New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-08
Injured Pinned Under
Debris Perish From
Cold; Stricken City
in Darkness
1000 Are Dead,
5000 Injured
$4,000 Made Home
less; Property Dam
age May Reach
Thirty Millions

HALIFAX, Dec. T. Stricken HalifsI
was swept tonight BY raging biz
zard. So fierce was the storm that
rescue workers were forced 10 sus2snd
their operations in the devastated sec
ton. It is believed certain that all the
injured buried under the ruins of SHAT
tered buildings have pcrished Of cold
and hunger.
To-night's official estimate OF the
toll in human life and suffering stands
at 5000 casualties: two thousand dad
and three thousand others injured.
Battered by biting wind and blind
ing snow, the plight Of the survivors
Of yesterdays holocaust is little short
of, desperate. The windows and doors
of virtually every house in the city
were shattered by the explosion which
wrecked the Richmond section and de-
vastated a large part OF TIE wafer
front Improvised barricades OF oonrd'
give little protection against the ele'
ments, and attempts to heat buildings
into which the snow is steadily init
ing are hopeless.
City In Darkness
The city Is again in darkness To-
night. except for the illumination AZ
forded By scanty supply Of oil lamps
and unless these are carefully screened
they are extinguished as soon as light
ed by the gale which whistles throufo
the crude shutters, Only small per
centage CT the buildings have even THIS
slight protection from the storm.
The sufferings Of those who escaped
injury have been increased by the fact
that every available blanket, quilt and
comfortable has been requisitioned Tor
the hundreds Of injured in the TEN
porary hospitals. Many Of these are so
gravely wounded their only hope lies
In the best of care. SERIOUS fears are
felt that cold, shock and exposure VIII
result In an outbreak Of pneumonis.
A single telegraph wire, bending dan
gerously in the storm, offered hsliiaA
onlv a precarious means Of eommunica'
tion with the outside world. and II was
feared momentsrily that this line
would snap. At best it gave only
halting connection with other points'
Telegraph and telephone companies are
making desperate efforts 70 PROVIDE
makeshift service. but the work is be-
set with difficulties.
Sir Robert Borden. the Prime Minis
ter. arrived here late to-day on a spe-
cial train from Pictou, TO which city ne
FASTENED yesterday from Prince I'd
ward Island, where he was when ne
heard rumors Of the disaster here. He
came to Halifax TO place at the disposal
Of the municipal authorities all the re-
sources of the Federal government for
the relief Of sufferers.
Menaced by Famine
While many generous offers Of ma
terial relief have been received and
trsinloads Of supplies arc on the way.
the spectre of famine was abroad to-
night, for II the storm continues y
may seriously interfere with railroad
traffic. There is enough food on hand
for immediate needs, but IL will last
only a short time unless additional
supplies are received.
AS the day wore on the immensity
Of the disaster increased rather than
diminished Hundreds Of bodies were
taken 10 the rnorgues and rescue squads
were constantly finding new victims
buried under tons of debris, until the
blizzard forced them to cease work.
There Is every reason 20 believe that
many more will be recovered.
No concerted effort has been made
as yet TO compile list Of the dead. a.
every effort is being made 20 identify
those who perished. The condition Of
many OF the bodies makes this exceed
ingly difficult and large proportion
Of those who lost their lives will he
buried as "nameless dead" There IL
no reason, however, 20 change the esti.
mate of 5000 dead and 5000 injured.
The property loss was estimated at
between S25, 100000 and 10000 900 and
the number Of destitute a. upward Of
20 900, in a statement issued tonight
by Justice Harris, chairman Of the Git
izens' Finance Committee.
Statement Of Citizens Committee
"The committee Of the citizens Of
Halifax" said the statement, "was ap-
pointed TO make a public statement on
the damage to the city Of Halifax and
the town of Dartmouth after as cJsfni
survey as possible OF the ds,naged
parts. While every building Ia, Halifax
and Dartmouth was more ar lees dam
aged, the devastated area is found near
the scene OF the explosion and en-
braces chiefly districts occupied BY
workers and the poorer classes.
Between 5000 and 1000 such dwell.
ings were destroyed by the explosion
or the ere. The number Of those At
fected is estimated at $4,000, and while
the circumstances OF all. or even most
Of them. cannot be sscertsined nnth
each ones case ~ investigated, u n
feared the destitute people IN the sres
will number upward 10000 and their
. n aost -