The Detroit times., 1917-12-07

poned Then the Gres began
City IN Darkness.
Freight sheds in Richmond were
pushed over like houses of cards. /
Many OF thc injured were removed
by train 90 Windsor today
The city was IN practical dark
ness an night School sessions
saa IN razumed FOR "a
month.
Some wounded people were found
today lying whore they had been
hurled ny the explosion. Volunteer
stretcher bearers gathered them up.
Some OF those found dead today had
evidently died OF wounds. by their
postures 10 was apparent they made
desperate attempts 20 crawl into the
open before losing consciousness.
A special train bringing carloads
OF food. clothing and other much-
needed supplies arrived here This
morning from ST. John, n B
Mayor Hayes and the majority OK
the surgeons of ST. John have also
arrived
every hour brings additional res
cue wOrkeTs-nurse and doctors
with ambulance and surgical sup
plies Long lines Of sohbing mon
and women began early TO-DAY 90 hie
past the rows OF blanket covered
dead.
Many Child Victims.
Women shrleked as they drew
aside blanket and recognized a
loved one Men sohbed over the
bodies OF children. while others.
white faced and haggard, stunned
by the catastrophe, fingered trink-
cts or bits OF clothing on mangled
and burned bodies, hoping 20 es-
tabllsh their identity.
The most pitful OK on was The
row OF little figures that represented
the children who we're yesterday
struck dead in their schools, on The
street. even while playing on their
own doorsteps There was one tiny
golden-haired girl OF about four
years. She showed no surface
wounds and she lay among the
others. a dilapldated ragdoll by her
side. II was found In her hand
and kept for help In Identification.
Early this morning this little body
was Gained by sobbing girl
mother. She was wrapped IN an
old overcoat
In the common are other stiil Z
forms. covered with blankets. Many )
are burned beyond recognition, an !
Others mangied. Some probably /
never VIII be identified Today
slowly rising pan OF smoke hunr |
over the devastated suburb OF Rich I
mond and while soldiers and sailor /
patroled the wrecked streets thr
work or digging out the manElec
and burned victims continues
Many Wounded Will Die.
Hundreds OF wounded are in hos
pitfalls IN and near the city man \
hoverlnz near death Others Gov
cred with white bandages, limpinr /
or being carried in automobiles. ar
going - nearby towns and village
or The thousands ~ home'es
many slll are 100 dazed 10 know /
what 20 do The suddenncss Of th
death that overwhelmed the cir \
has left them dumb IN their gric
am suffering Every available vc
hicle has been pressed into service (
aud WAGON loads of bodies are BE- I
Ing carried away
The dead are being tagged as fast
as they are identified
Several men, blinded. were found I
cropping thru streets calling for help \
Weeping children and wounded (
mems groans made last night O h0r
ror for all in the city.
WASHINGTON. Dec. Fears fof
the safety Of American ConsutGcu 4
eral Etheibert Watts, o. Halifax
Philadelphia were voiced st th
state department today Con .
Freeman OF sydney n $ lofi early
today 60 investigate the fate oi I
Americans n the vicinity 0f tho O. |
plosion.
The American consulate at Ha I
fax Is within two and q half block 4
Of the water front and close t0 fho
custom house.
Efforts were made all night t0 ge I
IN touch with Halifax hy q tate o. I
partmeut cable but tho bpst fh8
could BE- done was 70 order Freeman /
10 60 there.
The department. anxiety Wse
heightened By Dee fact that Watte I
- nAWaANH NNWIiAI'N w WI H'I'.I
matters He p father of Constr1c
tor watts, of tLe navy, and wa
American consul in brussels az ftr
outbreak Of the war
That no American ships were iu
voived In The Hallfsg drasfor lu
peared more likely thF forenoon
from The fact that no mention rf
any was included in ihe na~y d-
partments reports
Five Thousand dead iu the Taiifa,
disaster vas lhc uarondrmed csll-
mate a naval commander forwarded
90 the navy derarfme ent here over
night
Re hnd seen and heard ne horri
bic explosion b2 miles az Fea and
reaching the harhor learned of the
holocaust re declared the muu.
iions sbap crew reached shore safel,
by abandoning their craft when tho
Gre started
The navy department. apnrunftd
the following had been received
from a naval commander.
---tsi- : ---l------ l-.-ll.- TIA AZ
piosion. on arriving assistance was
offered The authorities and the foi
loWfng learned concerning tho cir
cumstanccs leading ur 90 the M
pioeion
"A Belgian relief ship colidcd