the S.S. 'North American'

Seen in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1965. 

"Erie native Louis John Porreco formed the Canadian Holiday Company of Erie in 1962, which would be in bankruptcy by 1964. The SS North American was purchased by the Erie Company in 1963 for cross-lake service between Erie, and Port Burwell, and Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. The North American operated out of the Port of Erie for less than a year, before she was retired in 1964.

"On 4 September 1967, the North American left Erie for Piney Point when she sank unexpectedly in the Atlantic Ocean in 400 feet [122 metres] of water, 25 nautical miles [46 km] northeast of the Nantucket Light."

The North American was built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works at Ecorse, Michigan, in 1913 for the Chicago, Duluth & Georgian Bay Transit Company. The vessel was launched on 16 January 1913, the older of two near-sister ships, the newer one being SS South American.

The ship was 280 feet [85 metres] in length, 47-foot beam, and drew 17 feet 6 inches. She was equipped with a 2,200 indicated horsepower quadruple expansion steam engine and three coal-burning Scotch boilers. The ship was converted to oil-fired boilers and a second stack were added in 1923.

Full story and more pics.