New Britain herald., 1917-12-10
Brave Body of Riflemen, However, Board Ship and Throw Burning Cargo
 Overheard.
STEAMER IS LATER
 SENT TO THE BOTTOM

Work of Burying Dead From Thurs days Explosion Started Today, There Being Not Enough Clergymen, Hcarses or Pail Bearers Hundreds of Dead Stin Lying Under Wreckage of Buildings.
 Halifax, Dec. 10.-The deck cargo of the British steamer Picton, laden with munitions caught fire last night and only the quick and courageous work of half company of riflemen pre- vented another big \explosion in the harbor. The men boarded the ship and threw the burning cargo over board and checked the flames before they could spread to the holds. The vessel was taken to sea today and sunk.
 } After the Plcton had gone to the bottom it was officially announced there was no danger of other explo- sions in the harbor.
 Halifax, Dec. 10.-A revised casual ty list today showed 1,2OO known dead, 2,0O0 unaccounted for, 5000 wounded and 25,0O0 homeless. This to date is the toll of the great fire here Thursday which swept over an area oi two and a half square miles after the explosion of a intuition ship in the harbor Only part of the burned sec ton has been explored for dead bodies.
 Burial of the dead was begun to- day. Men wanted immediately at Fairview cemetery an advertisement in the morning papers, called atten- ton to another problem, that of get ting men to dig graves for the victims of the catastrophe. Health authorities working with the general relief com mittee made it plain that burial must not be delayed for a thousand or more t bodies in morgues and elsewhere the danger in delay was apparent to all ? But under the plan already in effect there was no delay for laborers were assigned to the cemeteries, and men who never had expected to do that sort of work went about the task as cheerfully as conditions permitted.
 Little groups of sorrOWful people went silently to cemeteries adjacent to the Richmond district, utterly wiped out byt flames, and laid away tne1r dead without friends in attendance, and with the commitment rites omit ted There were not enough clergy men to of1ciate for all. There were not enough pail bearers and not enough hearses. Pungs laden with collins went slowly over the snow covered streets and within sight of the section where hundreds of unburied bodies were still, in the ruins.
 The city, facing the most serious Of problems had no time to stand aoouC open graves, and dead were lald away with none there but the folk from homes now but mass of ruins. one general service was held for all.
 E1urry of Snow.
 There was a slight furry of snow early today, but during the forenoon the skies frightened and clear wealth CT was indicated. Snow covering every foot of the streets was frozen mass at daylight. General weather conditions, however, were favorable and soldiers were sent early to the burned area to begin the search to1 hundreds of bodies in the ruins.
 Trains arriving from Montreal anc other points brought hundreds or Vls' itors and the general rush added tc the difficulties of handling the situa tiOn.
 Supplies from New York brought 1T last night were distributed promptly.
 There is enough food on hand tc meet immediate needs. the loca branch of the Nova Scotia wholesalt grocers' guild reported to the lieuten ant governor today. No orders from outside cities will be filled.
 wholesale Arrests.
 Halifax, Dec. 10.-Wholesale ar rests of German residents of Halifa2 were begun by the police today. Thi: action was taken under instruction from the military authorities
 Sixteen Germans were taken int custody within a short time. Officer after an inquiry released a few them. The others are in the count, jail.
 The authorities refused to disclos whether they had obtained evidenc associating Germans with the eXplo sion.
 number of citizens of German birth heretofore have been alloWe full liberty with the exception tha thev were required to report once month.
 Davbreak today found Halifa rapidly emerging from the chao into which the city was plunged the explosion last Thursday. The sue cessive snow and rain storms Whlc followed the disaster greatly hanE cred all efforts to alleviate the SUI fering of the thousands of lnJure and home eless people but the retur of fair weather yesterday made pos sible more systematic work.
 All relief agencies have now bee co-ordinated. Enough doctors an .L.--.....4A.l LlAn, I.,lo..L.>.1. .pnnaA