Children of the Shattered City

Over the intercom buzzed a static-filled message, “Our master detective has left the building.” Evelyn Pattison was on her way out of Private Eye Detective Agency when she heard the message. Evelyn had turned 17 only the summer before, the minimum age for a job in Halifax. Nevertheless, she had applied for the job at the age 14 and hadn’t taken a vacation since she heard the great news. Now she hurried home, on the morning of December 5, 1917.1

Mr. Pattison had just gotten a new job fixing damaged ships in Halifax Harbour and his wife was busy with housework. Evelyn jogged through the growing city and finally made it to her family’s charming beachfront home. Millicent and Tommy, her 10-year-old twin siblings looked adorable together in their matching sailor’s outfits, but even so, their usual sibling rivalry was evident on both faces. Millicent was holding her favourite drawing pad, and Tommy was begging to play some game of mathematical brainteasers. Each one’s love for their passions and their older sister was as great as the other’s, but Evelyn was unsure of whom she would side with today. Deciding that she had better be fair, Evelyn proclaimed that they would head upstairs out of their mother’s way and flip a coin to decide who would be in charge of entertainment first.2

A mischievous smile spread across Tommy’s face as he bounded up the stairs, recalling the mathematical odds of a coin landing on heads. 3

Millicent rose with a grin and followed her brother in her usual polite, soundless manner. Evelyn borrowed a coin from her mother who was quick to offer a grateful glance of approval. Evelyn had been busy working at the detective agency and had forgotten how much she loved joining in her siblings’ day-to-day activities.4

Millicent’s amazing luck brought her to victory for the tenth time in a row, and Tommy got the message to stop trying to look like a genius. Tommy was impatient with drawing so was appreciative when Evelyn announced that she was ready to take on a challenge. Tommy had only just finished reading a perplexing situation when the front door squeaked open and banged shut. Millicent stretched to peer at her alarm clock; it was already 6:00.5

Realizing that it must be her father, Millicent jumped up eagerly and pulled Evelyn down the stairs behind her. Tommy was disappointed that he couldn’t stump his sisters, but he too took the stairs two at a time to be lifted into his father’s still unoccupied arm. Evelyn managed a swift kiss before she hurried into the kitchen to help her mother with dinner. Evelyn listened intently as her father notified her over dinner of how his new job was going. Tommy continued to wait patiently to play his game, but he had school the next day and finally allowed his sisters to convince him to go to bed.6

Millicent tossed and turned all night. It was only half past seven, but Millicent awoke with a start as the front door squeaked. Nightmares of fire and flying debris pounded her brain. Millicent wandered down the stairs to catch her father before he left for the day and sleepily said goodbye. Tommy jumped in his sleep as the door slammed. Disturbed by similar dreams to those of his twin, he wandered downstairs in the same manner Millicent had minutes before.7

By the time everyone had finished their breakfast, it was half past eight and Millicent was getting ready for school in her room. Tommy had just reached the bottom step when someone banged on the brass lion door knocker outside. Mrs. Pattison bustled through the hall and recognized the twins’ best friend Ian immediately. Ian’s tall thin frame cast a shadow on the gleaming hardwood. The twins joined him on his way to school and broke off at Pier 6 to watch the boats in Halifax Harbour. They had until 9:15 to get to school. Ian was 11 already so had to get to class for 9:05.8

When the door slammed again, it was Evelyn who awoke. She took her time getting dressed and picked up a good book. She hardly had any time to relax anymore, so she took advantage of the so far quiet morning. Mrs. Pattison had been thinking the same thoughts of relief, and picked up her knitting to prepare for winter, soon to arrive.9

Meanwhile, Tommy had been staring at all of the huge ships anchored in Halifax Harbour. One in particular that caught his eye was the IMO. The Belgian relief ship fascinated him as it lifted its anchor and entered the Narrows on its way to New York. Millicent observed a tramp steamer enter the Narrows on its port side, breaking the #1 rule of the sea. The IMO moved over to its port side in order to avoid a collision. Millicent watched the Stella Maris, another magnificent cargo ship enter on its port side as well. Just then there was a piercing whistle, and two in response. Two ships were on a set collision course, and the ship at fault wasn’t going to do anything about it!10

Tommy and Millicent were surprised to suddenly see a little ship called the Mont Blanc coming up in the IMO’s direct path. Captain Aimé Le Medec, sailing the mere ship towing deadly explosives expected that the IMO would correct its path, but his hopes were soon dashed.11

Millicent thought that they could still miss each other, but their spur of the moment ideas had dangerous effects. The Mont Blanc tried to cut across the IMO’s path and the IMO threw its engines into reverse. This caused its bow to drift into the Mont Blanc’s new path and they hit. Millicent jumped and peeked at her watch as the Mont Blanc was devoured by flames. It was 9:05 and they had to get to school.12

Ian sat down after morning announcements the instant the fire started. His teacher Miss Cunningam had just started the first lesson when there was an ear-splitting bang and mini fireballs whizzed past students’ noses. Ian watched as a giant wave swallowed Pier 8. Miss Cunningam was paralysed with fear, but granted Ian permission to find out what had happened. He raced down the stairs only pausing to peer into the twins’ room, and dashed out the door.13

Tommy and Millicent were huddling behind the school where they had been thrown by the blast. The three returned to the docks where the Mont Blanc was nowhere to be seen and chaos was evident at the opposite end of the harbour. They joined the curious spectators gathered around a doctor examining a seriously hurt man. A piece of twisted metal lay nearby, looking as if it had been torn from a ship as a kid would a piece of Lego. The doctor’s next words shocked the twins: “Does anyone know a Mr. Pattison?” The twins, fearing the worst, sprinted to the safety of their home.14

The Arlingham’s home next door was destroyed and the housekeeper was dead. Millicent thought she could hear muffled sobs from under the rubble, but she wasn’t sure. The Pattison house was untouched and the twins dashed inside to tell Evelyn the news. Mrs. Pattison led the troupe back to the docks. Mr. Pattison was finally taken to hospital by wagon. By the time the family managed to get to the hospital and get an update on his condition, they were all exhausted and decided they had better get to bed.15

The next morning, Millicent suddenly grasped what was happening next door. Baby Lucy was trapped, alone in her crib under the mound of rubble. Millicent called the Arlinghams home from their business trip and an ambulance to retrieve poor Lucy. She had just gotten off the phone when a blizzard blew in, howling like a wolf at the moon. She knew that all rescue operations would be delayed so sadly got ready for the day ahead.16

Evelyn was just coming out of her own shock. She decided that she would take the explosion as a case because she wanted to learn who was at fault for her father’s situation. Her long-awaited vacation was over, but adrenaline pushed Evelyn all the way to work. Evelyn gathered witnesses and facts. It was important that she solve the case, for her father’s sake and for the Arlinghams still waiting for their daughter to be rescued.17

It was true that all the ships were at fault. The tramp steamer and the Stella Maris should have stayed to their starboard sides. The IMO and the Mont Blanc should have made an earlier effort to avoid the collision. The event was over though, and there wasn’t anything Evelyn could do about it.18

It was that night when Mr. Pattison finally awoke from his coma. Evelyn and the twins were woken early to visit their father. When they arrived, he could barely remember their names. The concussion had caused him to lose his memory; all he could remember from the event was flaming debris smashing into his head. Mrs. Pattison decided to take him home anyway and began the process of familiarizing him with his surroundings immediately.19

Four long days passed before everyone was rescued. Lucy was found smiling, still in her blanket. Official statistics were impossible, but almost 3,000 residents were killed, 9,000 injured, 25,000 left homeless, and property damage was estimated at $35,000,000. Hospitals were filled beyond capacity, but the Canadian government wasted no time in raising the money to rebuild their shattered city.20