The Alaska daily empire., 1918-01-04
HOW HALIFAX HORROR WAS COVERED
(The Editor and Publisher


 One of the greatest stories in the world but one that never was and will be absolutely covered! This is the dictum of one Of Canada . $ cleverest newspaper spoken with respect to the Halifax disaster. Though columns have been written about the tragedy, much of it splendid stuff it has nearly all been secondhand material-nterviews with survivors, descriptions of the of the explos- and speculation regarding the actual cause Of the disaster Of first hand, direct, crcumstantial count by a skilful journalist, who went through the terrible experience, nothing appears to have been written while the impression was fresh Halifax news papermen had other and weighter work to do than to chronicle their experiences on the day Of the tragedy
 So far the Canadian service is concerned very little came through until Monday morning, other than the bulletins and stories handled by Canadian Press, Limited, over their leased wire But even the c. P. badly handicapped Thursday Friday and Saturday by the congestion of commercial messages which inundated the telegraph offices. At one time local office actually eight hours behind in schedule. This practically put the c. P service out of business for hours at time and normal conditions restored until Sunday night
 the day of the explosion Canadian Press Linn ted did not get in touch with it's Halifax office until the evening. when direct wire communication restored, and J. L. Hickey the Halifax superin tendent dispatched the first connected story of the disaster. In the meantime reliance was placed on a somewhat desultory service from Amherst and Truvo which, while correct in the main, contained good many inaccuracies.
 The first reflection of the catastrophe was flashed over the wires at S:O7 a. m Eastern tnme simply reading Lost Halifax, but there was nothing alarm ing about that The first actual of the explos ion received at 9:26 a. m. one hour and 19 min utes after it occurred. It from Amherst and read, American ammunition boat collided with an other boat at Rockingham, three miles from Halifax At 10 a. m Boston wired, Great explosion at Hali fax" Other dispatches followed from Boston and New York, emanating from the offices of the West ern Union and Postal Telegraph and stating that communication with Halifax broken owing to an explosion. At 10: B a. m. the first authentic mes sages came from Ottawa and 10:57 a. m the first long story was wired from Amherst But the most interesting wire the day of the tragedy was that from Halifax, via Havana which evidently sent by the Halifax Bermuda cable and ar rived at 12:26 D. m.
 So far the Halifax newspaper offices are con- cerned, very little has been heard as vet how they fared They were crippled at first by the cutting off of the gas service and on Friday if was only day, however publication of the regular size sheets was resumed. The newspaper offices were pretty badly damaged and machinery was clogged with broken glass There are three daily offices in Hali fax these being the Chronicle, Herald and Acadiap Recorder The Chronicle. which is owned by q as its afternoon edition The Herald is owned by senator Wm Dennis; it is also a morning paper With the Mail as it's afternoon edition The Acadian Recorder is an od-fashoned blanket sheet afternoon daily. published by c. c. Backaddar
 Only one death occurred among the Halifax newspaper fraternity that being a reporter named Romayne, who went to cover the collision for his paper and never returned Other newspaner men had to experience losses and injuries in their homes
 George Macdonald superintendent of the q p buIeau at Montrea left for Halifax on Thursday night but was delayed the way and did not reach the wrecked city until Saturday night
 lne Associated Press established a servca from, Iruco, N s., on Saturday. but did not get Halifay service running until Sunday "
 For time, on the day of the explosion the con- sor at Ottawa held up publication of any stories or the disaster but it impossible to hold inc han on it longer. W u 'io o""