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HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
CHRONICLE BUILDING
HALIFAX, N. S.

PERSONAL TESTIMONY, Rev. Hugh Upham, of Shubenacadie.

Shubenacadie, a village forty miles from Halifax, felt the shock of the disaster quite perceptibly. About 9,15 or 9.20 o'clock on Thursday morning a sort of rumbling noise was heard. Many people thought it sounded as though the bricks from the chimneys were falling on the roofs. Others thought immediately of an air raid, and others that some cars filled with munitions must have been blown up at some distance away. A telegram had already come to the station-master at Shubenacadie from an operator, Vincent Coleman, Richmond, saying that a munition ship was afire in the Harbour. Several Shubenacadie ladies had gone to Halifax on the morning train(December 6) Their friends became anxious and rushed to the station to take the next train which was due to leave Shubenacadie at 10.15 a.m. Unfortunately, the train was delayed two hours. When the train arrived about 12.15 a number of people; the doctor, minister of Presbyterian church and a dozen others boarded the train to offer what help they could. The train arrived at Richmond at about 12.30. This part of the town was then in ruins and the remains of workmen were being brought out of the debris. Houses were burning all over the north-end of Richmond and scarcely any houses were standing by this time. The larger stores were completely demolished. Isaac Creighton & Sons store was burning. Edward Wright's Grocery, and Constant Upham's Department Store were all in ashes as early as 2.30 o'clock in the afternoon.

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MG 1 vol 2124 number 234