South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-09
HALIFAX DEAD 1000;
RECOVER 1000 BODIES
Whole NeighbOrhoOdS Wiped
Out by Shock and Flames
Hundreds Consumed by
Fire in WreCkage.
Associated Press Service

Associated Press Service.
HALIFAX, y. s.. Dec. S.-FoUr
thousand dead.
This is the new estimate tonight
OF the superintendent Of morgues
whose duty it is to ASSEMBLE and
expose for Identification. il possible,
the bodies Of those who perish ed
by shock or fire when the ammuni-
ton ship Mont Blanc blew up in
the harbor Thursday.
His estimate that startled even
those who had lived through three
days of the horror here, was based
upon the records Of his district as
sistants. who late tonight reported a
total Of .000 bodies recovered. They
have figured on "a certain mum Der
FOR a prescribed area. There APP
pears 10 be no other way of determ-
lining the loss.
Whole NeighborhOOds Wiped Out.
Hundreds. perhaps thousands. of
bodies have been consumed by the
flames and in scores Of cases not only
whole families. but whole neighbor-
hoods have been wiped out, and the
names OF all the dead may never be
known.
Others think this estimate too
high. but all admit that the super
intendent's way of figuring is as good
as any
Late Ina the day dredging parties
working under the direction Of ma
val authorities dragged ashore 200
bodies OF sailors, soldiers and labor
ers recovered from the bottom Of
the harbor Another searching
squad found 40 bodies i'm the hulk of
the Norwegian steamer limo
Organize Relief Work.
The work Of relief was organized
today al a meeting of American and
'anadian officials and volunteers who
are here with large resources at
their command. 10 restore so far as
possible the injured and provide
shelter. food and clothing for the
10000 who are destitute.
Lite tonight authorities in charge
OF the various mOrgues announced
that about 400 of the 1000 bodies
had been identified
10000 Are Destitute.
The outstanding fact that has
been faced by the local authorities
with "A courage that challenges the
admiration Of their Kinsmen from
south of the border. rs that 10000
persons are destitute and OF the
number perhaps one out of seven is
suffering from injuries which in
many cases are bound 20 prove ia
tai
Tonight the work of orgauizing
the various relief units into a work.
sole whole with "a general direction
that would avoid duplication OF eff
fort and tend 10 the greatest eff
cheney was well under way
Federal. provincial and Red Cross
aid. supplemented by volunteer units
from other cities and the United
states were being utilized 10 the best
advantage. The Massachusetts re-
lief train which had been stalled
much Of the night in snow drifts
near the Nova SCotian border ar
rived today. bringing the first CON
ungent of physicians nurses and
supplies II was the first Of several
trains curoute from the American
side.
City slowly Recovering.
More than a foot of snow fell last
night Today tho storm passed and
the weather was clear and cold.
street cars we're stalled iu the drifts
during the night but today the SER
vice had been partly restored The
dax also saw the lighting system re-
uewed I'm part and after darkness
fell the city looked a little less black
and forbiddinE, Fortunately the
telephone service is GOOD but there
lis somber significance I'm the re-
port Of so many dead" numbers.
The water supply is causing the
most concern Emergency repairs
are being made as fast as il is hu-
manly possible hut the system was
~tH seriously dersnged this even
ing
Property Loss Over S2O.OOO.OOO.
The property loss. Variously esti-
mated at from s2Q.00O.00o 60 $50
100000. probably will prove 10 Re
1earer the minimum figure
The search for bodies goes ON me-
thodicaIly and hundreds are exposed
I'm temporary morgues through
which thousands continue 10 file.
though there have been but few
Qualifications The clearing on the
streets by the removal OF v'reckage
Of homes facilitates the recovery OF
bodies Those engaged iu this work
are having many depressing AMI
some heartening experience.
Little Girl Prays. Unhurt.
When the blow fell little Lola
Burns. the ei-ht-year-old daughter
Of John Burns ~ Granville ST.. was
or her knees hy her cot saying her
morning prayer. The house col
lapsed Hours later Lola was found
lu the midst Of the wreckage. hem
med Ia by fallen timbers and sur
rounded by broken glass. bat quite