The Washington times., 1917-12-08

tance of nearly a mile along the
water front to Gottingen street.
1t Is along the water front where
the homes OF the poorer classes were
I located and where the scene OF de-
struction are the worst.
In. the section OF Dartmouth there Is
not a single home but what was
damaged. This condition also pre-
walls in Richmond where the mortality
list is even more appalling.
Cause stIII In Dark.
Until the work OF rescue nears
completion two other important fea-
lures will remain unheeded-that OF
compiling the mortality list and that
OF fixing the blame for the explosion.
A mistake in signals is the gener-
ally accepted cause.
The inquest upon the dead and the
inquiry among the living are being
held today by a special tribunal ap-
pointed from Ottawa. It consists OF
one Judge, one mercantile expert, and
one naval expert. The tribunal is
headed by Justice Drysdale, the only
admiralty Judge in Nova Scotia
Relief workers arriving today from
surrounding cities scarcely could be-
lieye their eyes at the scene OF de-
struction, desoIation, and devastation.
InGy hdu CApNNACN AhANAr SNN SNN
sight which greeted them almost de-
ned description
Physicians 0VerwOFked.
Much OF the work naturally falls
on the hundreds OF physicians and
nurses of this and surrounding cities
ON whom the demands are exception
ally heavy. In many instances one
physician has as many as twenty-five
cases, and the demand being so great
he cannot expect assistance from
other physicians.
From out of the chaos there comes
at least one bit OF cheering news.
A careful search has failed to md
injury to any OF the many vessels
laden with the men who are bound
for "oyer there"
The American sailors, at FIRST re-
ported to have been injured or killed,
are guarding with fixed bayonets
what is left OF homes and business
houses.
II will be many days before a
be compiled-days before the debris
can be cleared.
Today Halifax Is q place OF hospi-
talA and morgues, OF bitter cold,
driving sleet, and blGckened wreck
age.
Many Inquiries.
kilograms are pouring In from
all parts of America asking for in
formation concerning persons who
may have been in the city when the
French ship blew up. Every train
brings crowds OF relatives racked
with suspense for some loved ones.
The hotels are thronged with sad
faced. Everywhere is desolatlon, ev.
erywhere mourning.
The exact extent OF the toll in hu-
man lives cannot be known for many
days, probably never will be known
The fire which swept the blasted
area wiped out the wrecks OF hum
dreds OF buildings.
The storm has greatly delayed
trains and prevented relief parties
from outside cities from getting to
work as early as they expected.
Both ships To BIaneI
When the official government in
vestIEation of the munIttou ship ex-
plosion begins here II will be testi-
fled the Mont Blao CARED 1000 tons
OF T. y. T, the highest explosive
known, and q deckload of benzine.
A. this floating bomb came through
the nArrows there was q light mist.
The duty OF the vessel was to keep
to the right, and hugging the mar
rows as Il went toward Bedford basin
to await convoy.
The Belgian relief ship was coming
nut OF the basin and some witnesses
ailege neither ship was on its right.
side OF the stream. In order to recti-'
fy the mistake they exchanged sig
nails which were evidently misunder-
stood. The limo rammed the muni-
tions ship. backed away and ran
aground on the Dartmouth shore. Al
th point there are several versions
NJ the aforv fnId