The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-07

'i''N iiltil sup 10 bltftS tt1tl wrecked
large part Of the city.
Whole City Rocked.
The town was shaken to it's founda
ton by the explosion. Persons In the
streets We're picked lp bodily and
hurled to the ground. Occupants Of
office buildings covered under Il
shower of glass and plaster. Houses
IN the Richmond section collapsed
hurying their tenants.
In the main part of the city whore
the buildings ARE chiefly Of stone u"
concrete, the damage was confined to
the shattcring of windows and most
OF the casualties in this section We're
caused by flying glass.
Havoc Created in Richmond.
In tho west and northwest ends, the
damage was more extensive and there
the walls of many houses were blown
to bits. 1t WAS In richmond, how
eyer, opposite the scana of the eX-
plosi1n. that the havoc was the great
est. Whole blocks Of dwcilinG5, most
~ of frame construction, Mere lcNCllcd.
Street after street is in ruins and the
structures which were left standing
by the explosion We're destroyed by
fire. which broke out. 1t Is believed
scores of persons. who had been in
| jured hy tn" collapse Of their bones
pcrished in the flames Tho fires in
| this district still are smouIderung to-
night
! Panicky Thronos Fill Streets.
Five minutes after the explosion the
| streets of ilaifaN were filled with
panic stricken throngs striving to
reach the outskirts in an effo@ to ca-
cape what they believed WIS 4 rid
| by a German fleet. hundreds Of them
had been cut by the sLe"cf of eln$s
whiaf followed the explosion.
| In the Richmond section the scenes
enacted dcfcd description. Seriously
injured men and women crawlcd from
the wrcCkagc of their homes ana ja%
in the streets until they were removed
to hospitals. Those less seriously nurt
aided thos" more graveiE injured. IN
the streets. piled high with debris,
We're found the shattered bodies of
many women and children. Several
children were crushed to death when
they were hurled against tnIophoH"
poles by the force Of the explosion.
Flames Prevent Rescue.
In scores Of CascS, occupants %
houses who had escaped without in
jury, or who were only slightly hurt
were bHfflod by IN" flames in ,hcii
search for members of their families
and were forced to stand by inn
potentiy while what once had beer
their homes became funeral pyrcs fol
loved ones.
\ government employ" named Ne
Donald, who made all speed to react
his home after the explosion. fount
that his wife and four children ha(
perishrd.
Among those killed were chief o
the fir" department and his deputy
who were hurled to death when the fir
engine exploded.
Children in Schools Killed.
Scores Of children were tiilled in tn,
public schools In the north end, man,
others suffered broken limbs ana wrr
rescued with difficulty from the de
r molished buildings. The teachers VIII
Q escaped injury worked herocally.
| lebaron Coleman, manager OF tn
t Canadian Express company, was kille
= when the roof of the north st1lion col
}, lapsed.
Z In less than half an hour after tn
disaster, 5000 persons had assemble
g on the commons and thousand .
t others had sought refuge in fields on;
Iii 10 hA ,tt. aIs.,
missing by their relatives anI it wa