The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-12-14

oot races gdSneo, iImpS torn anc
bodies distorted"
"On one occasion while we were
working around building we could
see little baby fifty feet underneath
the burning mass crying for aid. We
could not get near the baby and
watched it burn to death. Women and
children were lying in the streets and
hundreds must be buried in the de-
bris."
UNITED Press Dispatch
Washington, December 7.-"Five
thousand dead in Halifax" was the I'M
official report of the navy department
today. A naval commander reported
that he had both heard and seen the
explosion while fifty miles out at sea
and had hurried to Halifax to lend all
possible assistance. According to the
report of this officer, Belgian relief
ship collided with French munitions
ship loaded with 5000 tons of r. N T.
and a large quantity of benzine which
was stored on the decks When the
collision occurred the benzine for some
reason set on fire The crew knowing
that an explosion was inevitable
rushed for the boats and rowed away
from the vessel. Practically all of the
northern part of Halifax was de-
stroyed. There is not window left in
a building in Dartmouth across the
bay. 1t is estimated that the dead now
number 5000, but this is not con-
firmed. The explosion sank three ships
in the harbor.
After being abandoned by the crew
the Montblanc, the French munitions
ship drifted while in flames toward
Halifax before the explosion.
Hundreds of homes are wrecked and
thousands of people are homeless.
Schools and churches are being used
to house the people. All reports are
Of fragmentary nature. The prop
erty loss will mount into the millions.
Richmond Suffered Severely.
Richmond close by suffered the
greatest loss of life, whole usiness
blocks being demolished. On board
one ship in the harbor 40 men were
killed. Business is absolutely at
standstill
The armed soldiers and sailors pa
trolling the stricken city have given
up their barracks to the women and
children and will live in a city of 5000
tents.
Wagons employed in clearing up the
debris at frequent intervals come
across parts of human bodies protrud-
ing from the heaps of wreckage of
buildings.
The Belgian relief ship was also
sunk with large quantity of food
stuffs. There is storm raging and it
is bitter cold. Many are the heart
rending sights, where one sees heart
broken women digging in the ruins of
their homes in the hope of rescuing
their loved ones who are missing.
Other women are frantically going
from place to place making inquiries
for their relatives.
1t is proposed the place eleven per-
sons in one grave trench fashion, in
disposing of the dead. Many will have
to be buried unidentified.
Dead May Reach $500.
UNITED Press Dispatch.]
Halifax, Nova Scotia, December T.
Conservative estimates of the loss Of
life in this city place the same at g.
500. The scenes about the city are
most heart rending. Men and women
balf mad with grief are wandering
about the devastated city in search Of
their loved ones.
Turo, Nova Scotia, December u
When the explosion at Halifax was
first heard the people of this city
thought that it was an attack on the
naval base by German feet. The
reports of the presence of German air
planes were also rumored and many
of the people fed to the outskirts of
the city.
Not Enough Doctors.
UNITED Press Dispatch]
New York, December Reports |
from Halifax report that there are not !
enough doctors and nurses to care for
the injured. Some of the doctors were
themselves injured, and those VINO
have been on duty are completely ex-
hausted from the continuous work. The /
scenes among the injured outdone |
those on the battle fronts.
Heavy damage was done the Cam
adian military barracks, where num-
Der of horses were killed. The mill
tary hospitals weer the first ones
called upon for aid to the injured.
Halifax STAGGERING Under Blow.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.1
Halifax, December This city IS
today under the frightful- |
ness of the disaster of Yesterday when |
the explosion of munitions aboard the |
French liner steamship Monte Blanc, |
collision with the Belgian
relief steamer Imo took death toll in |
surprising any disaster on
the continent in recent years. The |
rapidly filing n,orgues appear to bear
out the estimates Of 1000 dead Many |
entire families were struck down in
their homes and their bodies burned,
making it impossible that the exact |
death list will ever be obtained Fires /