Halifax Explosion photos, letters donated for anniversary

Nova ScotiaArchives hasreleased new images revealing a glimpse of Halifax moments afteran explosion ripped through the city in 1917.

The documents are new additions to the collection on the Halifax Explosion, and the province's top archivist is hoping the public release of photos and letters will inspire families to contribute their own documents in time for the 100th anniversary.

The explosion occurred on Dec. 6, 1917, when two ships the Mont-Blanc and the Imocollided in Halifax Harbour. The Mont-Blancwas loaded with explosivesand blew up 20 minutes later, killing about 1,500 people immediately. Hundreds more later died of their injuries.

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Over the years, Nova Scotia's Archives has been working on a collection of historical documents related to the tragedy, from newspaper clippings to first-person recollections. Lois Yorke, head archivist, says she's always amazed that items are still being donateddecades later.

"These are items that have been kept by families," she said. "They've been valued, but they realize it is time to share them with NovaScotiansand with Canadians."

With the 100th anniversary fast approaching, she's hoping more families will make a donation.

"It's a very powerful reminder for us of what the city came through. It's a defining moment in the history of Halifax. I believe it's made the community what it is today."

More pieces in the collection are set to be unveiled over the next two years. Here are this year's additions, which can now been viewed on the Nova Scotia Archives website:

Burning ships

Photographs of burning ships shared with the archiveswould have been taken in the minutes after the explosion.

The photographer, James Burn Russell,was a serviceman in the Royal Canadian Navy who was sent out in a boat looking for victims of the Mont-Blanc.

"This was taken 20 mins after when we were looking for any remains of the Blanc," the back of the photo reads. "There were none."

The Imo was full of holes and burning.

Yorke said photographs taken that close to the event are very rare.

Survivor's story

A young woman wrotea heartbreaking letter to her uncle in the Prairies on Dec. 16, 1917. Ethel Jane Bondand her sister hadsurvived the explosion, but their father didnot.

Over the course of 16 pages, she tells a horrific tale of their escape from their Kaye Streethome as a fire burned.

She describes trying to get some of the family'sbelongings pulled together. "They couldn't find them, the house was falling down on them," Yorke said.

They were forced to leave behind the body of their father who was outside when the Mont-Blanc exploded as they ran for their lives, fearing another explosion.

"Her graphic descriptions are very powerful and they bring that story back to us in ways that aren't accessible in any other way."

Yorkesays vivid descriptions like the one in the letter are invaluable.

"It's disturbing, it's powerful, it's a first-person experience. It's difficult today to understand what the city was like at that time."

Letter from a rescuer

In the days that followed, people from all over came to help, including American serviceman Chester Brown. Two of his letters have been added in the collection.

"I cannot begin to tell you of the terrible destruction and you would hardly believe it if I were able to write a vivid story," he wrote in the letter. "There is a couple of freight cars that been blown clear across the harbour."