Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-13

! ed his orders from the British pilot,
MacKay. was absolutely SOBER" said
the witness. No liquor was on the
Mont Blanc, he said.
The morning of the collision was
quite clear.
Proceeding UP to Bedford basin his
ship sighted the limo, continued the
Mont Blanc's commander. She was
heading to sea on the westside but
was taking a direction across his
course. The starboard side of the
limo was visible. She was two points
on his port bow. He gave one short
blast on his whistle to indicate he
had seen the limo and to show the
Mont Blanc was going to the right.
The limo gave two short blasts
when the ships were about $50 feet
apart. The collision was inevitable at
this point. The limo judging by the
force of the collision seemed to have
great speed.
The effect of the collision was im-
mediate. Thick black smoke poured
from the hold. 1t was impossible to
put out the fire. In order not to use
lessly sacrifice lives he ordered the
crew to abandon the ship. He called
the roll when they landed and found
only one man missing. Eighteen to
twenty minutes elapsed before the
explosion which threw them all fiat
| on their faces.
Belated credit was given to-day to
two young women for their conduct
following the explosion. When the
explosion came the naval hospital
had only two nurses on duty, Sis
| ter Alice Boutin and her assistant.
| Although the roof crashed in and the
building was damaged not a patient
was lost.
In addition to attending these pa
tients, many injured from outside
were brought in. With a fractured
Boutin remained on duty until late
in the evening, when she became eX-
| hausted.
Miss Jean Groves, operator at the
private branch telephone exchange
| at the dockyards, remained at her
| post and sent out calls for doctors,
fire department and other aid until
ordered out of the building which
was badly damaged. Less than an
hour later she was at the Lorne EX-
change, reporting for duty.
The relief ship Northland. the sec
ond vessel sent out from Boston
with supplies and clothing for the
destitute here arrived to-day.
The Northland brought a large
quantity of window glass. roofing pa
per and other supplies badly needed
to make the remaining homes more
comfortable and to provide more
suitable temporary quarters for the
homeless.
The weather was intensely cold to-
day and an early snow storm gave
indica tions of continuing throughout
the day.
The relief work is proceeding sat-
isfactorily and with the injured now
Iall properly cared for the task OF
estoI ing more normal conditions in
that part of the city which escaped
= the conflagration is going forward
, rapidly.
Con mittees on transportation. sup
plies, information finance and re-
and are being directed by local men
who have taken over the work start
ed by outside relief committees.
Many persons who came here early
in the week as mere sightseers have
been put to work at one. task or an
other.
DR.. Ross Faulkner, of New York
who was sent here to determine II
additional surgeons and nurses were
roeded, reported to-day that the con-
tingent from New England were
ample to meet present requirements
The most important need at thi:
time, he said, was for expert ocul.
lists who might be able to save hun
dreds from becoming blind for life.