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| << December01, 2006 - Hearts and Humor- I Am Loved |
December07, 2006 - Hearts and Humor - The Bell Stood Alone >> |
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Prayers work, Family Your prayers really helped. After more than a week, I am finally feeling better. The letters, emails, calls and wishes worked. There is nothing that could make me feel better than knowing I am part of a family. My family is you. I wanted to post a Christmas story tonight, But I thought I would go with this one instead. Something happened almost 90 yeras ago. Not manypeople know about it. It touched me personally before I was born. The Halifax Explosion As many turn their thoughts to Christmas preparations this time of year, I like to take a moment to reflect on a not-so-well-known event. Thursday, December 6, 1917, the skies were bright and clear in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In Europe, World War 1 raged. Halifax Harbor was busy. Convoys of ships loaded with supplies of food, munitions and troops gathered in Bedford Basin, ready for the voyage to Europe, with heavily-armed warships as escorts. The French ship Mont Blanc was headed into the harbor to moor and await a convoy to accompany her across the Atlantic. At the same time, the Belgian relief ship Imo, left her dock in Bedford Basin, headed for open sea. There was a collision. The Mont Blanc caught fire. On the deck of the Mont Blanc were five tons of benzene. In its holds were: 300 rounds of ammunition, 123,000 pounds of gun-cotton - a powerful explosive formed by the action of nitric or sulfuric acid on cotton. Also in the holds were 4.6 million pounds of picric acid (an explosive, which, when dry, is extremely sensitive to shock and friction), and 4.7 million pounds of TNT. People rushed to the shores to watch the ship burn, unaware of what was to come. The Mont Blanc exploded in a blinding flash. Its deck and hull disintegrated. It was and is the largest man-made, non-nuclear explosion in history. A mushroom cloud rose more than a mile in the sky. Three thousand tons of the shattered ship rained down on the city. More than 1600 buildings were destroyed and 12,000 were damaged. Almost 2000 people were killed - some from the blast and some from the 18 meter (59 foot) tsunami that rolled onto both sides of the harbor. 9000 people were injured, many blinded, as they stared out windows that imploded. More than 325 acres of the city were reduced to rubble. All glass within a twenty mile radius shattered and splintered. The anchor of the Mont Blanc, weighing more than half a ton, landed five kilometers (three miles) away, and the barrel from one of her cannons fell to the ground 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) in the other direction. Millions of liters of burning gas fell on the city. Toppled wood and coal-burning stoves ignited the collapsed buildings. The shock wave was felt as far away as Sydney, Nova Scotia, 270 miles away. Halifax was a burning wasteland. The next day, as if the city and its people were cursed, a six day blizzard struck, dumping close to two feet of snow over the rubble. The survivors suffered without food and shelter. The day brought death and destruction, but it also created many heroes. Most notable, Vince Coleman. The railway yards were located near the harbor, close to the site of the collision. As the crowds gathered to watch, a warning was given to employees at the railway, freight yards - an explosion was about to occur. Realizing the danger, Vince Coleman, a telegraph operator for the Canadian Government Railways, heeded the warning to evacuate and began to leave for the safety of higher ground. However, he remembered that within minutes, a passenger train from Boston to Halifax was due. The train had to be warned of the impending explosion. Vince Coleman was successful in getting his message over the wire to stop the train. Mr. Coleman died that day, but he saved the lives of over 700 railway passengers. Among the dead that day was a woman who died in her home. Two of her children were crushed when their school collapsed. The woman was my great grandmother and the children my great, great aunt and uncle. One her children survived. She crawled from the rubble of the school and years later became my grandmother. The tragedy in the harbor of Halifax is the only information I have of the family I lost. Everything they owned was destroyed. Help came quickly. From all over the province, people rushed to assist those in need. A great deal of help came from USA, mainly Massachusetts. The Red Cross in Boston sent medical help, food, and other supplies. Each year, Halifax sends a giant Christmas tree to Boston, to let them know, their help is not forgotten. The tree is erected in the Boston commons. It stands tall and proud in the tradition of Christmas and also as a reminder and thank you to those who came who came to assist my family and city in their time of need. Thank you, Boston. You're help will never be forgotten. Michael T. Smith Michael lives in New Jersey with his wife and son. He works as a project manager in the telecommunications industry and writes in his spare time. His stories will be part of a collection to be called, "From My Heart To Yours." You can read more of Michael's stories and sign up for his twice-weekly posts at http://archives.zinester.com/86758/ |
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| << December01, 2006 - Hearts and Humor- I Am Loved |
December07, 2006 - Hearts and Humor - The Bell Stood Alone >> |
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