Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-12-07
Buildings Collapse, Burst Into Flames and Flying
 Missiles Wound Many.
MORGUES FILLED
 WITH DEAD BODIES
Streets Piled High With Debris and Bodies of Women and Children Are Buried Under the
 Mass.

With the toll of dead steadily mount ing, it was believed early this morning that more than 2,O00 perished in the explosion and fire which followed the collision yesterday morning in Hali- fax harbor between muntion laden ed French ship and another vessel loaded with supplies for the Belgian relief commission.
 The disaster, which has plunged the Dominion into mourning, probably will rank as the most fearful that ever oc- cured 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.
 Steady Flow of Bodies.
 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 chil- dren. Most of them were so charred that they were unrecognizable. Thou sands of persons, seeking trace of relatives and friends, have passed by the long silent rows, atempting, by the flickerng light of lamps and Ian terms, to identify the ones they sought. Virtually every building in the city, which could be converted into hos pital, is filled with wounded, many of them so desperately injured that there is no hope of their recovery.
 Scores already have died in these temporary hospitals.
 nAk Qn0 and 1000 were killed, according to early statments tonight, when the French munitions ship, Mont Blanc, blew up in Halifax harbor after a collision with the Belgin relief steam ship. Ioma, at 9o'clock this morning. Thousands were injured, and it is ex- pected many of them will die. Virtu- ally all of the north end of the city was laid in waste and the property damage will run far into the millions. "A part of the town of Dartmouth, across the harbor from Halifax, also was wrecked Nearly all the buildings in the dockyards there are in ruins. Two Square Miles. The zone of destruction in Halifax itself covers an area of about two square miles. The buildings which were not demolished by the force of the explosion were destroyed by the fire which followed.
 Scores of persons were injured by the collapse of the railway station, the arena rink, military gymnasium, sugar refinery and elevator. All busi- ness has been suspended, and armed guards of soldiers and sailors are pa trolling the city.
 , Not a street car is moving, and part of Halifax is in darkness tonight. All the hospitals and many private homes are filled with injured. Tenn porary morgues have been opened in schoo! houses in the western section. The damage along the waterfront cam not be estimated.
 Sailors in Harbor. Many of the men, comprising crews of the ships in the harbor, were among the killed and injured. On one steam. CT, the Pictou, it is reported B of the crew of AZ were killed. Bodies of many seamen have been picked up in the harbor. Rescue parties among the ruins of buildings are recovering bod- ies. The Mont Blanc was pierced on the port side almost to the engine room. The Ioma, which was only slightly damaged, backed away when flames burst from the munitions ship and was abandoned by the crew. The captain of the Mont Blanc also ordered his crew to the boats, as he realized an explosion was inevitable. The men reached shore safely, before the Ire imendous blast, seventeen minutes lat- CT. blew their ship to pieces. Business had just begun for the day.
 Persons in the streets were hurled :, to the ground. Occupants of office buildings covered under shower of falling glass, and plaster houses m
 the Richmond section collapsed, bury Ii ing their tenants.
 In the main part of the city, where
 the buildings are chiefly of stcne or
 concrete, the damage was confined to shattering of windows. and most Icasuslties there were caused by fly- ! ing glass. In the west and north Iwest sections of the city, the damage fr~ont1nveA ns, naaA f1vAA