docIsyard are
wrecked. Practically al Of the north
end Of the city is destroyed.
The destruction reaches from NORTH
Street Railway Station as far nortf
as Africrillc to Bedford Basin an
covers about two square miles.
The buildings which were not de-
stroycA by the explosion were lai:
waste by the fire that Immediately
followed.
New York, Dec. Two Scandi-
navian liners, carrying many Ger
mau and Austrian diplomats return
in,s homc from Central and South
America and China, barely escaped
iIc,ng caught in the Halifax HarDoI
disaster. They are the Bergcnsfjor:
and the EIcllie Olav. Both left Halifax
few days ago, after the Teuton
diplomats and their baggage had un.
dcrconc thorough examination al
the hands OF the British officials.
\ neutral liner that may have
been hit by the catastrophe is the
Holland American steamship Nicuwe
Amsterdam, carrying 1900 passcn-
gers. The vessel is believed &c
have been in the Halifax !Iarbo- al
the time Of tie explosion, submitting
10 an inspection by the British before
proceeding to Rotterdam. In adii-
zion to her large passenger list, the
Nicuxc Amsterdam carries 4 large
general cargo.
The ilarbpr rule at Halifax de-
riands that passengers remain aboard
during the vessels detention. IL is
feared that il the vessel was there
true 10 her schedule. many Of her
passengers may De victims Of the
disaster.
Halifax. Nova Scotia. Dec. r.
Estimates OF the number Of dead and
injured as the result Of the collision
between the French munitioT ship
Mont Blame and the Belgian relief
steamer Imo continued 70 grow 70.
day.
As additional bodies were being le-
covered from the debris Of hundreds
Of wrecked houses and reports Of
missing continued TO pour IN, Chlef
Of Police Hanrahan estimated TIC
missing and unaccounted for as 1t
least 1000. Thousands are homeless,
and churches. theaters, and schools
are being used as temporary hosn'-
tails and norgues.
Some progress is being made II
relief work, but estimates OF the
dead are as yet based solely upon
fragmentary reports.
! These estimates rn from mote
than 500 to the more than 1000 that
| the police chief estimates as dead p
missing. Many of the latter, 1t ::
realized. may later be found WheE
complete order IS restored.
The property damage will amount
far into the millions. There is scarce
| " 4 window left intact il the city.
Washington, Dec. Five THOUSAND
dead in the Halifax disaster vas ta'
! uuconhried estimate a naval COM