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MG 1 vol 2124 number 122

HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
ARCHIBALD MACMECHAN, F.R.S.C.
DIRECTOR
HALIFAX, N.S.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE.

Dr. M. J. Burris,
Dartmouth.

At nine o'clock was just getting up. Shaving. Felt the house shake and felt that something terrible had happened. Thought that there was a bombardment of some kind. The explosion was low, not so loud as the noon-day gun, and he thought that it was a shell from a submarine. His little daughter, downstairs, screamed. A second explosion was louder but still there was no breaking of glass. He was sure now that it was a bombardment. Ran downstairs, caught up his little girl and called to his wife and the maid to come to the cellar. Put the little girl in the cellar then ran back for his wife, who had not come met her at the door and pushed her down the cellar stairs, following her. They were all in the cellar when the "big" explosion came. Everything smashed. After waiting for some time for more, Dr. B. came upstairs. Went into office, a man was there with his face cut --wanted Dr. B to dress it. Soon many people were there to be 'fixed up'. Only small hurts came first, as Dr. B. lives near the ferry and people were not so badly injured in that part of Dartmouth. Later, people from the North End came and were much more hurt. One child had his skull fractured, broken like an egg-shell -- the brain substance was oozing down over the side of his face -- he lived about three weeks. A man in uniform warned them of a second explosion "worse, far worse than the first". There were fifteen or twenty people in the office then. They all went away. Dr. B. took his wife and child in his