From collection Ed Coffin Collection
Bow of Eastern Steamship Lines Steamer BELFAST wedged under a side span of the Cape Cod Canal's original Sagamore bridge on April 16, 1919.
320.6' steamer BELFAST built by Bath Iron Works in 1909 at Bath, Maine. Weight and Dimensions: 2157 gross tons, length 320.6' x breadth 40.0' x depth 16.1'. Bow of Eastern Steamship Lines Steamer BELFAST wedged under a side span of the Cape Cod Canal's original Sagamore bridge on April 16, 1919. The accident was variously attributed to cross winds and currents and/or failure of the steering gear. Ship was stuck under bridge and blocking canal traffic for 30 hours. see also LB2013.21.1497 note: most accounts say Sagamore Bridge, some say Bourne Bridge. They were identical drawbridges, part of the original privately operated canal structure. The current twin Bourne and Sagamore bridges were constructed in the 1930's.
