A message that came to me personally which I thought I should post, with comment, to back up my story.
Displaced Haligonian Derek Gates <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> responded to the discussion between James Covey and myself (I? Me? Help me, James, you English major you!) }> I'm talking about a church on the northwest arm, somewhere around the }> Fleming Park. I don't recall what church, and I must admit that I don't }> remember having ever seen said anchor, but I'm not making the story up. }> I think it's common lore, or maybe I read it in "The Town That Died" (I }> forget the author, not as well known as Hugh McLennan) as a kid. }> }Yes, it did land near Flemming park. Also, people as far away as }Sydney, NS are said to have felt the blast. That's like 400km, or }something... When I said 100km, I was referring to Truro. I didn't know the blast made it to Sydney. }For my money, I'd recommend "Halifax: Warden of the North" by }Thomas Radall for anyone who is interested in a readable history }of the city from day one. "For my money, you can't be too soon" (Sorry, Kiss joke) }> }and yes the halifax explosion was *the* biggest }> }manmade pre-hiroshima explosion, but you can't }> }even find mention of it in many "standard" histories }> }of north america, just one more reason why despite }> }our hospitality we retain a certain cynicism around }> }here about "people from away". it really was *the* }> }disaster of the 20th century in north america, and }> }nobody knows about it... }> }> I've never understood why our disaster story is not as interesting as }> America's countless earthquakes, tornados, forest fires, or even that }> stupid cow that burned down Chicago. }> }Well, in fact, the explosion was front page headlines in all major }papers in North America...NY Times, Boston Globe, etc... }Today it appears as though it has been all but forgotten outside }of Nova Scotia. }I've even looked in those huge Time history books...they sometimes }have displayed in book stores under that date...and there is no }mention of this event... It's not everyday that 2000 people are }killed...so you'd think this would make the history books... } }Also, I was kinda dissappointed in the fact that there was no mention }of this event last Dec. 6 on the National news... It seems as }though people here in Canada have forgotten about this. All they }talked about was the Montreal massacre (also a very tragic event) }which occurred on Dec. 6 also. Yeah, a really nice day to be born on, especially since I was an engineering student at the time (For those who don't know, a crazed misogynist, claiming that women had ruined his life, killed 14 female Engineering students at Ecole Polytechnique Dec 6 of I believe 1990). Also the day in 1983 when my father had a near-fatal heart attack, and the day before Pearl Harbour. And it's too damn close to Christmas, so you get shitty presents! (right, Scotto, fellow Saggitarian?) }Derek } }PS: I once had someone from Upper Canada say to me, "You had a }big explosion down there a couple years ago"...I guess so, if }a couple years = 75... }-- }----------------------------------------------------------------------- }Derek P. Gates phone (w): (416)-978-2450 }Department of Chemistry [EMAIL PROTECTED] }University of Toronto }Canada }----------------------------------------------------------------------- } "And the World And the World | The World Turns Around } And the World And the World X The World Drags Me down" } - Astbury/Duffy, 1985. }----------------------------------------------------------------------- I feel redeemed. Now, anyone want to start a musical discussion?? :)
