Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-12
500 BLINDED BY
HALIFAX BLAST:
MANY ORPHANED
Revised Estimate of Explosion
Casualties Reduces Death
List to Total of 1900
By associated Press

Halifax. n. S., Dec. IL. - A re-
vsed estimate to-day of the ex-
plosion casualties reduces the death
list to approximately 1900.
The known dead total 500 and it
is believed that not more than 1000
bodies and perhaps only 900, still
lie under the debris of shattered and
burned buildings.
The list of victims is steadily be-
coming smaller as relatives are re-
united and refugees who left the city
return.
From 500 to 500 persons are
totally or partly blind and 200 chill
dren have each lost both parents,
according to the American and
Canadian workers investigating the
situation.
The formidable estimates made
during the hours Immediately after
the explosion apparently were due,
1t developed to-day to the fact that
identifications of some of the bodies
were counted several TIMES. The
relief workers explained that even
to-day's revised figures are not to be
regarded as final inasmuch as many
entire families were destroyed, no
members being alive to report such
losses.
1t is estimated 500 houses are
wrecked beyond repair, that 500
others were totally destroyed and
that another 1000 can be restored
to use.
Conditions in the town of Dart
mouth were particularly distressing
to-day. Some of the inhabitants
who were injured by explosion, fire
or tidal wave had not received meIi-
cal attention n Il
the relief system is being reorgan-
lied so they may receive necessary
aid at once. In one shelter in DARE
mouth investigators found 500 men,
women and children.
The Boston relief ship Calvin
Austin entered the ha, DO: to-day.
Boston, Dec 12. Kenneth Cas-
son, who returned to his home here
yesterday after tour of service with
the Tufts College hospital unit in
France, said that the vessel on
which he crossed the Atlantic was
damaged by the tidal wave thrown
up by the munitions steamer ex-
plosion at Halifax. The vessel was
35 miles off the coast when the great
sea drove over her, knocking down
nearly every one On deck and de-
stroying the pilot house.
A general funeral service for all
the dead is to be held on Friday.
Some of the bodies will rest beside
victims of the Titanic and Burgoyne
disasters, in Fairview Cemetery. |
Others will occupy so many graves
in Camp Hill Cemetery that this
burial ground will be completely fill |
ed and will thereafter be closed. |
n afn1 fV,st
aster will begin late to-day.
Word was received from Ottawa /
to-day that the military service coun- |
Gil had suspended opera tons of the |
Canadian military draft in the Hall /
fax district on account of the dis
aster.
1t was definitely established to-day
that seven men were killed on board /
the Canadian cruiser Niobe, used as
a training ship and that six others
of the crew were killed in a small
boat at a pier.
The arrival to-day of the relief
steamer Calvin Austin from Boston,
was made the occasion of q demon
stration at the pier. The vessel bring
ing clothing, food and more import
ant STILL glass and other materials
greatly needed. was welcomed by
great crowds who cheered the ship,
he captain, the crew and her prec-
GUS cargo.
The relief work is being developed
along better organized lines daily.
Committees of Halifax men are in
direction of the work,
hose from New England serving in
IN advisory capacity with the excep-
ion, of course, of the physicians and
nurses who are still occupied to the
INIT of physical endurance To-day
.hings were moving Systematically.