The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-12-07
HALF OF HALIFAX
IS IN RUINS
1000 Killed and Hundreds In
jured in Ship Explosion.
DEAD LYING IN STREETS
War Munitions on French Vessel Ig-
nited in Collision With Belgian
Steamer-Loss is in Millions.

Halifax, Dec. 7.-Revised estimates
Of the number of persons killed in
the explosion place the f.ure at from
500 to 1000. Over 1000 wee injured
The disaster, it was sail, was the
result of the rammfng OF a munitions
ship by 9 Belgian relief vSsrel.
The Richmond district at the north
end of the city had seve"al fires,
which have been overcome. In DIR.
mouth, on the opposite si;e Of the
harbor. the explosion damag build
ings all over The whole city, the bust.
ness district particularly heiHg seri.
ous'y affected. No trooHs w're VIZ t
ing here for "mb1rkation, i was an
nounced. The situation is well in
hand.
Half Of the city is in ruins. The
property less is estimated at millions
Of dollars md is noun ing stead ly as
moe ccmH7ete reports are received
The whole northern section of the
city is a mass Of wreck2ge, which Is
being RAPIDLY consumed by fires that
have broken out in half dozen sec.
lions. Pieces of iron and shrapnel
we're found three miles from the wat
err front.
The dead are lying thick il the
stress and every hospital is filed &c
cverf owing. Many of those who were
seriously injured have been unable tc
obtain treatment. The crews of both
ships were all killed.
The area of destruction covers sew
eral miles. The Canadian govern
ment depot used by the Canadian Pa
cifc railway is described as having
entirely collapsed, while big govern
ment repair Plant at Willow Park, III
the northwestern section of tie CT
is wrecked The explosion was sc
terrific that it destroyed the instal!a
ton in the telegraph and telephone
offices for thirty miles around Hall
fax, while it was heard at Truro, SIX
ty-one miles dis ant.
The conclusion caused the ROOF
over the railway depot in North street
to collapse, while every warehouse or
the waterfront for a distance of
mile and a half was damaged. Many
of these caught fire. Freight cars
were blown off the railway tracks by
the impact of the blast for stretch
Of nearly two miles.
TWENTY-FIVE railroad trackmen were
killed while at work near Richmond
and it is feared that several score OF
persons lost their lives when the roo
of the railway station collapsed. II
In the harbor when the explos'o on oc
Cured. but nothing could be learned
regarding them.
All land wires are down and the
plant of the cable compaRy@sseee55
so damaged that it cannot be cper
ated. Attempts to establish telephone
communication by circuitous routes
were futile. One report says th"t two
telegraph operators were killed ant
another that several employees LOST
their lives.
The French ammunition ship wai
backing from her pier preparatory II
sailing when the accident occurred
The force of the collision started
fire aboard. The crew was quickly
called TO quarters anu du dlIoIhpt "o'
made to extinguish the flames. Thi
failed, and as the fire approached thu
holds where the explosives were stol
ed the captain ordered the sea cock
opened. But the vessel drifted tc
ward one of the piers and few me
ments later the explosion occurred
tearing the ship to pieces.
Messages asking for fire engine
and fire-flghting apparatus, doctor
and nurses, hospital supplies, etc
were received from Halifax by mum
Der of localities il Nova Scotia. Spe
cial trains were made up with every
thing required that could be procul
ed.
The greatest dam age done to prop
erty was in the Wholesale and res
dental districts. The explosion rocf
ed the business buildings and brok
much glass. but the casualties IN thi
section were small. Fl Tres in the mort
end of the city were caused by stove
overturning.
st the moment O. the explosion
aerce storm was sweeping the ha:
& hot