The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-07
RELIEF TRAINS
Are SPEEDING ON
THEIR Way FROM
AMERICAN Cities
Boston Does Not Wait For
An Appeal For Aid to
Be Sent Out
RED CROSS NO LESS
PROMPT IN ACTION
Heavy Snowstorm Helps
Those Fighting Fires But
Adds to Hardships
BELGIAN RELIEF SHIP
STRUCK FRENCH BOAT
The Explosion Came When
Fire Reached 1000 Tons
OF Trinitrotuluol
BELGIAN RELIEF SHIP
STRUCK FRENCH BOAT

Halifax NJ g., Dec. 7--stunned by
the magnitude of the disaster which
has overwhelmed the "oarrison City
by the Sea" the people of Halifax to.
day bent all their energies TO reliey-
ina the injured, feedina the hungry,
shsltsrina the homeless and gather.
ing their dead.
A heavy snowstorm set in early
today and while this in q measure
impoded the work Of relief and ras-
cue, it served to aid the firemen IL
fighting the flames which still hurnaa
fisresIy IN many places amona tie
ruins In the devastated district.
Reports f~aaa the = fmpFovieed
moruues and from hospitaaa,
churches, schools and private resi-
doncea. seemed to bear out last nights
estimate that at least 1900 iIvea
were lost when the Belgian relief
steamship limo collided with the
French munitions steamer Monte
Blanc, causing the detonation Of four
thousand tens Of trinitrotuluol, one
of the most powerful explosives
manufactures.
Help from outside began 20 reach
nurses and medical and food supplies
arrived on special trains from Truro
and Windsor, N. S., and from None
ton, N. 3. Other trains were report
ed on the way and were expected 60
reach here during the day. The spe-
eiaI train sent from Boston by di-
rsetion Of Governor Mccall, Of Mas
saohusetts, will arrive this Venina.
Virtually all business is suspended
and the schools are closed, while the
Inhabitants generally are turning
nalEv4 ~ Wm HnE 1mHz
diers and sailors, including seamen
from an American warship which
rushed to the port when it received
word Of the disaster are patrolling
the stricken district and aiding in
the rescue work.
Describes the Explosion.
William Barton, former telegraph
editor OF The Montreal Gazette, and
now travelling auditor for the Cana
dian imperial munitions board, at
Ottawa, related today his exper-
fences during the explosion. He was
at breakfast in the Halifax hotel.
'Tn ten seconds 1t was all over.R
Mr.. Barton said. "A low rumbling,
q quake shock, with everything va
brating. then an indescFibable noise.
followed by the fall Of plaster and
the smashing Of glass. In such mo-
ments the human mind does not hes
itate; a cry went up. "a German
bomb. a rush for the door, headlong
down the hallway amid falling pic
tures, glass and plaster. to the swing
doors OF a few seconds before, now
ripped from their hinges: through
great projecting, triangular pieces OF
glass to the street. Here / found
myself with a burden. How she had
come into my arms do NOT know.
ing, oh. my poor sister. my poor
sister.
Outside, overhead, giant smoke
cloud was moving northwaFd. Dam
ger seemed over. / crossed the road,
laid my feminine burden on a door
step and returned to the hotel I was
! made my way Upstairs
to the rooms Of two friends. The
rooms were vacant. but normal. even
the glass unbroken-and few panea
Of glass remain unbroken In this
area Once more ] was In the STREET
meeting my companions on the
threshold. They, too, were TN
scathed.
Our plans were quickly made. We
were on 10 the immediate Vicinity
OF the district. for, among many
theories. we accepted as most plaus~
iblo the blowing up Of a munitjon
ship. Towards Citadel Hill we weuo
ed our way and the further we went
the more hoFrid the aftermath. The
improvised stretcher met US ON an
sides couyerging into the main thor
ouGhfares from the highways and by-
ways. The wounded were every
where, but most Of these unfortu-
mates could hobbie or walk: we kept
onwardH.
"Our hurry scurry had led 10 the
armory. Here the khalzi-clad men
were already on parade. many of the
soldiers showing wounds bound with