The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-12-08
More Than 1000 Lives Known
To Be Lost in Disaster
With List Steadily
Mounting.
TEMPEST OF FLAMES
Two Square Miles Of City Wiped Out
When Fire Follows Collision
Of Ships In Harbor Which
Resulted In Ex-
piosion.

Halifax, n. s., Dec. S.-The appal-
Ing death toll here as the result of
the explosion of the French munitions
ship Mont Blanc when it was ramned
by the Belgian relief ship Imo, is
steadily increasing, with the work
of rescuing bodies progressing slow
ly, owing to the cold and snow. Goa
servative estimates made by city of
ticials now place the death list at
$500 The scene is indescribable.
Toll Steadily Mounting.
Halifax, n. s., Dec S.-More than
1900 persons perished, and the toll
OF dead is steadily mounting, in the
explosion and fire which followed the
collision In Halifax harbor between
the French ship Mont Blanc, muni-
tions laden, and the steamship Iona,
loaded with supplies for the Belgian
relief commission. 1t Is expected
that many of the thousands injured
will die
The disaster which has plunged the
Dominion into mourning, probably will
rank as the most fearful that ever
OGCuTItu Ol LilC AultIItdh
Residents of Halifax and thousands
of volunteer relief workers who have
| come into the city have been almost
iazed 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
miles i'm 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 q street car Is moving
\ and part of Halifax was in darkness
Hospitals and many private houses
are filed with injured. Temporary
mcrgues have been opened in school
houses In the western section of the
city.
Damage Cannot be Estimated.
The damage along the water front
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, 1t is reported that 33 OF
the crew of AZ we're killed. The bod.
les of many seame1 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 9 o'clock the city was enjoying
its usual period of calm and the
streets were 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 were lifted from the
sidewalks and thrown fat 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 ol
all kinds have been carrying for hours
the bodies Of men, women and chill
| drnn Most of them were so charrad