The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-12-13
Halifax Horror Believed Worst
Ever Known to This Continent

Halifax, N. S., Dec with the toll
CT dead steadily mounting, it was be-
lleved early this morn ne that more
that 1900 persons per: in the eX
plosion and fire which followed the
collision yesterday morning in Halifax
harbor between munitions laden
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 &C.
Cured on the American continent.
Residents of Halifax and thousands Of
volunteer relief workers who have
come to the city have been almost
dazed at the extent of the horror.
Identity of But Few Victims
Temporary morgues have been es-
tabl!shed in many buildings to which
steady procession OF vehicles of all
kinds has been carrying for hours
the bodies OF men, women, and chill
dren. Most CT them were so charred
tnat they were unrecognizable.
thousands of persons seeking trace
of relatives and friends have passed
by the long, silent rows, attempting,
by the Pickering light of lamps and
lanterns, to identify the ones they
sought
Temporary Hospitals All Over City
Virtually every building IN the city
which could be converted into a hos
pital is filled with wounded, many of
them so desperately injured that there
is no hope for Their recovery. Scores
have already died in these temporary
hospitals. An ever-increasing num-
Der is being taken from the devastat-
ed district to the relief station. An
army of rescue workers is searching
the ruins for bodies and for those who
left by the explosion and fire.
The city was in darkness tonight ex-
cept for the flames from the fires still
burning in the wrecked buildings in
the north end. The electric light and
gas plants have been destroyed and
the only lights available are kerosene
lamps. They furnished the illumina-
ton by means OF which the surgeons
and doctors toiled heroically through
out the night caring for the injured.
Soldiers, sailors and police patrolled
tie streets tonight and upon them fell
the major portion of the burden of
searching among the ruins for the
dead and WI bundled The Canadians
were assisted, in this work bv sailors
from an American warship in the har-
Dor.
Vast Areas Swept by Flames
The tlamesWept area covers approx
lmately two and one-half miles, 1t be-
gins at what is known as the North
Street bridge, extending north to Pier
Eight on the Richmond water front,
and back to point running parallel
With Gott'ngen street Northing has
been left standing in this section Of
the city. Only pile of smouldering
ruins marks the spot where the great
buildings of the American Sugar Re-
filming company stood. The drydock
and al! buildings which surround it,
were destroyed The Richmond
school that housed hundreds of chill
drcn was demolished and it is reported
that only three escaped.
Canadian officers who have seen
long service in France, characterize
the catastrophe as the "most fearful
! which has befallen any city in the
world
Number Of Victims to Exceed 1000
Chief Of Police Hanlahan late last
r;ght estimated the number Of killed
at 1900 and other city officials ex-
pressed the belief that it would ex-
coed that number.
Among the dead are Edward Con-
DON chief Of the fire department;
William Brunt, deputy fire chief; Cap
tan Peter Frederick, Of the fire de-
partment; the wife and son of Rev.
w. J. Sweatman of the Kaye street
Methodist church, and DR.. Murdoch
Chisholm.