Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-12-08
Stricken Dominion City Is in
the Throes Of Bitter Winter
Weather; Injured Buried in
Ruins Have PeriShed.
SURVIVORS, PLIGHT
REPORTED DESPERATE
City Is in Darkness Except for
the Illumination Afforded by
Oil Lamps Outbreak of
Pneumonia Is Feared,

fsr MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wIRel
Halifax, N s., Dec. 7.-Stricken
Halifax was swept tonight by raging
blizzard. SO fierce was the storm that
rescue workers We're forced to, sus-
pend their operations in the devastat-
ed section. 1t is believed certain that
all the injured buried under the ruins
of shattered buildings have perished
of cold and hunger.
Battered by a biting wind and
binding snow, the plight of the sur
vivors of yesterdays holocaust is little
short of desperate. The windows and
doors of virtually every house in the
city were shattered by the explosion
which wrecked the Richmond section
and devastated large part of the wa
ter front. lmprovised barricades of
boards give little protection against
the elements and attempts to heat
buildings into which the snow is stead
lily drifting are hopeless.
The city is again in darkness to-
night except for sh9 illumination af-
Feoi,ded Ds a scailtJ I sdppiy Of oil lamps
and unless these are carefully screened
they are extinguished as soon as light
ed by the gale which whistles through
the crude shutters. Only small per-
centage of the buildings have even
this slight protection from the storm.
Cold Increases Suffering.
The sufferings of those who es-
capped injury have been increased by
the fact that every available blanket,
quilt and comfort has been requisi-
toned for the hundreds of injured
In the temporary hospitals. Many of
these are SO gravely wounded their
only hope lies in the best of care. Sc
rious fears are felt that cold. shock
and exposure will result in an out
break of pneumonia.
single telegraph wire, bending
dangerously in the storm, offered
Halifax only a precarious means of
communication with the outside world
and 1t was feared momentarily that
THIS line would snap. Telegraph and
telephone companies are making des-
perate efforts to provide a makeshift
service and the work is beset with
great difficulties.
While many generous offers of ma
terial relief have been received and
trainloads of supplies are on the way,
the specter of famine was abroad to-
night, for If the storm continues it
may seriously interfere with railroad
traffic, There is enough food on
hand for immediate needs, but it will
last only a short time unless addition
al supplies are received.
New Victims Are Found,
AS the day wore on the immensity
OF the disaster increased rather than
diminished. Hundreds of bodies were
taken to the morgues and rescue
squads were constantly finding new
victims buried under tons of debris.
until the blizzard forced them to cease
work. There is every reason to be-
lieVe that many more will be recoy-
cred.
No concerted effort has been made
as yet to compile list of the dead.
as every effort is being made to iden-
tify those who perished. The condi-
ton OF MANY of the bodies makes this
exceedingly difficult and a large pro-
portion Of those who lost their lives
VIII be buried as "nameless dead"
There is no reason, however. to
change the estimate of 1000 dead and
5000 injured.
The fires which had been raging
for twenty-four hours in the north
end were brought under control early
today and the city is no longer men
aced by conflagration.
Business Is Suspended.
While soldiers. sailors and yolun-
teers were searching the ruins of the
north end today, business was entire-
ly suspended. The leading citizens
devoted their efforts to organizing
work Of relief and substantial prog
ress was made in this respect.
An emergency meeting of the citi-
zens was held at the city hall today.
Lieutenant Governor Grant and Dep
uty Mayor Colwell presided. The
: large audience listened with intense
interest and ringing applause to the
sheaf of kilograms from far and near
which have poured in with messages
OF sympathy and promises Of assist
ance, much of which is on the way
and some already here. Two tele-
grams came from the Duke Of Devon
shire, governor general Of Canada,
who is In Regina. He said in one: