The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-12-08
TWO SQUARE MILES OF HALIFAX
WIPED OUT FOLLOWING COL
LIsioN AND BLOWING UP OF
SHIPS IN HARBOR.
EXPLOSION IS TERRIFIC
Most Fearful Holocaust That Ever Oc-
Cured on American Continent
PIunges All Canada Into Mourn
ing-ReIief Work Quickly
Under Way.

Halifax, N. S., Dec. with the
toll of dead steadily mounting it is
believed that more than 1000 persons
-perished in the explosion and fire
which followed the collision in Hall
fax harbor between the munitions
laden French ship Mont Blanc and
the steamer Iona, loaded with sup
plies for the Belgian relief commits
sion. Thousands were injured and it
is expected many of them will die.
The disaster which has plunged the
Dominion into mourning, probably will
rank as the most fearful that ever
occurred on the American continent.
Residents of Halifax and thousands
of volunteer relief workers who have
come into the city have been almost
.dazed at the extent of the horror.
Property Loss Millions.
No American ship was involved in
the explosion.
The north end of the city was laid
waste and the property damage will
run into the millions. A part Of
the town of Dartmouth across the
harbor from Halifax, was also
wrecked. Nearly all the buildings in
the dockyard there are in ruins
The zone of destruction in Halifax
covers an area of about two square
niles in the section known as Rich
mond. buildings which were not
demolished by the explosion were
destroyed by the fire which followed.
Scores of persons were injured by
the collapse of the railway station.
Arena rink, military gymnasium, su.
gar refinery and elevator
All Business Suspended.
All business has been suspended.
Soldiers and sailors are patrolling
the city. Not street car is moving
and part of Halifax was in darkness.
Hospitals and many private houses
are filled with injured. Temporary
morgues have been opened in school
houses in the western section of the
city.
Damage Cannot be .Estimated<
The damage along the waterfront
can not yet be estimated.
Many of the men composing the
crews of the ships in the harbor were
killed or injured. On one steamer,
the Pictou, it is reported that 33 Of
the crew Of AZ were killed. The bod.
les of many seamel have been picked
up in the harbor.
Two of the members of the Can.
adian cruiser Nobe were killed by
the explosion and six were injured.
At o'clock the city was enjoying
Its usual period of calm and the
streets we're crowded with people
vending their way to work.
People Thrown Into Streets.
Suddenly, like bolt from the blue
there came an explosion. From one
end of the city to the other glass
fell and people we're lifted from the
sidewalks and thrown fiat into the
streets. In the downtown offices.
just beginning to hum with the usual
days activities, clerks and heads
alike covered under the shower of
falling glass and plaster which fell
about them.
Temporary Morsues Everywhere.
Temporary morgues have been es-
tablished in many buildings to which
a steady procession of vehicles of
all kinds have been carrying for hours
the bodies Of men, women and chill
dren. Most of them were so charred
that they were unrecognizable.
Collision Occurs Near Pier.
The collision which resulted in the
disaster occurred near Pier 8. in the
narrows leading from the harbor to
Bedford basin. The munitions ship
was bound from New York for Bed.
ford basin when the relief shin Iona