New-York tribune., 1917-12-12

ing full blast to-day The immediate
alspatch from Boston OF a special re
lief train greatly reduced the death
toll from the fire Thursday. members
Of the general committee declared. To-
DAY enough supplies had been received
TO relieve distress and the homeless
discarded the burned and tattored gar
ments they had been wearing since the
muniti0n ship exploded.
A trip through the hospital zone
showed that facilities were adequate
for city of thesize of Halifax.
While trains bearing glass 10 replace
the thousands Of shattered windows
arc speeding here, American surgeons
are still picking the broken fragment
from the faces. eyes and heads Of hun
dreds. many Of whom may be marked
Tor life or blind.
Al Bellevue Hospital. where the first
Massachusetts relief unit is stationed.
surgeons took stock to-day and found
that glass wounds predomirated.
Americans Get High Praise
Some Of the cases there arc pitiable.
IN one ward there are FIVE children, half
blinded, and no specialists ever worked
harder than they are working at this
improvised hospital to save the eye
sight of the little ones, still dazed and
terrified by the roar that shook down
their homes.
The full need Of praised has been
given by relief committees. citizens, the
newspapers, and, in fact, tho entire city,
TO Americans for what they have done
and are doing. The cordialty and CO.
operation between the American and
Canadian forces is frequently remarked
upon.
Except for the help of Colonel Nc
Kflvie Bell, commanding the Canadian
military forces, we could not have put
this hospital in the shane it is was
the statement of Major Harold q. Gid
Gings, Of Boston. in charge OF the
Massachusetts, unit.
Colonel Bell, the moment VIC ar
rived. set 90 work and sent beds and
bedGinc linen. blankets. orGerlies and
kitchen details, supplies indeed, every
thing that his trained mind saw we re
Qured. One Of his men. Captain Bar
rett, was detailed in charge of a force
20 come here and make this place ready
for patients. and you sec what 1t is
like-a hospital that would stand the
wartime test anywhere
State Has Charge Account
Major Giddings went through the
wards and pointed out many Of the pc
culiar cases. II was found, he said, that
while the majority of persons in the
outlying area we're hurt by glass a
very large number were injured by
fragments Of steel hurled over the city
from the decks and hull of the muni-
tions ship. This hospital outfit con-
sistS O. si%:y-fiye beds.
CAPITA 3. D. Hyde. a lawyer, Of BOs-
ton, and Captain Henry q. Lapham, a
manufacturer, Of that city, who belong
20 the quartermaster's department,
Massachusetts, Home Guard, have pro-
vided all the food and supplies re
quired az the hospital, most of which
were shipped from Boston. Before the
special train reached st. John, \. B.,
Saturday these officers decided that II
would be a good plan to take on some
extras. They ordered supplies from
merchants they had never seen before
and calmly told the dealers TO charge
il % Massachusetts" which was done
with surprising cheerfulncss. They
charged a good many things, including
alcohol at IS a gallon, but the alcohol
was one Of the most necessary sup
plies. .,
The Maine military unit is located
at the Halifax WOman's College, big
structure in Darlington Street, which,
like every other available building, has
been turned over to relief work.
Base Hospital 3, which is conducted
by the Second Massachusetts Red
Cross unit, has found spacious quar-
ters in the y. ". c. A. Building.
L. s. Sailors Great Help
American bluejackets, the nappiest
crowd in this saddened city. turned 70
and helped put the American relief
stations in good shape, and then
wanted 70 know if there wasn't some
thing else to be done. The jackies
were sent to the Y. NJ. c. A. to serve
as stretcher- bearers. Other American
contingents have devoted their efforts
to the reconstruction Of homes.
Hundreds Of kilograms from the
United States have been received IN
the last four days asking. the fate of
friends here, but not one-tenth of them
could be answered promptly, for telc-
,.ranh service has been demOraliZed.