Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-12-12

Dor, which cost over S3J,000.000 and
were the finest of their kind in the
world. into smthereens.
1t laid waste to- acre after acre OF
resident and commercial districts.
1t brought elevators tumbling TO the
ground with roars that sounded like
the incessant rolling of thunder. and
above all rose the cries aud shrieks of
the dying and the injured.
Stricken in Moment.
In a moment the entire city was
stricken as if by gigantic blast Of
consuming earthquake.
Indeed. it is doubtful if an earth
quake could have done more damage.
Every telegraph wire, every cable
connection was put out of commission
b. the shock The entire lighting and
telephone system vas disorganized.
For while Halifax was cut ofb COM
pletely from the outside worlo,
The area of destruction includes
numerous institutions, banks and gov
eminent buildings.
Includes Citadel Hill.
Citadel Hill, the eminence which
dominates the entire city, is located
within the stricken territory and the
most important part of the water front
was in this zone.
In addition to many churches and
schools, the railway station. govern
ment dockyard, Wellington barracks.
Admiralty House (the official residence
of the admiral in command of the
North American British squadron), the
military hospital. post office provision
al parliament building, city hall, the
ordance department, most of the de-
partment stores, all of the telegraph
and cable offices and few hotels were
located there.
Station Coliapses.
The cOncussiOn resulting from the
explosion caused the roof of the Cana
dian Pacific railway station ut North
street to collapse, while all the ware
houses on the water front for mile
and a half were damaged.
The devastated district was the old
or part of Halifax and thickly pOpu-
lated.
Rockingham, where the explosion
occurred is n suburban village about
three miles north of Halifax It is sit
uated Ga The west shore of Bedford
basin, a contlncation of Halifax har-
Dor. Since the war il has been used
as an examining station for ocean
steamers.
1t was at this portion Of the harbor
that ex-Ambassador BernstOrff and
party were held and examined on their
way from the United States to Ger
many.
Richmond Wiped Out.
Amherst n. S, Dec IA late dis
patch from Halifax said the fire was
under control. Richmond, Il suburb of
Halifax, has been wiped out, not
building in the city escaping damage.
Pieces of shrapnel blown from the
scene of the explosion were found
three miles away.
Several hundred are reported killed
and thousands injured
The Queens hotel on Hollis street.
near Sackville street, marks approx
mately the southern limit of the devas-
tated area, it is reported.
The berth of the Canadian cruiser
Niobe was near the area affected. but
no reports have reached here as to
whether the ship or her crew were in
jured.
Many Killed Outright by Shock.
Many people were killed outright by
the shock; hundreds were crushed by
falling buildings and debris and the
wounded were running about the
streets shrieking, with nobody to at
tend them. Even at late hour in the
afternoon dead and dying were lying
about in scores.
The hospitals of the city were total
~ inadequate TO cope with such dis
aster, and long after they had been
filled to overlooking dead and dying
and wounded We're being gathered in
by the ambulance corps and by hun
dreds of willing helpers, both Halifax
people and volunteers from the coun-
try around.
Fortunately there were no Canadian
soldiers in the city or on transports
awaiting orders to sail. The only
military forces there were the perma-
nent garrison, and these did yeoman
service in helping to restore order and
In succoring the dying and wounded.
P0ST0M SENnc RELIEF TRAIN